Dropkick Murphys

These seven Massachusetts guys know how to make even dire moments sound like a hot party. On their sixth album, fiddle, mandolin and other Gaelic accouterments adorn rave-ups like "The State of Massachusetts," reminding you they're a punk band with a Celtic twist. They're also songwriters -- and good ones, too, preserving their party-boy reputation while turning out giant, soulful choruses on songs both manicured and memorable: Dig tunefully sotted jams like "Tomorrow's Industry," which sounds like the best Rancid song in several years.