Turn Up That Dial

Boston's unofficial house band Dropkick Murphys returned after an absence of four years with their tenth set Turn Up That Dial. Rousing and raucous as ever, the album doesn't veer far from their tried-and-true formula of Celtic-influenced punk anthems. In addition to expected fare such as "Middle Finger" and "Smash Shit Up," the boys get serious with the politically charged "Chosen Few" -- both an observation of American society during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic and an indictment of U.S. presidential leadership during that time -- and "I Wish You Were Here," a midtempo ballad dedicated to vocalist Al Barr's late father and other lives lost to the coronavirus. Aside from that final somber moment, the rest of the LP is an absolute blast, yet another collection of reliable singalongs to "Oi!" your cares away. ~ Neil Z. Yeung