by Greg Prato
Want to experience drinking a pint in an Irish pub, in the comfort of your living room? Then Gaelic Storm's Bring Yer Wellies ("wellies" is slang for rubber rain boots from Europe) is certainly recommended. Despite the rough edges being mostly smoothed over, the band still delivers an uptempo, carefree, feel-good time. Interestingly, although the group's sound is unmistakably Irish, there is only one member who actually hails from Ireland -- singer Patrick Murphy (the others hail from either England, Canada, or the U.S.). Regardless, Gaelic Storm sound like a well-honed version of the real thing, as evidenced by such tracks as "Never Drink 'Em Dry (Johnny Tarr's Funeral)" "The Devil Down Below," and "The Salt Lick." The band's hard work (they recorded this 14-track set in a month's time, and play over 125 shows per year) is certainly paying off, as heard throughout Bring Yer Wellies.