Black 47’s Iraq is a work of protest and outcry. Not surprisingly a hit with the military overseas with songs titled “Downtown Baghdad”, “Sadr City” and “Ballad of Cindy Sheehan”, this album fuses Celtic rock, brass, and energy along with a hefty dose of political angst.

For some of you who may be unaware of Black 47, look no further than New York City’s very own Paddy Reilly’s on Second Ave and more recently, Connolly’s in midtown. Don’t worry; I have taken much pleasure feeling out these pubs for you over the years. Drinks are stiff. A lot of this album’s heart is defined by the talent behind the brass and saxophone, reminiscent of Clarence Clemons of the E Street Band. I also love Larry Kirwan as a vocalist. Of course he is no Aretha, but is charismatic and a perfect story teller. On top of that, he also plays the Stratocaster, i.e. electric guitar.

The band has had an array of members since their inception in 1989, but Larry has always remained the lead vocalist. Currently, Geoffrey Blythe is on tenor and soprano saxophone, Joe Burcaw on bass, Thomas Hamlin on percussion, and Joseph Mulvanerty on Uilleann pipes and flute.

My favorites on the album are the ones that play to a more wistful sound, including the solemn “Ballad of Cindy Sheehan”. This song narrates the story of the mother turned activist with sounds of Irish folk intertwined with mournful horns. Touching, it provides a moment’s glimpse into her eyes and current life’s mission.

I also love the simple but provoking song “Ramadi”, that conveys the thoughts of a young man fighting the dangers around him, along with intrusive thoughts of his girlfriend cheating while he is away.

It is songs like these that bring personal, human elements of the war to the forefront. I admire Black 47’s dedication to bringing life to the stories of their fans oversees, but at times these messages can get garbled in such tunes as “The Last One To Die ” that pack on too much energy for something so somber.

But the album is more than just a collection of politically motivated Irish rock and roll jams; it is an assemblage of the styles that Black 47 is based upon: blues, jazz, folk, reggae, rock and even hip-hop. Now, it seems like I just listed almost all types of music known to man, but this album integrates all of them. Regrettably, and probably the most obvious, hip-hop is something that I feel that Black 47 should leave alone. In “Downtown Baghdad Blues”, track 2, you will know exactly what I am talking about.

I also want to note that this band deserves a lot of respect for being a part of the New York City circuit for so long, and creating music that can cross over into a variety of arenas without losing themselves in the process. If you would like to see theses pillars of the underground scene live, Black 47 is currently playing at Connolly’s every Saturday night and will be playing at BB Kings on St Patrick’s Day. And just remember beyond the green beer, this band has a lot of heart and a lot of soul. But, the green beer doesn’t hurt.

3 out of 5