Album Reviews

The Real McKenzies are a bunch of Scottish Canadians who have been pillaging liquor cabinets around the world for quite a bunch of years already when they’re not too busy impregnating the local women. Oh, and they play folkpunk as well. “Shine Not Burn” finds them playing an acoustic show in Berlin which means you’ll get to hear stripped down versions of their best known songs in a live setting. Luckily it’s just the songs they stripped down, they themselves kept their kilts on.

Armed with a wide array of traditional instruments (bagpipes, penny whistle,…) and plenty of alcohol, they rage through 21 songs about drinking, partying and – of course – Loch Ness with lots of onstage banter thrown in. I’ve never been too much of a fan of these guys and even though I agree with most people that the McKenzies are first and foremost a live band, it apparently doesn’t mean I like this live album better than one of their studio albums. Pass!