The Meanest of Times

Infobox Album
Name = The Meanest of Times
Type = Album
Artist = Dropkick Murphys


Released = September 18, 2007
Recorded = April–June 2007 at The Outpost in Stoughton, Massachusetts
Genre = Celtic punk
Length = 54:33
Label = Born & Bred Records
Producer = Dropkick Murphys
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3nfexzrgld0e link]
*Entertainment Weekly (B+) [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20056634,00.html link]
*In The News Rating|4|5 [http://www.inthenews.co.uk/entertainment/reviews/music/rockindie/dropkick-murphys-meanest-times-$1134488$1134488.htm link]
*Alternative Press Rating|4|5
*Kerrang!Rating|4|5
*SPIN Rating|4|5 [http://www.spin.com/reviews/2007/10/0710_dropkickmurphys/ link]
*MusicOMH Rating|4|5 [http://www.musicomh.com/albums/dropkick-murphys_0907.htm link]
*AbsolutePunk.net (78%) [http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=289709 link]
*Rolling Stone Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/16272239/review/16293615/the_meanest_of_times?utm_source=daily-newsletter&utm_medium=email link]
*Boston Globe (favorable) [http://www.boston.com/ae/music/cd_reviews/articles/2007/09/25/mean_but_lean_and_classic_murphys/ link]
*Dara Records (favorable) [http://www.dararecords.com/irish_music_news/dropkick_murphys_the_meanest_of_times_review.html link]
*Rocklouder Rating|3|5 [http://www.rocklouder.co.uk/articles/4083/Dropkick-Murphys---The-Meanest-Of-Times.html link]

Last album = "The Warrior's Code"
(2005)
This album = "The Meanest of Times"
(2007)
Next album =
Misc = Extra album cover
Upper caption = Alternative cover
Type = Studio album


Lower caption = Limited Edition Cover

"The Meanest of Times" is the sixth album by the Dropkick Murphys. It was released on September 18, 2007 by their new vanity label, Born & Bred Records, a division of Warner Music Group. [ [http://www.punknews.org/article/24523 Dropkick Murphys announce new album details] ] That makes this their major label debut, as all of their previous albums were released on the independent label Hellcat Records.

The picture on the album's cover was taken at Saint Brendan School in Dorchester, Massachusetts, close to Quincy, Massachusetts from whence the band hails. Local kids posed in the picture to make it look like it was taken in an old Irish school.Fact|date=January 2008

The first songs from the album were heard through the band's MySpace page starting in August 2007. The first track to appear was "(F)lannigan's Ball", which was actually a different version than what is featured on the album, as it featured vocals by Al Barr and Ken Casey rather than Ronnie Drew and Spider Stacy. [ [http://www.punknews.org/article/25050 Punknews.org | Dropkick Murphys: "(F)lannigan's Ball" (alternate version) ] ]

On the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, the album debuted at number 20, selling about 28,000 copies in its first week. [Katie Hasty, [http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003646687 "Reba Outmuscles Kanye, 50 To Score First No. 1"] , Billboard.com, September 26, 2007.] This album was #49 on "Rolling Stone"'s list of the Top 50 Albums of 2007. [ROBERT CHRISTGAU, DAVID FRICKE, CHRISTIAN HOARD, ROB SHEFFIELD (December 17, 2007). [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/17601851/the_top_50_albums_of_2007/49 "The Top 50 Albums of 2007"] "Rolling Stone". Retrieved 2007-12-20] The album's first single, "The State of Massachusetts", became one of the 100-most-played songs on US modern rock radio in October 2007 [ [http://w2.mediabase.com/mmrweb/AllAccess/Charts.asp?format=r3MM&showtopn=500&cutoff=1 Mediabase 24/7 - 7 Day Charts ] ] . Also in October, the song had been added to the playlists of 18 US alternative rock stations. [ [http://w2.mediabase.com/mmrweb/AllAccess/jump.asp?chart=R3 Mediabase 24/7 - 7 Day Charts ] ] By January of 2008, the song had become one of the 60-most-played alternative rock songs in the United States. This song was #83 on "Rolling Stone"'s list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007. [No byline (December 11, 2007). [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/17601363/the_100_best_songs_of_2007/21 "The 100 Best Songs of 2007"] "Rolling Stone". Retrieved 2007-12-21]

A cover version of The State of Massachusetts is available for download in a special Indie rock pack on Guitar Hero II, and Famous for Nothing, (F)Lanningan's Ball, and Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya was available as a three song track pack on .

Versions

Multiple versions of the album were released, across different mediums and regions. All versions feature the same initial 15 tracks, but have different bonus tracks. The European version includes a cover of the Thin Lizzy song "Jailbreak". A deluxe vinyl edition, which features the album spread out over two 12" records, includes two bonus tracks, "Promised Land" and a cover of The Who song "Baba O'Riley". The vinyl release also includes the album on CD, but the CD only includes the first 15 tracks. The deluxe edition of the iTunes Store release includes three bonus tracks, "Forever" (acoustic version), "The Thick Skin of Defiance" and "Breakdown". The bonus tracks from the iTunes release are also available on "The State of Massachusetts" EP that was released in the UK in February 2008 [ [http://www.cookingvinyl.com/release_info.php?id=475 RELEASE INFO - Cooking Vinyl UK] ] .

A limited edition version of the album was released on March 11, 2008. It includes 5 bonus tracks (including the European bonus track, all three iTunes bonus tracks as well as the original version of "(F)lannigan's Ball") as well as a DVD. [ [http://www.musicpix.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=952 Dropkick Murphys On Letterman Tonight * Announce St. Patty's Day Limited Edition Release of "The Meanest Of Times" on 3/11 & Tour Dates :: Musicpix.net] ]

Track listing

All songs by Dropkick Murphys unless otherwise noted.
# "Famous For Nothing" – 2:47
# "God Willing" – 3:16
# "The State of Massachusetts" – 3:52
# "Tomorrow's Industry" – 2:19
# "Echoes on "A". Street" – 3:17
# "Vices and Virtues" – 2:11
# "Surrender" – 3:15
# "(F)lannigan's Ball" (Traditional, Dropkick Murphys) – 3:39
# "I'll Begin Again" – 2:38
# "Fairmount Hill" (Traditional, Dropkick Murphys) – 3:58
# "Loyal to No One" – 2:25
# "Shattered" – 2:47
# "Rude Awakenings" – 3:23
# "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya" (Traditional, Dropkick Murphys) – 3:54
# "Never Forget" – 2:51

Bonus tracks

Limited edition

16. "Jailbreak" (Phil Lynott)
17. "The Thick Skin of Defiance"
18. "Forever 2007
19. "Breakdown"
20. "(F)lannigan's Ball" (original version) (Traditional, Dropkick Murphys)

European release

16. "Jailbreak"

iTunes Deluxe Edition

16. "Forever" (acoustic version)
17. "The Thick Skin of Defiance"
18. "Breakdown"

Deluxe vinyl edition

16. "Promised Land"
17. "Baba O'Riley"

Personnel

*Al Barr – vocals
*Marc Orrell – guitar, accordion, vocals
*James Lynch – guitar, vocals
*Ken Casey – bass, vocals
*Matt Kelly – drums, bodhran, vocals
*James "Scruffy" Wallace – bagpipes
*Tim Brennan – mandolin, tin whistle, acoustic guitar
*Spider Stacy – vocals on "(F)lannigan's Ball"
*Ronnie Drew – vocals on "(F)lannigan's Ball"
*Rick Barton – additional guitar on "The State of Massachusetts"

References

External links

* [http://www.dropkickmurphys.com/photos/images/2007/07-recording/index.html Photos from the Flannigan's Ball recording sessions]