Today, sees Meryl Streek release their new album “Songs For The Deceased”. A voice for the Irish people, you’ll feel patriotic within moments of listening to this album.
Songs For The Deceased opens with a bang on the first track “Welcome”. Letting you know exactly what Meryl is thinking. No holding back. This is Ireland, Céad Míle Fáilte, this is the reality , this is what the Irish have to deal with!
A multitude of vox pox, news recordings, radio segments, interviews and truths, is what awaits within the entirety of this album.
Recorded on home soil at Darklands Audio with producer Dan Doherty. Dan has already worked with some incredible artists like Fontaines D.C, The Jesus and Mary chain, Damien Dempsey, Coolio and more. So you can tell that this album will have some flavour to it.
Fine Jail explodes in your face with heavy garage beats over what seems to be a Japanese Shamisan, Meryl might as well have a megaphone screaming at the top of his lungs from the tip of the GPO here! Because that’s what it feels like. Patriotic and poetic. Like if Micheal Collins went to art school. Drum and bass sounding straight off a Kneecap track. The ending has a drum roll so tasty you could mistake it for a Winders fruit roll. Leading us straight into the next track “Bertie”, without even noticing. Beautiful stuff.
“Bertie” starts off straight away with some truths, “a despicable prick, played off as a good laugh.” Serious groove on this one again with some heavy beats and a bass line that tightens up your lips. I’ll knock you out with one jab.
If this is life, then I don’t want it.
Hooked up to the mind of the people, this album is like a spewing of the Irish consciousness from the mouth of one man, on a bed of caos-like samples painting the background. Meryl Streek has a serious talent for turning social politics into banging chooons. What better way to get the people on board with change and to expose the truths of the country and the world, then to write about it and slap some punk-esque vibrations on top. The best have all done it before in the past.
This album is following in the footsteps of The Clash and songs like “Career Opportunities” and “Know Your Rights”.
Holding a mirror up to our society and saying “Come on, we need a fucking change”. From Gambling debts in Ireland on the track “Gambling Death” and “By Ones Own Hand”. The lyric, “I’ll leave it up to Paddy Power to decide what type of meals I’m eating for the week” Says it all.
Streek is also giving a voice to the lost souls of a tragic fire on tracks like “Stardust”
Which is set over a back drop of news reels speaking of the horrors that happened at the stardust nightclub, Artane, Dublin, in 1981.
This song is a wondrous dedication to all the beautiful souls who lost their life’s in the horrendous stardust fires. Citing the 48 names who didn’t make it.
Funky drum and bass grooves over a Japanese Shamisan with possible Mongolian flutes as an Irish man screams on behalf of the lost lives.
What an amazing creation this song is, and a beautiful dedication. The track fades to black at the end with an orchestral wave on top of more news reporting on the devastation. This is a song for the Stardust 48, May Justice prevail.
Meryl Streak is the beginnings of change in Ireland (IMO). If the youth of today can grasp on to his music and get lost in his lyrics and feel that patriotic fire in their bellies, then we will have a powerful society on our hands standing for what’s right.
This album is encapsulating the minds of the majority, whilst crossing the barriers of creativity into unknown territories. Layers of samples that prick your ears, and bringing in the sounds of other cultures whilst being wrapped in an undeniably, pure Irish bubble. Thanks to the Dublin accent of Meryl, who is not shying away from it.
POLITICALLY-OUTSPOKEN IRISH AVANT GARDE PUNK at its best!
I am in awe of this album and cannot wait to see what the future holds for Meryl Streek.
8 out of 10 stars.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 8 out of 10.Buy the album – HERE
Reviewer Carl Foran – @carlforanphotography