The Welch Boys – Bring Back The Fight

Knowing that The Welch Boys are a fairly run of the mill working-class punk band from Boston, Massachusetts, anyone with even a hint of knowledge of a local scene still dominated by The Dropkick Murphys should be able to piece together exactly what to expect from this hard nosed quintet.  Over the top hometown pride?  Check.  A throaty baritone front man not unlike Ken Casey?  Check.  Tons of stories about bar fights and booze? You betcha.   If the prospect sounds enticing, then Bring Back The Fight might be the disc for you.  But if you’ve grown weary of sub-par Boston clones with nothing to add, then approach with caution.

It’s as if The Welch Boys let their hearts do the talking without first filtering their thoughts through their minds.  Never once do you get the feeling that any of the band members looked over a track and suggested that perhaps they should touch on a topic about more than the immediate surroundings of the pub in which Bring Back The Fight was written.  “Whiskey and Beer” might sound like an easy target, but it’s not really more clichéd than the forgettable gang vocals shouting to fight back in the title track or “Where Have All The Boot Boys Gone?”  The mixture of punk, hardcore and Oi! is facelessly textbook. The result is a very passionate and committed collection of songs that play well past the point of familiarity.  Aside from a few scattered rock n’ roll inspired solos (see “Hand Grenade” and “Belly Of The Beast”), the songs collectively blur together, offering little individual incentive. 

With all of the booming gang vocals, The Welch Boys clearly want to give their audience a reason to sing along with Bring Back The Fight.  Aside from the most committed Bostonians, this simply isn’t going to happen.  Truth is, I found myself having to consciously refocus my attention after zoning out at various points – even well intended choruses do little to raise an eyebrow during their peak.  With regards to their label’s roster, the band lands well above abysmal Oi! of The Bully Breed but significantly below Burning Streets’s enlivening working class punk.  Only the most die hard of Boston punks need apply.