Mad Mulligans – “Who Are The Mad Mulligans?”
When I’m not madly scribbling little jokes and accolades for obscure local punk, hardcore and metal bands-
You can find me as a half-assed, half-aware, half-sane security guard working second shift.
And after six pm., it’s pretty much me and the Spanish-speaking cleaning crew where the love and respect flows freely and is mutual, of course, while I’m primarily conversing with them in broken Spanish.
And earlier tonight I was told that the Spanish word for today is “Hoy” which sounded like to me that they were saying “Oi”.
Then later tonight I’m writing about an Oi band from Brooklyn, New York and their name is Mad Mulligans.
So I found out about this band from the great comp for a great cause called “No One Left Behind- A Comp To Save The Stage At Lucky 13” a club that supports our music, that I reviewed recently.
Though I’m much more familiar with the Boston and Providence scenes. I am aware that The Krays were a well-known and legendary, New York hardcore band and that three of their members are in the Mad Mulligans.
And I don’t know who the hell is Mulligan, but I am mad for this band. Though not in an angry way, you could say that I’m crazy about them.
So no more jokes, no more mad scribbling. Let’s check out who these guys are:
“Bricks & Batteries” begins with a pounding, bounding, energetic beat with a unison vocal line always ending with an emphatic “Woah-oh”. “Time to take them down, grab their fucking crown. Drag ’em through the town, burn it fucking down.” A slightly, dissonant Johnny Thunders like lick blazes through this song and builds and burns with passion. An anthemic, awesome, all-mighty hell of a song.
With a four chord garage intro “Jimmy Got Robbed” blasts in with lyrics like “Brooklyn break out here we come. And no one gets in our way. Flatbush Avenue better run. ‘Cause we’re coming home today.” This tune sounds like a mashup of The Sex Pistols “Submission” and and a tune off The Clash’s first one,” though this song is about Jimmy Pursey of Sham 69! Great piece of song anyway you slice it- full of intensity, passion and guts.
A grungy, guitar lick and a charging, marching drum beat begins “So Sure We’re Right” with gang vocals answered by a singular one and a kind of intensity and aggressiveness that makes me think of an early, great English punk band- The Stranglers. “Laws coming left and rules coming right. We’ll rally around something, looking for the light…Litterbugs, chump change, homeless in the night. While stealers of pensions laugh without a fright.”
There’s an expanded guitar solo in the middle of this song that is actually quite potent. And the coda, the tagged on part, is just like the cherry on top of a hot fudge sundae. “We know we’re right. So sure we’re right.” I’m so sure this is one great Oi song, my favorite tune on this release.
“We Know You Are” starts out veering towards hardcore speed with a rockin’ jungle beat. “I don’t trust nobody, you all lie. I don’t need nobody, I’ll get by.” The rhythm reminds me of the African “Burundi Beat” that was popularized in the eighties by Adam Ant & The Ants and Bow Wow Wow, only here it’s done much faster. The music is exciting, energetic and excellent and there’s terrific backing vocals for the strong, lead melodic ones. Second favorite song on this very, good release.
“Boop Boop Dittum Dattum Wattum Choo” erupts approaching hardcore warp speed with a scorching, punk guitar and melodic vocals. “Of life, and never fret about it all. Your life, don’t sit and wonder what it’s for.” And when the gang/unison vocals spit out the title, this song just elevates to another realm of excitement and excellence with a wonderfully, mad/crazy guitar solo to boot. This song just makes me ponder how great this band must be live!
There’s a musical saying that goes, “Anybody can play the blues but hardly anybody can play it right.”
I feel that statement is true and I feel that also applies to punk and Oi.
‘Cause both those styles, though not being the most difficult to play, seems to me the hardest to get right.
So the question of today, (Or hoy!) is “Who are the Mad Mulligans?”
Well, they made one of the best releases I’ve heard this year.
And though I don’t know them, I can readily tell you what they do.
They play Oi music and get it right.
Damn right.
(Slimedog)
