Dropkick Murphys proudly remain Boston’s rock ‘n’ roll underdogs turned champions. Since 1996, the boys have created the kind of music that’s meant to be chanted at last call, in packed arenas, and during the fourth quarter, third period, or ninth inning of a comeback rally. Their celebrated discography includes four consecutive Billboard top 10 album debuts (Turn Up That Dial, 11 Short Stories Of Pain & Glory, Signed and Sealed in Blood, Going Out In Style), along with 2005’s Certified-Gold album The Warrior’s Code featuring the double platinum classic “I’m Shipping Up To Boston.” Whether you caught a legendary gig at The Rathskeller (The Rat) under Kenmore Square, found the band by taking the T to Newbury Comics to cop Do Or Die in ’98, discovered them in Martin Scorsese’s Academy Award winning The Departed, or saw ‘em throw down at Coachella (or one of hundreds of other festivals), you’ve become a part of their extended family. Dropkick Murphys’ music has generated half-a-billion streams, they’ve quietly moved 8 million-plus units worldwide and the band has sold out gigs on multiple continents. Dropkick Murphys’ official charity, The Claddagh Fund, has raised millions to support non-profit organizations that are focused on children, veterans and addiction recovery. In 2020, the band was one of the first to embrace streaming performances, starting with their Streaming Up From Boston St. Patrick’s Day virtual performance. It was followed by their landmark Streaming Outta Fenway livestream, which drew more than 5.9 million viewers and held the #3 spot on Pollstar’s “Top 2020 Live Streams” chart. Dropkick Murphys St. Patrick’s Day Stream 2021…Still Locked Down, was #1 on Pollstar’s Livestream chart for the week ending March 22, 2021, logging over 1 million views. Dropkick Murphys returned in 2022 with their first-ever all-acoustic album, This Machine Still Kills Fascists (Dummy Luck Music / Play It Again Sam), and seated theater tour. This Machine Still Kills Fascists–and their follow-up album Okemah Rising–breathe musical life into mostly unpublished lyrics by the legendary Woody Guthrie, curated for the band by Woody’s daughter Nora Guthrie. Dropkick Murphys’ new album For The People rises to its moment: an expression of humanity at a time of relentless dehumanization, a promise of hope in an era fueled by fear-mongering, a declaration of solidarity in an age of disunion, a defiant rebuttal to the charlatans and demagogues who seek to divide us for their own power and profit.

Spiritual Cramp aren’t looking for a soapbox. The San Francisco-born punk experimentalists are here to flash a big smile, flip you off, deliver a burst of musical adrenaline, and then keep on walking. “But at the same time, that’s something that I’m working on,” vocalist Michael Bingham knowingly grins. And on their upcoming sophomore album, RUDE (due TK via Blue Grape Music), Spiritual Cramp discover a newfound balance between that impish cheekiness, emotional vulnerability, and rabid energy.

As RUDE’s opening track “I’m an Anarchist” kicks in, an FM signal tunes in the voice of DJ Crash (played by percussionist Jose Luna) and Wild 87 Radio, home of the “San Francisco rude boy sound.” The fictitious radio station takes its name from the band’s original moniker, and recurs on the album as a way to keep Spiritual Cramp grounded. “My foundation is in San Francisco, California, and from there I can go anywhere and be who I am,” Bingham says. The song that follows similarly embeds listeners in the Spiritual Cramp musical language, tongue-in-cheek sloganeering (“I’m an anarchist, so leave me alone”) soaring over clap-along sunshine punk.

While Spiritual Cramp have perfected their kaleidoscopic take on rock over nearly a decade, the gleeful RUDE marks the start of a new era. Bingham and bassist Mike Fenton have been the band’s constants and written the majority of Spiritual Cramp’s songs, but the new lineup of Bingham, Fenton, percussionist Luna, guitarists Nate Punty and Orville Neeley III, and drummer Julian Smith gelled to the point that everyone joined in the RUDE writing process. “It really helped give color and energy to the whole record,” Fenton says. The results are nothing short of ecstatic, bounding between new wave burn, indie rock swagger, old-school punk, and even dub and hip-hop flourishes.

The thumping rhythm and chunky guitar riffs of album highlight “At My Funeral” showcase that evolved fusion, as well as Bingham’s trademark self-deprecating sense of humor. “At my funeral/ Nobody came/ Everybody knew/ My shit was lame,” he deadpans, as Punty and Neely’s guitars ping-pong to each headphone. The following track, “Automatic”, utilizes similarly muscly, Clash-indebted guitars, though this time paired with a neon dance punk swagger and a Killers-esque soaring chorus.

Another major factor in RUDE’s amplified genre experimentation came in the studio, with Spiritual Cramp working with a producer for the first time, namely the iconic John Congleton. The giddy, DEVO-addled “Young Offenders” exemplifies the growth he helped foster, pulsing electronics and a stuttery bridge underpinning the sarcastic punk anthem for yuppie expansion. Throughout RUDE, the tracks feel dense and lush, though always full of light and life. “We got crazy in the studio this time,” Fenton says.

Perhaps the wildest surprise, though, comes via guest vocals from indie singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten. Bingham and his wife became friends with the indie singer-songwriter after their move to Los Angeles, and the unlikely pairing sounds absolutely fated on “You’ve Got My Number”, a smoky, slow-burning gem. “People sometimes think of us as ‘just’ a punk band, but we love indie rock and were so honored Sharon would sing on one of our songs,” Bingham says. “For whatever reason I thought a reggae song with a big rock chorus would be perfect for her, and she sounds incredible.”

Throughout RUDE, it’s clear that Spiritual Cramp are constantly pushing the boundaries of their musical world. “Sometimes we’d write something and everyone in the room would think it was totally nuts,” Fenton laughs. “And then we’d finish it, and it was great to realize we weren’t crazy.” And while they continue evolving, the witty, fun-loving heart of Spiritual Cramp keeps the engine running. “We have a cool thing that people like, but we can always get better,” Bingham says. “This record paints a picture of what it feels like to be in Spiritual Cramp.”

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