By DJ Monk
For many years, Ireland, in common with the rest of the British Isles, expended enormous effort in exporting its criminals and troublemakers to other side of the world. Now, the Jailbirds have come home to roost, in the shape of brothers Axel and Jay McDonald, who have migrated back across the globe from Sydney to the fair city of Dublin, where they have teamed up with two like-minded local lads in their bid to craft a rock ‘n’ roll sound that moulded the straight ahead boogie so much associated with their native land onto a Celtic-folk infused groove redolent of their newly adopted home.
Having first come across the combo a little more than two years ago, when they supported Tyler Bryant on the Nashville guitarist’s brief stopover in UR’s own adopted home city of Belfast, I knew exactly what to expect from this hard-rockin’ debut album – and my expectations were more than fulfilled, as the McDonald brothers, together with rhythm guitarist Ed Orr and bassist Jamie Trimble do exactly what it says on the tin – and that is play good old-fashioned rawk ‘n’ roll with no airs and graces.
Easing us in with the Thin Lizzy-esque intro to the title track, the lads quickly take us down those bluesy rock paths previously explored by the likes of fellow emigres such as AC/DC, with a series of no nonsense fist-pumping anthems, in the shape of the aforementioned ‘The Great Escape’, the stomping ‘Loose Cannon’ (which, to be honest, could give a certain Mr O’Keeffe and his bandmates a run for their Aussie dollars) and the prophetic first single, ‘Nothing Good Lasts Forever’, before briefly easing off the accelerator for the first half of ‘Shadow Of Love’: however, they just can’t resist the lure of that heads-down boogie-woogie and the pace soon steps up as the song races to its conclusion.
New single ‘Thrill Of The Chase’ will be familiar to regular UR readers, as it closed out the most recent edition of our Singles Club just this past weekend, but it’s always worth revisiting this sort of good-time funtime boogie groove, as it’s one of those songs that never fails to put a smile on your face and tempted to hit the repeat button… But, don’t do that just yet, as there is more darn good rootin’ tootin’ rock ‘n’f’n’ roll to come, in the shape of the alt-country tinged ‘Underdog’, which is the darkest track on the album, with a sense of pending menace emanating from its dense grooves.
Unfortunately, penultimate song ‘Fight Or Flight’ stops the album’s momentum dead in its tracks (sic): it’s overlong and sounds like five minutes of filler – which, given that there are only eight tunes on the album, is a severe disappointment. However, the lads quickly restore the balance with the rambunctious closer ‘The Pilot’, which is the sort of pacey little floor filler that will go down well in the live arena.
The late Phil Lynott once sang about a ‘Jailbreak’. These particular Jailbirds aren’t exactly going to break new ground but what they have done is provide a competent and highly acceptable for what most of us on the Irish Sea do best – and that is to have a party! So, get the beers in… it’s your round!
- ‘The Great Escape’ is out now. You can get your copy HERE.
- Jailbirds hold their album launch party in Dublin on Saturday 27 July and then play the Jägermeister Stage at Bloodstock on Sunday 11 August.
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