Ghost Dragon Attacks Castle

She's gone for good time time, no! yes! why?!

It's been a solid 12 years since Carbon Leaf wrote an album primarily in the Celtic Rock style, so this album coming out of nowhere was certainly an incredible shock to the system. Instead of simply flirting with the aesthetic or weaving it into their own brand of alt rock, they instead go whole head first into the genre and make a record perfect for Paddy's Day bar crawls or just for frolicking through green fields.

Right from the jump the two opening tracks paint a lively scene of a violent crowd of ne'erdowells who want nothing more than to drink and fight the guy next to em' all in good fun of course. Fiddles, cellos, mandolins and Pennywhistle galore, these songs are a rowdy good time. After a brief instrumental interlude, we have the tongue in cheek tune "She's gone!", a song about a guy who a seems REALLY upset his girlfriend broke up with him.. again.. lol it's a great and fun ditty that is always a riot when they play it live.

There's epic songs about stormy oceans, battles fought and won, and even a little folklore. The album ends with the bar song to end all bar songs with "Sad and Alone" (also the first carbon leaf song to outright cuss lol), with it's rollicking singalong chorus and depraved lyrics, it's one for when you have hit rock bottom and your closest friend is the bartender. The hidden song on this album is a lo-fi acoustic ballad about life on the road, and it's a real tearjerker. A true fitting ending to this record.

All in all, this is one of my absolute favs from them, I've played it out so many times, it's just a good time from start to finish. Truly a great statement from an indie band making a foothold in their long career.