Boiled In Lead

October 22, 2009 | Filed Under Music | 4 Comments

While we’re talking about music and not my desert existence, let’s do one of my world-famous “blue light” specials!

Many years back, my sister Terry was a DJ for the radio station at the University of Connecticut – WHUS. She did an alternative show there for a while (before switching to Irish music) and sent a tape of one of her shows. There was a ton of great music there and bands I had never heard before. Boiled In Lead was one such band. So when I ran across one of their CDs later, I quickly scarffed it up… from hearing ONE song. Well, From the Ladle to The Grave has remained one of my favorite discs for nearly twenty years now.

And all that time I thought Boiled In Lead was an Irish band! But they actually hail from another music Capital – Minneapolis. It’s an easy mistake, as this record is awash in Celtic rhythms and instrumentation. The tin flute, the fiddle, the bodhran and the pipes are all in full force here – as are re-imagined traditional tunes like “Mad Man Blues”, “Cherish The Ladies” and “Step It Out Mary”. But the album rocks. They are also considered a “world music” band and you can hear the Turkish and Eastern European influences on the instrumentals “Cuz Mapfumo” and “Shopetzki Kopanitsa”. But the album rocks. They also throw in a cover of the Hollies tune “Stop! Stop! Stop!”. But – have I said? – the album rocks. Often bands put out albums that try to be all things to all people. Ladle to The Grave actually succeeds.

The crowning achievement for me from this 1989 record was the song “The Microorganism”. A bouncy, dark little sing-a-long Irish reel… about the fear of the HIV virus.
Caffeine, sugar and THC
Is all the doctor is gonna find in me
When they do the autopsy
The Microorganism won’t get me.
Catchy, huh? And pretty brave and succinct. It ends with the admonition – “don’t kiss anyone you like”.

If you are trolling the cut-out bins, keep your eyes peeled for this record. Boiled In Lead are still around and playing locally. Check out their website: www.boiledinlead.com.

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