Flogging Molly’s third album was called Within a Mile of Home.
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It was released in 2004 and reached number 20 on the Billboard 200 charts. The album tackled several subjects such as US policy of the day, and forced emigration way back in the 17th Century when Oliver Cromwell shipped Irish workers off to Barbados.
The album was well received by critics who said it was more polished and mature than their earlier work. However, the album was not without its traditional Irish party music. PopMatters described the opening track ‘Screaming at the Wailing Wall’ as a “toe-tapping, arm-in-arm Celtic boogie tune”.
In 2004, Flogging Molly went on their first ‘Green 17 Tour’ in which they play in 30 locations across the United States. They have carried this on every year since.
Darker tone with ‘Float’
Allmusic praised the “boozy, bleary-eyed, fatalistic poetry that makes Irish music at once romantic and grimly realistic”.
Their fourth album, Float, was released in 2008. It was the first album that the band recorded in Ireland and reached number four in the Billboard Charts.
It covered more political subject matter than their previous albums which resulted in it having a darker overall tone. The album covered subjects such as the treatment of soldiers who returned from Iraq and problems with the capitalist economy in America.
It still contained plenty of Flogging Molly’s trademark high energy sing-alongs and the band again received glowing reviews from critics.
While they were touring the album, band members King and Regan got married in Tokyo.
Speed of Darkness – for the working class
The band’s fifth album, Speed of Darkness, came out in 2011. It was written for the millions of working class people who were hit by the recession.
King said: “It wasn’t the album we set out to write, it became the album we had to write. I wanted people who’ve lost their jobs to know I was paying attention. We’re singing for them, all of these good people brought to their knees.”
It was recorded at Echo Mountain Recording Studio which used to be a church. King continued: “We liked making music in a building that had been a voice for the community.” It was another big hit, reaching the top ten of the Billboard 200 charts.
In 2011, they performed at the season premiere of Austin City Limits, a three day music festival in Austin, Texas.
The band continues to record and perform live.
Flogging Molly
Screaming at the Wailing Wall
Flogging Molly Videos
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