Celtic Punks The Rumjacks have been canvassing the country as support on the Dropkick Murphys current St Patrick's Day 2022 Tour, where they're playing tracks off their most recent EP 'Brass For Gold', as well as their 2021 full-length 'Hestia', and a slew of older fan favorites.
Today, the band has announced plans to release a new 6-song "Split" EP with Chicago's Flatfoot 56 on May 6th. The "Split" EP (to be released globally on vinyl, download, streaming) offers up
three new tracks from each band and is now available to pre-order (along with special limited edition vinyl leather sleeves).
Two leather colors are available (one for each band – 20 per band). Brown and (rich) mahogany + a natural stitch or black thread.
Both bands are now streaming a new track + companion music video in anticipation of the forthcoming EP. The Rumjacks' politically-charged song "Whitecaps" is sure to become a new live staple,
while Flatfoot 56's "Mud" is a welcome addition to the band's deep catalog.
Of "Whitecaps" The Rumjacks frontman Mike Rivkees says: "The song is vaguely about the rise of far right nationalist movements. White caps meaning rough waters due to high wind… But also could be
interpreted as KKK hoods. It just means something big and bad is coming politically. I wrote it based on seeing swastikas all over Eastern Europe. As a Jew, it rattles you to the core to know
people want you to not exist".
Tobin Bawinkel of Flatfoot 56 says: "The song “Mud” is a song about the process of personal recovery that follows after the breakdown of a long-held and important relationship. It equates the
journey toward recovery to a long and unpaved road. The only way to make it through the deep ruts of this road is through forgiveness. This process is a long slog through the mud, but ends in
ultimate peace. While the song’s content has a heavy-hearted theme, it is also laced with a hopeful undertone of optimism in the line “I’ll be doing, I’ll be doing just fine”.
With the recent 'Brass For Gold' EP, The Rumjacks have dug deeper into their ska and hard rock influences, all the while holding onto the defiant energy that ignites their sound.
While ‘Hestia’ had the band conquering a global pandemic in order to record, ‘Brass for Gold’ saw the boys united in person for the first time. Producing a sound that is seamless and
cohesive.
“In true Rumjacker fashion, these songs represent a variety of different stories. The topics range from lovesick nostalgia, to misfortunate war heroes, and a few lighthearted drinking songs for
good measure”, Rivkees says. “While some EP’s tend to be quite experimental, "Brass for Gold" represents a solid continuation of the newly reformed Rumjacks. Once again stating (almost literally
in some of the lyrics) we are passionate and dedicated songwriters”.
