The 1981 Listening Post - Skids - Joy

 Skids - Joy

#593

November 20 1981

The Skids

Joy

Genre: Celtic Rock

2.25

Requisite 80s cover:

I think there’s a law that Scottish bands HAVE to play “And the Band Played Waltzing Mathilda”. Much like Canada has a rule where Canadian bands have to be played on the radio to the tune of like, 25%, there is a tax ion Scotland. You wanna record? In a professional studio? Here, lads, ya gotta give us one of these. 

It’s boring here. 

I’m almost tempted to check in with Paul Zickler to see what he thought of this record since we both enjoyed that previous Skids record. He a bit more than I but this is…not great. 

I think it’s supposed to be some ode to Scotland and it definitely sounds Scottish but if I’m going for Celtic Rock I want The Pogues. Or Pogues level intrigue and drunkenness. 

Songs like “Challenge” leave me wanting and reaching for my phone to find Sea Shanties on TikTok. 

This thing just SOUNDS like it’s so important but there’s precious little to hold on to. Jobson’s Scotland is…really morose. Is Scotland really this sad? 

Let’s talk about Scotch.

I am a big fan of Laphroaig’s Quarter Cask. It’s finished in casks 1/4 the size of a normal one to recreate the taste that would come from traveling casks by donkey. They would only be able to transport quarter sized. So, it reacts to the barrel a lot more. It’s like drinking liquid smoke. It’s delicious. I only buy it every so often because I would run out too fast.

Lagavulin. That’s really quite excellent. I have 1/3 of a bottle in the house. Need to hide it before I have a party. There are certain people who will finish it before me. 

Macallan. Nice. Dynamic without being overwhelming.

Ardbeg. Yikes that stuff is good. 

Right now I have some blended scotch called Monkey Shoulder that I have been using for drinks like Blood & Sand. You know it? Oh, you should try it. Equal parts Scotch, Cherry liqueur, Orange Juice and Sweet Vermouth. I drop the vermouth by a touch cuz I am not a lover of Vermouth. Shake it. Garnish it with an Orange peel. 

Or you can have a Rob Roy. Good with blended or single malt. 

Oh, hey! There’s a perfect Rob Roy, which splits the Vermouth between dry and sweet.

Or the one I was drinking the other day. The Bobby Brown. Blended Scotch, Vermouth and a 1/2 ounce of Benedictine. 

I like this because I have benedictine for my favorite drink, La Louisiane, and, really, who needs a full bottle of Benedictine?

None of these will improve this record. But if you make enough of them it will take up the time to listen instead of writing a review. I’d rather listen to The Men They Couldn’t Hang. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/joy-bonus-tracks/714743217