Album Review

Enter the Haggis
Soapbox Heroes

When Matt said that this band would be something that I may like, I wasn't really sure I'd agree with him about it. I mean, Enter the Haggis? I immediately thought of the band Flogging Molly and how when we first discovered them in high school we were so cool because we listened to them. I'm not sure listening to Enter the Haggis would make me so cool.

So, I popped in the disc; my first taste of this band. To my surprise, the first track was an instrumental track. The bagpipes that I heard in the background weren't overwhelming. It was more like a seasoning of them and it blended well. Maybe this is something I could get into.

I found myself thinking that the band was good. Not great, not knock your socks off, but good; they had a solid sound and they were confident. Their upbeat songs were easy and enjoyable to listen to because the mix of rock and "world music" made the band fresh. Barfly, a ballad, ended up feeling out of place for me and I didn't think it offered anything that would make me want to give it a second listen.

With instruments like the aforementioned bagpipes, harmonica and whistles, there were enchanting moments throughout the CD. It's a great CD to have on at a party, where people can take notice of it and strike up conversation about it.

The tracks were different from each other and unique. It was obvious that the band wasn't trying to fit into a mold and I greatly respect them for finding their own voice. It's one of the reasons I find them appealing. I'm not so sure I'll be giving this CD back to Matt right away. I think I could take it for a few more spins.

Posted by
Laurie Perini