The Rumjacks - Brass For Gold EP

Following last year’s Hestia, which featured the debut of new vocalist Mike Rivkees, The Rumjacks are back with a new EP, Brass For Gold.  The EP also marks the first time this lineup has been able to work together in person since Hestia was recorded during the pandemic, and also finds them expanding their sound a little.  They start things off on familiar ground with “Bounding Main”, an infectious blast of straight-up classic Celtic punk.  Next up are “Bloodsoaked In Chorus”, an infectious track that finds them meshing Celtic Punk with ska rhythms, and “One For The Road”, a great full-speed ahead Irish drinking song that is sure to get the crowds going.  Other highlights include “On A Somber Saturday” and “Blinding Flashes”, both of which maintain the Celtic flourishes but also adding some fresh new touches, with the former being a really nice, laid back, largely acoustic, tune with a rootsier vibe and the latter (and one of my favorite tracks here) having a bit of a country-tinged punk sound.  Closing out the EP is probably the best tune here, “Falling Back”, an upbeat singalong that’s fairly reminiscent of The Pogues.   Brass For Gold is a great EP that shows a promising new direction for the band, while still maintaining what got them here.    

(The Rumjacks)