Boston's Dropkick Murphys have been making extremely fun and fired-up Celtic punk for nearly 30 years, and they aren't slowing down anytime soon. Today, the band announces plans to follow up the one-two punch of 2022's This Machine Still Kills Fascists and 2023's Okemah Rising with a new one called For The People, which is coming out on July 4. Like a lot of Murphys records, this one has some urgent messages about working-class solidarity, something that's as important as it's ever been. That comes through loud and clear on lead single "Who'll Stand With Us?"
"Who'll Stand With Us?" is a rousing stomp-along that's rooted in the glam and oi traditions that have long driven the Dropkick Murphys, and its bagpipes give it an extra kick. For The People also has appearances from people like Billy Bragg, the Scratch, the Mary Wallopers, and original Murphys singer Al Barr. It ends with a fond dedication to Shane MacGowan, the band's late collaborator and obvious inspiration.
Murphys frontman Ken Casey has stood for a lot of causes over the years, and he recently took part in a humanitarian trip to Ukraine, not an especially safe place to visit these days. He recently spoke to local Boston news live via satellite, saying that the Dropkick Murphys have never played in Ukraine and he wanted to let the country know that he supports them: "If I'm gonna be speaking up and asking people to donate money, I should actually show up and see things with my own eyes and be a part of it directly... The Ukrainian people are wicked friendly." An air-raid siren goes off during the interview. Below, check out "Who'll Stand With Us?," the For The People tracklist, and Casey's news interview.
TRACKLIST:
01 "Who'll Stand With Us?"
02 "Longshot" (feat. the Scratch)
03 "The Big Man"
04 "Chesterfields And Aftershave"
05 "Bury The Bones" (feat. the Mary Wallopers)
06 "Kids Games"
07 "Sooner Kill 'Em First"
08 "Fiending For The Lies"
09 "Streetlights"
10 "School Days Over" (feat. Billy Bragg)
11 "The Vultures Circle High" (feat. Al Barr)
12 "One Last Goodbye 'Tribute To Shane'" (feat. the Scratch)
For The People is out 7/4 digitally on Dummy Luck Music/[PIAS], with physical editions coming in October.
