While FALL FROM GRACE is oft regarded as their most definitive album, RUM & SODOMY cannot be denied. One of The Pogues' pistol blarin' best. The fact that they tacked on the Poguetry In Motion ep, only makes this more essential. "Body Of An American" & "Rainy Night In Soho" are two of Shane MacGowan's most enduring songs outside of "Fairytale Of New York".
From the sickbed to the battlefield, they go for the throat on this one, hell bent on raising the dead. "Cuchuliann" opens the proceedings, all too somberly keeping vigil over an old hell raiser's final hour. For a few measures at least. Then things suddenly ignite like a Molotov cocktail. A flaming bottle of poitin tossed through a dead man's window.
What follows is the gutter woe of "Old Main Drag". Tom Waits, eat your heart out.
For sheer epic balladry, "A Pair Of Brown Eyes" has few competitors. MacGowan at his most yearning. More than anywhere else, he comes off here like the Irish answer to Jacques Brel.
There's never quite been a drinking song quite like,"Sally MacLennane". A reckless toast that touches on the surreal. Elsewhere, instrumentals like "Wild Cats" & "Paddy Garcia" go to show that The Pogues were far more than MacGowan's backing band.
As for their raids on traditional fare, "Dirty Old Town" ranks up with their previous takes on "Auld Triangle" & "Kitty". Their sneering rendition of "Gentlemen Soldier" puts all the "ire" back into Ireland. None of which prepares you for the album's closer. A searingly bleak version of Eric Bogle's "Waltzing Matilda". Its hard to walk away from this one unscathed.
Released in 1985, RUM & SODOMY was indeed at odds with the times. Remember this was era of Duran Duran & other "New Romantics". This along with their debut went to prove The Pogues were a problem that were not going to go away--- without a fight. A reckless gang of marauders loitering with intent. Leaving all those Synth Liberaces trembling in their new lace sleeves.
Like none other, this captures the Pogues in all their irreverent glory. The sound of a bunch of drunken pirates setting their ship on fire. Giving producer Elvis Costello a reason to hold onto his hat.
After this, they took things to even greater heights. Only to fall from grace & gun each other down in Hell's Ditch. I can't praise it enough. One of my favorite albums of all time. K. H. Orton
From the sickbed to the battlefield, they go for the throat on this one, hell bent on raising the dead. "Cuchuliann" opens the proceedings, all too somberly keeping vigil over an old hell raiser's final hour. For a few measures at least. Then things suddenly ignite like a Molotov cocktail. A flaming bottle of poitin tossed through a dead man's window.
For sheer epic balladry, "A Pair Of Brown Eyes" has few competitors. MacGowan at his most yearning. More than anywhere else, he comes off here like the Irish answer to Jacques Brel.
There's never quite been a drinking song quite like,"Sally MacLennane". A reckless toast that touches on the surreal. Elsewhere, instrumentals like "Wild Cats" & "Paddy Garcia" go to show that The Pogues were far more than MacGowan's backing band.
As for their raids on traditional fare, "Dirty Old Town" ranks up with their previous takes on "Auld Triangle" & "Kitty". Their sneering rendition of "Gentlemen Soldier" puts all the "ire" back into Ireland. None of which prepares you for the album's closer. A searingly bleak version of Eric Bogle's "Waltzing Matilda". Its hard to walk away from this one unscathed.
Released in 1985, RUM & SODOMY was indeed at odds with the times. Remember this was era of Duran Duran & other "New Romantics". This along with their debut went to prove The Pogues were a problem that were not going to go away--- without a fight. A reckless gang of marauders loitering with intent. Leaving all those Synth Liberaces trembling in their new lace sleeves.
Like none other, this captures the Pogues in all their irreverent glory. The sound of a bunch of drunken pirates setting their ship on fire. Giving producer Elvis Costello a reason to hold onto his hat.
After this, they took things to even greater heights. Only to fall from grace & gun each other down in Hell's Ditch. I can't praise it enough. One of my favorite albums of all time. K. H. Orton
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