Although it would be easy to write off The Tossers as producers of mindless barroom soundtracks, that is certainly not the case. Tony Duggins writes very profound and thought-provoking lyrics analyzing life around him and life within him. The Valley of The Shadow of Death is an incredibly reflective album, narrating Duggins’ emotional struggles with accepting who he is and what he has done with his life. After over 10 years of being in a band that has seen little success outside of their cult following, he begins to wonder if his parents were right all along when they discouraged him following his dream. Leaving home with all the arrogance and drive typical of a young rocker, he’s left with a desperate need to prove himself. As time goes on he falls into the Irishman’s self-fulfilling prophecy, feeling somehow destined for a life of drunken debauchery and poverty, even vowing the words “And when I’m leaving this world behind, I won’t bring another soul here to fall flat on their face, or leave this world unkind.”

His thoughts then turn to those who inspired him to pursue music in the first place, punk rock legend Dee Dee Ramone, Irish balladeer Ronnie Drew of The Dubliners, and Irish folk band, The Chieftans. Each with a song dedicated to them specifically either in tribute or comparison. ‘No Loot, No Booze, No Fun’ reads like prayer to Saint Dee Dee, asking for guidance and direction through his musical journey, fearing he will meet a similar untimely death as the band continues to struggle. ‘Drinking In The Day’ is a two part tribute to Ronnie Drew, with Drew reading a poem and The Tossers performing a song, both from previous Ronnie Drew releases. ‘Preab San Ol’ is a complex Irish/English song which draws heavily on The Chieftans inspiration, even lifting some tunes off their 7 album.

Despite being reinvigorated by getting back to his musical roots, Duggins seems to be unable to escape the overwhelming senses of guilt and loneliness mixed with anger. There are 3 songs very distinctly about death on this album, and they give the impression that they are all about the same death. I won’t even begin to try and analyze this, as it is seems to be none of my business. All I can really say is his reflections of this subject are both haunting and heartbreaking. No Tossers record would be complete without a stark political commentary, and it comes in full force through the song ‘Go Down Witch, Down,’ a clear criticism of the US Government’s stance on sexism, racism, war and money.

Disappointed parents, the pursuit of a lofty dream, loss, guilt and loneliness have all been themes in my own life and I would suspect in other people’s lives as well. To hear your most private thoughts and emotions realized in an energized compilation of powerful traditional Irish music combined with the passion and fury of punk rock is quite an experience, and completely fitting. It is that sort of real life echo that drew me to The Tossers in the first place, and what has kept me such a big fan all these years. They are the type of band you feel that connection with, whether or not they gave you your first Guinness. The excitement of their live show is fully captured on their recordings and Duggins gets deep inside you, volunteering to be the mouthpiece for those that have no voice. It’s absolutely brilliant.

The Tossers on Altsounds
The Tossers