Songs from Sun Street
As feel-good friendly as a vintageTom Pettyanthem. As singsong jangly as an oldIrish Roversstandard. And every bit as backwoods basic as someCarter Familylament from the '30s. Nope. There's not much fault to be found with the pint-swilling, rafter-raising folk-rock of Celtic crooners the Saw Doctors. This is the ultimate party band, whose "N17" is--in addition to being one of the biggest-selling singles in Irish history--best experienced live, with every voice in the house jumping in on the call-and-response chorus. Revolving around the hearth-fire vocals of guitarist Davy Carton, SD discs may not quite capture that frantic energy, but they're typically more of the "N17" same.Sun Streetis no exception. It's a warm, personable effort, with trademark pub pleasers ("Tommy K," "Catriona Tells Lies," and the goofy "D'ya Wanna Hear My Guitar?") complementing plush, gentle ballads ("Galway and Mayo," "Heading for the Sunshine," a nursery-rhyme-ish "Away with the Fairies"). Lift a Guinness to the lads. The world needs more true-blue bands like the Saw Doctors.--Tom Lanham