The Kissers: Press

"Irish-Country-Punkadelic music wizards have now added in bar-fight political lyrics to their mix -- weird enough I can enjoy it sober."

Greg Palast, author, Best Democracy Money Can Buy & Armed Madhouse

The Kissers are American bred, but you’d never know it to hear them. The former Pogues cover band plays a brand of Celtic rock that will get your fist a shakin’ and feet a stompin’ while you down a few pints of Guinness. Founded by bassist/vocalist Ken Fitzsimmons, the Kissers unify Irish traditionalism with American roots music and a pinch of British punk. The Madison, Wisconsin based quintet burst onto the scene in 2003 with the release of Fire in the Belly which featured a mix of revved-up Irish standards and original compositions telling stories of love and life.

The Celtic rockers’ upcoming sophomore release, Good Fight, keeps with familiar territory, but unlike their debut they find inspiration from recent events in the world; most significantly the war in Iraq and President Bush. The band tackles the death penalty on “Pictures at an Execution” and “No War” was influenced by the Howard Zinn book, "A People's History of the United States." However, their strident political stance doesn’t overwhelm the disc as they put a contemporary spin on traditional Irish ditties. The energetic five twenty-somethings crank out a high octane blend of acoustic and electric tones with uncompromising knee slappin’ tempos on tracks such as "Muirsheen Durkin," "Kicked in the Head," and "The Good Fight" Good Fight is fine sophomore release showing lyrical growth and maturity.

The Kissers up the punk beats and the left-of-center politics on Good Fight!, a rousing, heartfelt CD that finds the hard-touring Madison band putting their personal stamp on Irish-rock.

The Kissers' most ferocious display of bird-flipping attitude comes in "Kicked in the Head," a hearty rejection of the godmongers' brand of instant conversion and revelation that ends in the ale house. (Think the Pogues crossbred with the Clash circa '77.) "No War," the most immediate and intense of several straightforward anti-war tracks, is just as forceful, although here the band's rambunctiousness translates as righteous anger. It's still a dance tune, but urges listeners to raise a fist while they're kicking up their heels.

While the full-tilt reels and rockers never fail to stir the blood, the Kissers reveal the depth fo their musicianship on some of Good Fight!'s more measured tracks. Their acrid attack on the death penalty, "Pictures at an Execution," manages to be simultaneously muscular and melancholy, while "Under Wisconsin," a high-goth gloss on Wisconsin-death-trip consciousness, will have you reaching for a couple Valium and a palliative cold one. Frankly, if you're not shuddering with recognition as the final verse fades in the ether, you've never endured a hard, five-month Wisconsin winter.

The album's clean, clear production is also noteworthy. Vocal tracks are never overwhelmed by superfluous digital processing, and the rhythm section is punchy in all the right places. The Kissers are a great live act, and DNA Studios' Mark Whitcomb does an excellent job of bringing the immediacy of a live performance to the entire disc.

Over the course of their decade-long existence, local Irish-rockers the Kissers have never had any trouble stoking audiences. Just add a couple pints of your favorite brew and let the games begin. Their studio recordings are a different matter. They rock, but they don't begin to tap the hearty, fist-pumping frenzy of the band's live show.

Which is why Live Candy Ratz is so welcome. From Waylan Nate Palan's jaunty reading of the Irish traditional "Mountain Dew" to main mouth Ken Fitzsimmons' bittersweet waltz "San Ponziano" to an amphetamine-fast interpretation of "Farewell Nova Scotia," the band is at the top of its game on recordings taken from shows in Madison and La Crosse. And talk about fire in the belly — Fitzsimmons spits out the lyrics to his antiwar screed "Worst Ever" like a human flamethrower.

A potent twin-bill at Iota on Friday night delivered on its promise of high-energy exuberance. For openers, the Kissers, a young five-piece Irish band from, of all places, Madison, Wis., put across a set of dynamic Celtic-influenced rock. Led by singer-bassist Ken Fitzsimmons, whose lyrical earnestness (in keeping with Irish tradition he writes serious songs about love and war) couldn't dampen the fun of the music, the Kissers displayed ample improvement over their debut visit last year despite being down two members.

Propelled by Pete Colclasure's accordion and keyboard, Joe Bernstein's martial-paced drumming, Waylan Nate Palan's electric guitar and the show-in-itself sight and sound of the impossibly cute Kari Bethke's fiddling, the Kissers give music fans a reason to watch the schedule for the next appearance.