Rockabilly Magazine, Issue #48 (US):
Until We Die - "Celtic punks from Prague, Czech Republic cobble breakneck thrill-match of trad airs and of-the-moment must-says, the dive-bombing exercise as relentlessly punchy as vividly technicolored. Lyrically aware and pointed. Rousing bagpipe and storm-wracked mohawk declarations tossed into logical chaos. Recommended "City By the Sea," "Criticized" --DC
AMP Magazine, Issue #100 (US):
Until We Die - "As far as I can tell, this band is from the Czech Republic. More bizarrely, they have bagpipes in the band. Fortunately, they don't use the pipes as an excuse to play some bad Celtic infused folk music. Rather, they play an upbeat brand of driving, melodic punk, more akin to RANCID, or the SWINGIN UTTERS, than FLOGGING MOLLY, with nary a nod to 'traditional' music (whatever the hell that means in this- or any other- case). The pipes are used as a lead melody, much as a lead guitar would typically be. And it works! Real good. I'm converted. And now a believer!" --RK
Punk Rock, Hardcore And Ska Music Resource n Review (US):
Until We Die - "pipes and pints are back with their bagpipes in hand and new full length album "until we die". yet another impressive collaboration of music, vocals and lyrics. like a stampede of folky satisfaction to your ears with scratchy vocals, punk geetar (and yes i know i spelled it wrong) and drums to boot! these guys totally deserve a listen cause they hit a homerun right out of the ballpark with this one. put this in your cd player and smoke it! best songs-"let's go", "all i know", "when the pipers play", "braveheart", "criticized", "kensington club"..." --Beth
Glitzine (UK):
Until We Die - "Pipes And Pints were formed in 2006 by Vojta Kalina (Highland Bagpipes/Vocals) with a dream of a band that combines punk rock with dirty folk music such as The Pogues. Soon after, he met Tomas Novotny (Guitar/Vocals, ex-Who ate my Skate) who shared the same dream, flavoured by country and rock and roll. This album finally saw a release in late 2009 but does it work? Well if I'm honest, ever since Ginger used bagpipes on the Wildhearts song, Give The Girl A Gun, I've waited to hear someone else have the nerve to try mixing bagpipes into a rock track, here's a band that do it on every track. Yes it really does work! You have all the energy and passion of your better than average punk band with the added pipe elements. The songs are well written and the band is pretty damn tight, the production's just enough to bring out all the best quality without ever being too much. I absolutely love the intro track, The Gael, a great instrumental with a rolling drum beat and the bagpipes. I've listened to this album a few times, more than I expected too to be really honest and I can't really find any faults. A great band, a unique sound, and some pretty awesome songs. A great combination!" --Barry Gennard, Glitzine
Organ Magazine (UK):
Until We Die - "They’re from Prague, there’s five of them, they play no messing, heads down, race you to the end, energetic, fast, uncluttered barroom punk rock ‘n roll. All pretty straight forward and uncomplicated besides the tiny little fact that there’s a great big f off steaming beast of a bagpipe player bellowing away right in there toe to toe with the rest of the band. Yes indeed, Real McKenzies I hear you cry, and you’re right of course, but the Mckenzies brand of pipe driven punk is a very Scottish and almost very nearly a traditional sound, a punk rock take on something highland folk driven, whereas Pipes And Pints are not particularly Scottish sounding. OK they are Scottish sounding, how could they not be with a great big set of bagpipes blowing away centre stage, but they’re not all haggis and kilts and wayward sons of Caledonia, they just happen to have a bagpipe blowing away in there with their no messing beer fuelled no messing punk rock.
Fast tunes, basic raw throaty (well played, well recorded no messing anywhere) tunes, a great sing/chant-a-long street punk sound, a no messing barroom rock band propelled by guitars, attitude and a driving set of punk rock bag pipes." --Organ
Punk Globe (US):
Until We Die - "Pipes and Pints fucking rawk! They are from The Czech Republic. Formed in 2006 by Vojta Kalina who had always wanted to have a band combining punk rock with dirty folk music like Shane MacGowan and The Pogues...I would like to interview these guys as we have not done much with any bands from Eastern Europe. All the tracks are great on this CD but I do like Kensington Club the best.. And of course When The Pipers Play." --Ginger Coyote, February 2010
Shite'N'Onions (US):
Until We Die - "I have been listening to “Until We Die”, the first full-length release from the Czech quintet, Pipes and Pints all week. Since I first got it, in fact, and nothing else. You see, instead of just hearing a CD before reviewing it, I like to be REALLY familiar with it. Yeah, I say that, but the fact of the matter is, I just can’t enough of this CD! There isn’t a dog on it! Every track is a full-tilt barn-burner that had me singing along, drumming on the dash, and really wishing I could catch a live show from these guys. This was all the more welcomed considering when I first got it, I thought I would hear, well, something less. “A standard rock outfit,” I thought, “with a token trad. instrument. Been there.” Well, yeah, it is a standard rock outfit, (drums, bass, guitar, and vocals,) and a single trad. instrument, (bagpipes,) but there is a whole lot more going on here. Something harder to put a finger on. “Until We Die” contains thirteen honest, and cliché-free tracks. There are no punked-up versions of old traditional Celtic tunes, (No “Scotland the Brave,” or “Danny Boy,”) or slow, mournful piping. In fact, aside from the band’s name, the bagpipes share no more of the spotlight than do the lead vocals, or the guitar, (the latter of which stretches out on occasion and runs some honest-to-goodness guitar solos, an increasingly uncommon thing in this genre!) The pipes, themselves, seem to serve as a standard punk rock instrument on “Until We Die,” possessing only an incidental Celtability, and seem to be a completely natural element here. This has a great deal to do with the songs, of course. All of the tracks have a very natural, and organic feel to them, written simply for the instruments at hand and without any forced identity. Pipes and Pints may well be deeply entrenched in the ‘Gangs All Here/Do Or Die’-era Dropkick Murphys-end of the Celtic Punk genre, but this is not just another copycat band. There is something very real about them and it is in full-dress here on “Until We Die.”
And, having totally immersed myself in this CD for a week now, I feel quite justified in highly recommending Pipes and Pints’“Until We Die".” --Christopher, January 2010
Big Wheel Online Magazine (US):
Until We Die - "Where the Dropkick Murphys have been combining traditional Irish music with street rock sounds Pipes and Pipes take on music with more of a Scottish twist. They play this up by adding bagpipes to every song and they even have a song called "Braveheart." Aside from the Scottish influences the music has a newschool street rock type vibe in the vein of later Bruisers, DKM, the Ducky Boys, One Man Army, Street Dogs, Swingin’ Utters, The Briggs, etc, etc. If you’re into that type of stuff then Pipes and Pints will fit nicely into your C.D. collection with their songs about drinking, fighting, and social injustice. Definitely some spirited stuff here." --Ditch, January 2010
Schizofrehn Fanzine (Sweden):
Until We Die - "Wiiee... this CD is so new that it’s still hot. At least the music, it’s hot as hell. Until we die is the debut album for the Czech band Pipes and Pints, who have become one of my favourite band. I say this again, I hate Dropkick Murphys but here’s another band playing punkrock with some streetpunk influences + the bagpipe. Yes, I’m fastidious when it comes to this kind of crossover. But Pipes and Pints doesn’t slaughter any irish songs, they are the best band in this genre. Yes, it’s much Real Mckenzies and a bit Rancid but Pipes and Pipes are still their own, with great energy. I can just imagine them live, it must be a real blast and I really hope to see them live soon. What’s more... the songs from their EP are new recorded and still great. The new songs are in same high class style. It’s 12 songs and a great (trad.arr) intro who give you a taste of what you will get. Lot’s of cred to Tereza who have done a great job with the artwork. What more can I say.
If you hold DKM as your favourite band, think again and think right, Pipes and Pints is the band who kick the shit out of DKM" --Schizofrehn Fanzine, November 2009
Shite'n'Onions (US):
Pipes And Pints - CD-EP - "I had heard the first Pipes & Pints EP sometime last year and was so blown away I featured them on the Shite'n'Onions podcast (I also though I gave the EP a rave review in S'n'O but can't seem to find the review - must be going soft in my old age). And just to prove that EP wasn't some kind of fluke the Czech masters of bagpipes and Punk rock are back with a 2nd 5 track EP of some of the best Celtic punk the Dropkick Murphys never wrote. Better still this EP is free to download from the bands web page. Check it out." --S'n'O, 2009
Scarred For Life (Germany):
Pipes And Pints - CD-EP - "Der Bandname läutet bereits ganz gut das ein, was die nächste Viertelstunde stimmungstechnisch bringt: Verdammt gute Laune. Die vier Tschechen vereinen herzlich-raubeinigen Siebziger-Britpunk mit ein wenig Folk, und eine ganz besondere Rolle bekommt im Bandsound der Dudelsack eingeräumt, welcher die Musik des Vierers angenehm bereichert.
Ganz gleich, ob die Buben Vollgas geben ("Pipes And Pints“) oder auch mal akustisch eher locker-beschwingte Töne wie in „Kensington Club“ angeschlagen werden, stets möchte man, ausgerüstet mit einem frisch gezapften Guinness oder im Falle von PIPES AND PINTS gerne auch mit einem der feinen Gebräue aus deren Heimatland, in die Menge stürmen und mit Gleichgesinnten Körperscooter zelebrieren. Bei diesem Vierer erwärmt sich das Herz, die Mundwinkel sind oben festgetackert, die Krähenfüße scheinen eingemeißelt, und es ist ein Ding der Unmöglichkeit, seine Beine still zu halten. So viel Sympathie strahlen die fünf dargebotenen Tracks der Prager aus. Diese Euphorie steckt an, sie macht tierisch Spaß, und manchmal kommt es doch einfach nur darauf an, oder? Auf der Rückseite dieses Demos prangt übrigens "Looking for a label!“, und da frage ich mich gerade bei dieser geilen Musik wie so oft, WIE taub und blind die Plattenfirmen manchmal denn noch sein können." --Chris, June 2009
Punk Rock, Hardcore And Ska Music Resource And Review (US):
Pipes And Pints - CD-EP - "sick ass folk punk that makes flogging molly look like the emo of folky punk. they hold a very significant sound with bagpipes and punk rock, it makes for a great blend and of course an amazing listening experience, stand out song would have to be "pipes and pints", check out this release by pipes and pints and others on unrepentant records." --Beth, June 2009
Punk Globe Magazine (US):
Pipes And Pints - CD-EP - "This 5-track CD-EP is a short stop on their way to putting out a full length CD while they continue to tour throughout Eastern Europe. I think you will be impressed by their talent -- it's in the bag!" --Carl Macki, April 2009
PUNK4FREE.org (Italy):
"Si respira un'aria diversa quest'oggi, di novita', portata da un vento lontano e selvaggio proveniente dal'est...
Signore e signori (squillo di trombe, rullo di tamburi) fiero di presentarvi, direttamente dalla Repubblica Ceca, i Pipes And Pints: sincero ed aggressivo punkrock con cornamusa!
Il gruppo si e' formato nel 2006 per la passione di Vojta Kalina
(cornamusa e voce) di creare un gruppo che combinasse l'irruenza ed
energia del punk con la sporca, alcolica irriverenza del folk come anni
orsono fecero i leggendari The Pogues (chi non li conoscesse e' gentilmente pregato di andare ad impiccarsi alla trave piu' vicina).
Il suo progetto ambizioso incomincia a
prendere forma con l'arrivo di Tomas Novotny (chitarra e voce) che
condivideva la sua stessa passione e insieme ad altri componenti, ora
fuoriusciti, la band incomincio' ben presto a a farsi conoscere con
concerti in Germania, Austria, Repubblica Ceca come band di supporto di
gruppi quali The Porters, Society Parasites o come gruppo principale.
In seguito alla fuoriuscita degli altri componenti, per opinioni future
contrastanti, il gruppo vive un momento di stallo, ma risorge piu'
forte e motivato di prima con l'arrivo di Lukas Vincour (batteria e
cori), Syco Mike (voce, ex-Mugshot76) e per finire di Ondra Balvin (basso e cori) a fine 2008.
Con questa demo, autoprodotta (d.i.y.) e omonima, il gruppo mostra
varie sfaccettature musicali tutte convincenti e valide che fanno
presumere in un vicino futuro, radianti possibilita' espressive.
"City by the sea" e' il bel pezzo che apre il lavoro:
il suono solista della cornamusa che lo introduce, in un momento
iniziale si percepisce lontano, per poi dopo un crescendo, come se si
avvicinasse un'onda, esplodere arricchito, amplificato da tutti gli
altri strumenti trasmettendo una carica improvvisa e genuina; seguono
bei stacchi e cantato veloce, coinvolgente...e' quasi un peccato quando
finisce.
Si prosegue con "Kensington club",
ballata dalle influenze country alternata a momenti piu' veloci di buon
punk-rock, belle le idee proposte dalla chitarra che riesce a trovare
un buon sound, sullo sfondo una storia d'amore finita, annegata
nell'alcool e dimenticata senza rimpianti attraverso la musica.
Un'altra carica di pura energia in soli 2 minuti, si ha con la canzone
omonima, manifesto un po' della mentalita' che caratterizza la band: la
passione per la propria musica, per quello che fanno e in cui credono
fermamente che li porta a rifiutare inutili glorie di guadagno, con il
solo desiderio
di suonare e diffondere il proprio messaggio (notevole la cornamusa
armata a battaglia).
Gli ultimi due pezzi "Heaven and hell" (cover riadattata del precedente gruppo del cantante) e "Different way" finiscono in bellezza, mantenendo alta la qualita' e facendosi apprezzare facilmente.
In conclusione consiglio a tutti di approfittare di questa
opportunita', scaricando il cd che propone indubbiamente, anche grazie
ad un'ottima qualita' nella registrazione, 15 minuti di buona musica
suonata con passione e generosa di emozioni.
Il gruppo e' disposto a suonare ovunque senza tante richieste, quindi chi di dovere, li contatti al più presto!"
Click here to read this review translated into English
NetZine sjuttisju [77] (Sweden):
"Här kommer en recension på ett av de bättre band jag hört på länge inom den internationella punksvängen.
Pipes and Pints - Demo, 5 låtar
De som känner mig rätt vet vad jag tycker om den här hypen som förhoppningsvis nåt sin kulmen. Ja, punk blandat med folkmusik (irländsk och skotsk). Jag avskyr den som pesten förutom ett par band. Främst är det de amerikanska banden jag avskyr.
Ett band jag faktiskt gillar är Real McKenzines som blandar den här streetpunken som också växt fram som en farsot tillsammans med sköna säckpipor. Har ni hört Real Mckenzies? Pipes and pipes påminner mycket om dessa amerikanare fast är bättre. Har ni inte hört Real Mckenzies, strunta i det då och lyssna på Pipes and Pipes istället. Inte kunde jag direkt föreställa mig för ungefär 12 år sen då jag var i Tjeckien att det var ett land som skulle föda fram ett band i den här genren som är så bra. Pipes and Pipes får mig till och med att tycka riktigt bra om den sorts US-Streetpunk utan själ som jag började förakta nästan direkt när den kom. Skillnaden här är att allt inte är så slätstruket och förmodligen inte inspelat i någon glassig studio.
Melodierna är sköna, sången är riktigt bra och säckpiporna dominerar inte utan fyller in precis rätt. Den här demon innehåller 5 låtar. Alla är bra medan Kensington club och Different way verkligen sticker ut och är svinbra. Jag hoppas och tror att Pipes and Pipes kommer att bli ett av europas stora band under så många år de själv vill i framtiden, med mycket festivaler. Bara de stannar kvar på rätt sida. Oj det där blev oavsiktligt till en metafor. Stanna kvar inom punkramarna, med andra ord sikta in för att bli kelgrisar i USA. Behåll det skitiga istället för att hamna i högen av alla de tråkiga banden."
Click here to read this review translated into English
