The Waxies

Down With the Ship (2015)

TomTrauma

No one is more surprised than I am that I’m reviewing a second loosely nautically themed celt-punk album this year. (The other was The Tosspints' The Privateer.) They’re also both bands from Michigan and they’re both quite good. Down With the Ship is the third album from the seven piece, Grand Rapids based Waxies. They’re a self-described Irish Gypsy punk band, although the punk part is more about the DIY work ethic than the music. The Waxies’ sound is firmly rooted in traditional string instruments. Call it folk with attitude.

Down With the Ship is The Waxies’ best and most satisfying album to date. Both In Pursuit of Dicey Riley (2009) and Wasted Saints (2012) had great songs and top notch musicianship, but this has a full slate of 12 tracks and far superior sound quality. Recording all of those acoustic instruments can be a tricky proposition, and this time they finally nailed it. The cover art is also worth noting. It’s striking in black and white and was done by longtime local musician/artist and current Lippies bass player Lawrence Kole.

“Saintly Anne” starts things off on a celebratory note. It also features the typically richly drawn characters that tend to inhabit Waxies’ songs. While mandolin player Branden Garner does the majority of the singing, low-voiced bass player Conor Bardallis takes the lead vocals on the title track. “For Those We Knew” is an upbeat song that gives us a little taste of the vocals of sole female member Mikay McKibbin. “The Silver Spear” is the first of the album’s two instrumentals. The other, “Taksim”, comes near the end. “Terrible Beauty” and “Flotsam” both have seafaring overtones. The latter also has a bit of the Eastern European vibe that The Waxies sometimes employ.

“Carry On” treats death with typical Irish stoicism, and maybe just a little optimism. “The Cure” is the catchy, obligatory drinking song. On “How Can a Man” The Waxies venture into outlaw country territory. It sounds like a young David Allan Coe singing for The Pogues. It works pretty well. “Step it Out Mary” is another upbeat song featuring McKibbin. It’s fairly fast, and you might find yourself wanting do one of those crazy armless jigs. Down With the Ship wraps up with the traditional “The Parting Glass”. It’s one of the most bittersweet songs ever written, and serves as a fine ending.

Although I can’t claim to have a drop of Irish blood, I’ve long enjoyed this kind of music. It’s honest and sincere and can be addictive. It’s a beautiful thing to see punk rockers and high school band geeks join forces for a common cause. The Waxies do this sound as well as or better than many of their better known contemporaries. If you’re a fan of celt-punk or folk music, you owe it to yourself yo check out Down With the Ship.