The Bad Shepherds
"Yan, Tyan, Tethera, Methera!"
Self-released
2009
For years we have seen "punk rock tribute" and "bluegrass tribute" compilations. Most aren't worth the money even for laughs. Which makes the Bad Shepherds a surprise.
Conceived by British comic Adrian Edmondson (Vyvyan from the Young Ones) and former Fairport Convention guitarist Maartin Allcock, the Bad Shepherds take classic British punk songs and give them a Celtic lilt.
The results are mostly positive, and in a couple cases, astonishing. The simplicity and populist qualities of punk rock aren't terribly different from folk music at their core, so the songs translate effectively to acoustic instruments. Squeeze's "Up the Junction," which features a soaring pipe solo from Troy Donockey is revelatory, and The Jam's "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight" also shines. Unfortunately "God Save the Queen" and the Talking Heads' "Once in a Lifetime" fall flat.
Allcock's folk background assures that the instrumentals are treated respectfully and the band shows its prowess on the album's lone tune set, the title track. Allcock even throws a nod to his former band on "Teenage Kicks" when the band briefly quotes Fairport's instrumental standard "Dirty Linen."
The Bad Shepherds could be played for a joke - Edmondson has parodied metal in the past as the lead singer of Bad News - but what shines through "Yan, Tyan, Tethera, Methera!" is his love of punk and folk music. By treating the Bad Shepherds as a serious project he succeeded in paying tribute to both.
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