If I Should Fall From Grace With God

I like Rum Sodomy better but this is excellent as well. Plus a few songs from the Dubliners. Not just one note but different styles and moods.

Fun and energetic. 5/5

Once I bought a Spin magazine because it had a modest mouse interview. One of the articles was for some reason "25 musicians body parts" regarding Shane McGowan said something like "the soul of a XIX century poet and the teeth of a six months old baby" I was curious and I ordered a compilation album, I loved it, 5 stars for that album. This is great too but is too long. He was a great songwriter and the melodies have a real punk energy but for one hour it can really get tiring

The universe is looking out for me whenever it gives me the chance to listen to an album of Celtic punk music. :)

(4/5) My wife and I have been to Ireland a few times and we've had the privilege of seeing quite a bit of the country (it's not THAT big). All of the tourist-y places we went seemed to play some variation (or maybe it WAS this) of this style of music. That's not a knock -- just an observation. It's sprightly, Celtic folk/country/punk with a drunken Irishman's attitude and inflection. I liked it quite a bit, and appreciate it further for it's links to American folk. One track in particular stood out -- "Mountain Dew" -- was a near direct link to the past and the shared culture, and a damn fun row as well. Lots of 3/4 and 6/8 time signatures (common in Celtic folk music) and just a blast overall. If anything, the slower stuff was the album's worst material IMO. The "Fairytale of New York" (apparently a hit, but it skipped me) was not that good in comparison to the rest. I think I'll be back to this and give it some more air time.

Another review referred to this album as "far too much diddly dee." by I found it to be just the right amount of diddly dee for me. A load of fun that I'm sure would be an absolute blast live (in a tradition that bands like the Bastard Bearded Irishmen are keeping alive and well), this one had me ready to pack my bags for Ireland (or at the very least commit to attending next year's Dayton Celtic Festival). filled with rowdy, rambunctious fun, and with just the right amount of punkish fist shaking, it's a easy 4/5 that I'll no doubt return to and may increase in time.

218. If I Should Fall From Grace With God - The Pogues (1988) 9.28.26 Variety: 4 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 3 Emotionality: 5 = 4.4 rounded down to a 4 "So lie near the wall and cover your head/ Good night and God bless, now fuck off to bed" I've always had a fond spot for the Pogues, but I', not sure where I first heard them. I imagine it must have been on the soundtrack of some movie or another. I know most recently "Fairytale of New York" was used in a Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas special, so that'll probably be the first one a LOT of people heard. By the early 2000s though, Rum Sodomy and the Lash was in pretty heavy rotation, and it's an album I still love to this day. It's also the only other Pogues album on the list, so we'll get to it when we get to it. Would have been nice to listen in order, but oh well. This one I don't have as much experience with except for a couple of listens when I was making my way through some recommended albums by the group. I never made it past Peace and Love, so I can't say they became an absolute favorite. But I'm not sure I've heard a song by them that was complete garbage or anything. This one I remember not liking nearly as much as the previous one, as I felt it was maybe a bit too big and slightly overproduced. It's not like it hurts them very much or anything though. Been a good twenty years since I've heard the whole thing, but I'm sure this will be a good time. THE TRACKS "If I Should Fall from Grace with God" - We start off in very familiar territory with an upbeat bit of Celtic Folk punk, and it's very on brand for these guys. This is a damn good hoedown, and a lot of fun. Like a lot of the best Irish music in the tradition, it does a great job of making you feel like you're having a good time, in the worst of circumstances. This song had me wanting to crack open a bottle of whiskey and maybe go read some Garth Ennis comics. The very definition of a toe tapper. Everyone is great, but loved the accordion work on this. "Turkish Song of the Damned" - Awesome stuff here. We get some middle eastern sounds on this nautical horror tale. It's full of dread, and doom, and when the traditional Irish folk jam kicks in at the end we've been on a hell of a journey. I'm almost always impressed with these guy's lyrics and this one does not fail to deliver. A track that belongs on any Halloween playlist worth its salt. "Bottle of Smoke" - I love how many of these sound like they could be traditional songs that were maybe massaged to sound more modern. I don't know enough about the Irish folk tradition to know if this one was based on anything in particular, but you could have lied to me and I would have believed it. This one's a pretty funny tale about what seems like a ( probably) drunken bit of good luck, and while it's not exactly any sort of warning about over celebration in the face of that good luck, you get the implication that this dude is going to fall hard. Cause when have things ever really worked out in these guys' world view. There's lots of bright spots and real humanity, but a kind of optimism in the face of an ever present cynicism. The world's gonna beat you down, sure, so why not spit its eye by having a good time all the way down. "Fairytale of New York" - This guy's horse only came in at 18 to 1, so not the same guy from the last song, but maybe, just maybe they're cooling their heels in the same drunk tank. Those good times can be costly. We get another pretty funny tale, this one romantic, about a couple who descend into addiction and , some pretty vitriolic hatred, and back again to end on a sweetly romantic note. The circular nature and jokey nature of the back and forth ( a great preformance by the late Kristy MacColl) do nothing to dampen the bittersweet (emphasis on the sweet) emotional vibe of this thing, and it's no wonder it'sone of the most playe dmodern Christmas songs ( at least in the UK - though it has picked up a lot of steam over here). A confession - I used to HATE this song. Well, at least the idea of it. I still thought it was pretty funny and well done. It just felt like a stretch for the band that was too out of character, and a very conscious attempt at a Christmas hit. Well, turns out it was apparently. "Athenticity" and "selling out" are concepts that have mostly faded from my worldview by this point though, being a young man's game to care about that sort of thing. I put much more value on how well the artiface is constructed now than anything else, and this is some fucking good shit. It'll never be my favorite by the band, but I can't deny how well it does what it sets out to do, and it's plenty dark and funny, so what was I even complaining about. The fact that they got this on mainstream radio is pretty punk rock. ( edit: I did have to check, and yes the Guardians of the Galxy special does use the edited version). This belongs up there with "Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis" by Tom Waits in the canon of great untraditional Christmas songs. "Metropolis" - This instrumental number starts off with some spritely, upbeat, if rather generic Irish dance music. It then bizarrely dips into a jazzy bit of 60s spy film score pastiche. This gave me very strong high school marching band vibes. You like the medleys you might here from one of those top notch ones that get to play at the Macy's Thanksgiving parade or big national sporting events. Well done, but not for me, and felt out of the blue, and off brand. "Thousands Are Sailing" - This one feels very sad to me, but it's a lot more serious and has none of the nonchalant, roguishness that I like in a lot of their music. Which is fine. It's just not my favorite sort of thing. I think maybe this one touches on homelessness, and the whole stranger in a strange land feel that all the New York imagery evoked. This felt, tonally, like something more akin to what U2 or Bruce Springsteen would have been doing. "South Australia" - This was another barnburner of a track, and a welcome return to the sound I like best. Full of life and with some cool pounding bass drums that propel it forward out the bar doors and into the streets. An old sea shanty, it lives in that twilight area of feeling traditional enough, but with enough piss and vinegar, and muscle applied that it fits right into the exact moment it was recorded. "Fiesta" - This one starts all slow, and jazzy and then a party breaks out and the band continue the trip around the world they started in "Turkish Song of the Damned". Only this time we're all the way across the world, down in Mexico territory for some Irish mariachi stylings. The trumpets were a nice touch and this was a bit of good fun, if not too deep. "Medley: The Recruiting Sergeant/The Rocky Road to Dublin/The Galway Races" - We get exactly what it says on the label - a medley of three traditional Irish folk tunes, the first our first martial ballad on the album with it's WWI imagery and anti-English sentiments. There's a raucous instrumental middle section that leads into the last bit, which has a focused and seriously epic feel despite the celebratory lyrics and more tales of a day at the tracks. This one did maybe the best job of any track yet of giving the feel of attending a live show. "Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six" - We get serious again for a very cleareyed and political song about issues so current and controversial, that the song was banned by British broadcasters, which is no surprise considering the light in which the British government is portrayed. Which is to mean accurately, from all I've read. It starts off sad and quiet, and then explodes with a vibe that is righteous and full of fury is it's anything, and full of a determined energy that hits really hard. A MUCH better take on a serious subject than "Thousands Are Sailing". "Lullaby of London" - The title of this one suggests it's a sister song to "Fairytale of New York". It has a much sadder feel to it than that one though, and there's a sense of longing for one's home and it's some very beautiful stuff. A nice companion, and full of much of the same bittersweet feelings, but much more gentle, and no need for humor. "The Battle March Medley" - Another martial number medley, this one felt much more cinematic ( with what sounded like some sound effects and crowd noises added in) and somber for the first part, but then turned into a bit of a Riverdancey number halfway in. This would have been a fine piece to score the retaking of the Shire, had it been filmed for Lord of the Rings. "Sit Down by the Fire" - My favorite track on the album, no nice I played it twice. Another awesomely energetic and danceable little number that gives us possibly the best bedtime story ever. The idea of someone sending their kids off to bed with visions of faeries or goblins or shades or whatever the hell they are coming out of the walls at night probably should not make me laugh, but here we are. Another great one for the Halloween playlist. "The Broad Majestic Shannon" - This one seems to be a broadly optimistic take on pulling yourself up and looking on the brighter side of things, and the tone and very pretty melody during the chorus really enforces this. There's more than a bit of nostalgia infused into this one as well, and it's one of the more gentle tracks, even with McGowan's three sheets to the wind vocals. "Worms" - I can't properly how much I like this song. There are a zillion versions of it, but the little goth in me has loved it since I first read it in Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz as a kid. That book was monumental for me, and this song played no small part in making it so. Creepy and funny at the same time, and many kudos to Andrew Ranken, the Pogues' drummer for providing the appropriately Karloff-esque vocals. Yet another mandatory Halloween playslist number. * Not going to get into them here as this one's already pretty lengthy, but the bonus tracks are well worth your time if you liked any of this stuff. HIGHLIGHTS - "If I Should Fall from Grace with God" - "Turkish Song of the Damned" - "Bottle of Smoke" - "Fairytale of New York" - "South Australia" - "Fiesta" - "Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six" - "Lullaby of London" - "Sit Down by the Fire" - "The Broad Majestic Shannon" MIDLIGHTS - "Metropolis" - "Thousands Are Sailing" - "The Battle March Medley" LOWLIGHTS - FINAL THOUGHTS Elvis Costello was quoted as saying about producing the Pogues' previous album - Rum Sodomy & the Lash - that his task was" to capture them in their dilapidated glory before some more professional producer fucked them up." I can sort of see what he was talking about here, as this one does sound a lot more polished and mainstream than their previous ones. But that's not really a bad thing, as even that slight bit of shine doesn't remove the warm and genial vibe throughout. It's not like this is their Let's Dance or something. They still sound like themselves. Just more... presentable. The band has the great talent to be able to straddle several genres without ever sounding like intruders, or pretenders, and this album is maybe even more a testament that than the previous, as much as I like it as an overall more cohesive sound. We get a lot more variety in the sound here, even if the traditional folk is the fallback default. I honestly don't recall much of the next one, but I think it strays even further away from that sound and incorporates a lot more jazz, which they did dip a toe or two into on this, however briefly. Overall this was a real good time, and I heartily recommend this to anyone who is into modern Celtic folk music. I'd also recommended it to anyone who's into more melodic, punky rock like the Clash as well. These guys are the perfect middle ground, and also have a ton of mainstream crossover appeal. I know 100% that I like the previous album better though, so I have to grade on the tinest of curves and give this the lesser grade, fun as it was. There are a few tracks that, while perfectly fine, either felt out of place, or a bit generic so I'll use that as my main excuse. Otherwise, no notes. Possible turn-Offs might include: - strong language and a general rowdiness of character - lots and lots of folk music - casual references to drink, drugs, and other unsavory activities You Might enjoy this if you: - aren't a party pooper - really dig Irish folk music, sea shanties, and the like - are into accordions PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - nah FURTHER LISTENING Precursors: - A Drop of the Hard Stuff by the Dubliners - The Cheiftains 4 by the Chieftains - The Long Harvest by Ewan MacColl - Below the Salt by Steeleye Span - London Calling by The Clash Contemporaries: - Night of a Thousand Candles by the Men They Couldn't Hang - Life's a Riot with Spy vs. Spy by Billy Bragg - Comedy by Paul Kelley and the Messengers Descendants: - Rise Again by the Mahones - by Sing Loud, Sing Proud! by Dropkick Murphys - The Mainstreet Sword by Greenland Whalefishers - The Mary Wallopers by The Mary Wallopers

Blind Five! Having never heard of these guys before today let me just say this was great fun! The mix of punkishness and Irish/Celtic traditional worked so well for me. There was an energy to the songs that kept up throughout. As fun a find for me as I’ve had on this project. Honestly, not much more to say about this one. I found myself just dancing along to it all day and didn’t even read up in it which I usually do for each album. 5/5

stooooppppppppp this list has ONE NINA SIMONE ALBUM. ONE. that's half the number of Pogues albums on this list. this is pub music. it belongs in a pub, ideally late in the evening, and it should stay there, and not be recorded. it's bad HOW IS THIS AN HOUR LONG

A brilliant album from this Irish band. Shane MacGowan, one of the worlds best songwriters, is at the peak of his game on this album and his drunken ramshackle vocals add a whiskybarrell full of authenticity to the jumping punk-folk of the band and changed Christmasses forever. Cheers!

On phenomenal song and the rest of the album isn’t bad at all. Not really my thing but they are interesting.

Mad decision to put the Christmas song on the album.

A bit more polished than their other album, for better or worse, still a lively and joyful band it's hard not to enjoy listening to

Probably 4.5 but. I love this record

I love a lot of this album.

A damn fine album. It does feel a bit weird to listen to it without drinking whisky, but it holds up after all these years. The Pogues are a treasure, and Fairytale of New York is one of the best Christmas songs of all time.

Raucous good time. Fairytale in NY is a classic! Love Shane Macgowan’s gravelly voice. I just want go to a pub and drink Guinness and party. Will say that I may like the album “Peace and Love” better overall, but detracts nothing from this one.

A masterpiece! Their blend of Celtic and punk is fully realized with the addition of Spanish and folk influences.

Still a rollicking good time.

not for me

Album #234: The Pogues – If I Should Fall from Grace with God ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Despite being Irish, I’m not much of a jig and reel man. But I do have a big appreciation for the Pogues, despite them not really being my kind of thing. For one, I think Shane MacGowan was an incredible lyricist. Nick Cave called him one of the best songwriters of his generation, and if you look at songs like A Pair of Brown Eyes, Rainy Night in Soho and the incredibly overplayed Fairytale of New York, you can see why. So poetic, and capable of writing a line that just cuts you deep. You wouldn’t think it to look at him, particularly during the peak of the Pogues’ popularity, that this guy could write some of the most tender, beautiful love songs. And this album has a few of them. I’ll get the bad stuff out of the way first, or at least the stuff that doesn’t work for me personally. The album covers a few different styles. There’s polka, some Turkish influences, and Fiesta, which, to be fair, is a bit of a bop. But some of that stuff just doesn’t do it for me. It feels like a great display of the band’s musicianship, which is stellar, but it can also feel a little gimmicky. The positives are that some of these songs are just unbelievable. Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six is incredibly powerful. I can see why it was controversial at the time, but fuck them. MacGowan was right, and it was only a few years before those people were exonerated. An incredibly powerful song for the time it was released. Then there’s the gorgeous The Broad Majestic Shannon, which feels like the true closer, even though Worms technically finishes the album. I actually quite like Worms. It reminds me of something Tom Waits might do, with that goofy, creepy old-uncle sound. But it’s the high drama that really gets me. The Pogues were capable of writing incredibly dramatic songs, and I don’t think there’s a better example here than Thousands Are Sailing. I thought it was another incredible Shane MacGowan song, so I was genuinely surprised to discover it was written by Philip Chevron, the band’s guitarist. The songwriting is really shared amongst the band, and Chevron wrote a great, great song there. It’s so powerful, and so true. Look, I probably prefer Rum Sodomy & the Lash to this, but both albums have amazing songs on them. If you’re not into the traditional Irish elements of the music, I completely understand that. I’m much the same. But if you strip that stuff away and really listen to what these songs are, they’re full of beautiful chord progressions, beautiful melodies and high drama. Some of these original songs sound as old as the hills, as though they’ve always existed as traditional songs. And I always love a songwriter who can achieve that feat, because it’s not easy to do. But the Pogues do it here. A great album. Strong four.

Can’t say I was in the mood for punk rock sea shanties. I see the appeal, but I couldn’t really stand it for more than 5 minutes.

Ingen tvil om ka høydepunktet e. E egentlig ikke helt i mi gate, men kan ikke nekte for at de e sjarmerende. Elske Worms, fantastisk punktum for albumet. Hmm.. Snill firer eller streng treer? Snill firer. OBS! Masse ekstra spor på Spotify.

Inte alls min smak. Svag 2a.

Frejdigt, alkoholiserat och omöjligt att värja sig från. 3,8/5

Blivit episkt hjärntvättad så vet inte riktigt om jag älskar eller hatar. Sjukt kul på nyutgåvan när dom kör några med dubliners, så läppar man. Det är iaf fett äkta!

En fyra bara för att jag gillar det så mycket även fast det kanske är en stark trea. Ja, ja Shane McGowan var otrolig. Rip

The Celtic tunes with some punk flair work really well. Fairytale of New York is one of the greatest Christmas tracks of all time. You can argue that Worms can slide onto a Halloween playlist as well. I like the Pogues but album loses a bit of steam in the second half, feel as though this would be a better record at 45mins but at over an hour I lost interest. 3 stars

I prefer Rum Sodomy and the Lash, but this is still an all time great album.

Celtic/folk punk is always a good time. Really enjoyed this one, especially with its more adventurous sounds compared to Rum Sodomy & the Lash (Although I do think Rum is a more consistent albums). Just sad I won't be getting more Pogues from the generator in the future.

I haven't really been a fan of the English or Irish folk music albums so far, but I really like this. It's upbeat, catchy and spirited with enough musical diversity to stay interesting. The only downside I'm seeing is in some of the lyrics that haven't aged well... and as charming as the accordion and penny whistle are, the music suffers a bit from the lack of diversity in timbre. But I'd definitely give this another spin in the future.

As much as I loved Ireland, I can only really see myself listening to this if I were there. It’s cute, it’s fun, it’s just not something I’m going to put on. I appreciate it though, there’s tons of energy and good musicianship, I undoubtedly understand the appeal. Unfortunate that the best track is the one with the slur included for the story, similarly to Money for Nothing. Both uses aren’t intended to be malicious, but it does make it even harder to return to. 1 listen Favorite Tracks: Fairtytale of New York, Title Track

I think that in the right mood I would have really enjoyed this. Intrigued enough to try another day.

Not my thing but seemed very Celtic and was actually fun to listen to!

A bunch of classic songs on this one... Great album. Rating: 7/10

Probably good if you're in an Irish pub in the 80's

Not a huge Pogues fan. Was ok.

Was so much fun!!! I loved it can’t listen to it all the time but I’m a sucker for music like this

I like the sound of the Pogues, even though most songs have a Christmassy vibe because of Fairytale of New York :D

Classic. Pretty much can't go wrong with modern takes on Irish folk music

Weirdly christmassy

Good old Pogues!

I fucking love stout

2.5 - ok if you’re into this type of music

It’s fine kinda reminds me of Sea Shanties. Not my style, it all bleeds into each other. 2.5 ( closer to 2) Maybe it would grow on me and like some tracks but honestly it’s not my style at all. Couple moments are good but I REALLY don’t like Sea Shanties ,even if this isn’t quite that. ITS ALSO JUST WAY TO LONG I Need 6 Guinness in me to love this album “Lullaby Of London” & “Turkish Song Of The Damned” are Stand Out Tracks I’m Honestly giving it a 2.5 on merit alone, for me personally it’s a 1. I won’t do it dirty since it’s played well and for someone else this is their thing.

The overall sound is enjoyable, but it mostly feels like the same song over and over.

There is some folk music I don’t mind but I’m not a fan of this album personally. A little hard to get through for me

A crackin' good time

last time i had a pogues album on this thing, i had a hangover. now im just scared

This album sounds like a good night at a chaotic Irish bar, with an excellent Christmas song thrown in for good measure. I grew to dislike that song due to being tired of all the discourse popping up every winter whether or not the slur should be sung or not, but hearing it today reminded that it is a great song. This could have benefited from being 10-15 minutes shorter as the style does wear thin, even when they do mix up the sound. They take influence from Turkish and Spanish music on "Turkish Song Of The Damned" and "Fiesta" and they are implemented well into their rowdy Celtic playing. This is the type of music that will make you feel proud to be Irish, regardless of your roots!

I smile and move!!!

If I Should Fall From Grace With God - The Pogues (1988) Love these guys so much. Considered giving them 5 stars but I'm keeping it for Rum, Sodomy & the Lash. Fave: Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six, Worms, pretty much every track ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 7.75/10

I worked with someone who was quite obsessed with The Pogues. And I just don't see it. They aren't bad, but not good enough to obsess over. My leg was tapping the whole time listening to this album though, so I guess deep down some part of me liked this.

Телепорт в Ирландию, осталось нажраться и драться в баре Не мое...

Still sounds as good as when I first heard and saw Shane will be missed

It's real tough, cause this is so one note, (and that note being accordeon) that if you don't like it you stay outside the party. Every drunk guy should have a field day with this, but I don't drink anymore, and I have alway hated accordeon.

So this is what the dropkick Murphy’s were going for. But in all seriousness I did like it and fairytale of New York is a clsssic, just dunno if I would return to it but it’s good.

6 - AVERAGE

Niet mijn muziek, maar wel cool

Ej

One Pogues song is a fun change of pace to hear folk punk with a violin, but fifteen Pogues songs is just too much for me.

I feel like I should like the Pogues more than I do. Fairytale of New York is the best Christmas song ever.

Something so fun about this that's hard to put a finger on

Nice jolly and a great Christmas song included in the expanded edition. Good album

album poznat (i obožavan) otprije! koja albumčina... teško mi je uopće izdvojiti vrhunce. nakon klasično solidne naslovne pjesme, »turkish song of the damned« jednostavno kida, »bottle of smoke« standardno dobra, nakon čega slijedi možda najbolja božićna pjesma uopće. nakon zanimljivog instrumentala ide možda najtužnija pjesma od pougza, »thousands are sailing«, pjesma koju bih, da moram, izdvojio kao najbolju na albumu. druga je strana možda mrvu slabija, ali i dalje jako jako dobra, jako mi se sviđaju zadnje dvije stvari, posebice posljednja, u poruci pomalo barokna »worms«, genijalan način da se album završi. premda su mi neki njihovi albumi draži (uvijek sam volio nešto raznovrsniji no objektivno slabiji »peace & love«, a »hell's ditch« je jako blizu ovom albumu po kvaliteti i dosljednosti), ovaj je vjerojatno ipak najbolji. džinovska petica!

Jack O’Connell would’ve gotten my a** with this one

☘️🍻🇮🇪🎻🥃

This is allegedly Irish traditional music with punk rock influences, but truthfully, all I hear is polka.

More less.

This was a fun style of music to listen to. Thousands are Sailing was probably the first standout, but the Medley shortly after was probably my favorite.

Love my Irish pub music

something new for me

Beautiful and lush Irish music that that to my untrained ears sounds like a mix of popular and traditional music. I'm sure that this band puts on a great show, these tunes lend themselves to being sung along with. Super fun, energetic, and nostalgic album with amazing playing and singing by all members of the band. Definitely some worthwhile surprises on this album with styles and instrumentation.

What in the Irish sailor Nirvana is going on?!

I guess to enjoy it I have to be in the right mood

Irish, so Irish, so incredibly Irish. Maybe this album is to make up for all the British albums recently?

3.10055

Much more fun and less whiny than most of the punk we've gotten so far. The Celtic/Irish-folk elements really add a lot to this for me, both in the fast punky songs and in the ballads. A bit overlong, but otherwise I kinda loved this!

Very unexpected but not wholly unpleasant. Though quite long honestly

And this album got on the list because....

it's 10 songs too long

Great need on this list. So glad they chose this album from the Pogues. An absolute must listen for any music fan. In my opinion, a full on 5-star effort but can certainly understand those who don't appreciate the stylings.

Sounds much more like standard lame Celtic follk music than their other album, which was a bit more energetic and creative, but this is still enjoyable for a listen. After all, who doesn't love aggressively Irish music?

Excelente, tradicional combina rock, alegre, folclorico

Fantastic.

This is #day779 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here's to my second and last record by The Pogues. As with the previous one, this is some good stuff to have a beer or two to. I mean, I don't mind it. I'm not sure I'd ever listen to this band/kind of music on my own, but hey, that's what this list is for, I guess? This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day780.

Second Pogues album in a week. No bad thing. Another great album, slightly preferred rum sodomy and the lash. But this was also pretty good. 4/5

got about five songs in before i simply could not take any more of this, first time i've straight up bailed on an album (and i really don't intend to make it a habit, this was just too painful lmao) i may be irish but ive always found trad grating, so some proper 'oirish' shite like this had zero chance of ever appealing to me. genuinely wouldve felt less ashamed going down the road with a dream album in my ears than whatever this is lol favourite songs: fairytale of new york (only reason this wasn't just an immediate 1 for me, even tho i still felt like a psychopath listening to it in september) least favourite song: i turned it off during fiesta i think, not necessarily the worst song i heard, but the point when i realised i was in over my head trying to get through this album

4, some slammers on this

Unfortunately, this was just so not-my-thing. Aside from the wave of nostalgia brought to me by 'Fairytale of New York', which took me back to childhood christmases pretending to be the female singer in the duet, I can no longer enjoy this song after realising the slur it includes, it just makes me cringe. This album was just not listenable for me, but I'm sure it's someone else's cup of tea. To all my Irish ancestors, I sincerely apologise.

I guess these guys are the precursor to Dropkick Murphys. It’s a fun album but a lot of the songs sound pretty similar. There’s one song that’s familiar.

Auch eine sehr gute Platte, wenngleich sie an die Rum, Sodomy & rhe Lash nicht rankommt. Fairytale of New York ist trotzdem toll!

Fand es nach kurzer Zeit etwas nervig. Aber hatte auch gute Momente.

I listened to this on my 6 a.m. commute to work. Arrived staggering and smelling of booze.

8/10

I found this very hard to score. It's very jaunty, and has a strong reputation. But I LOATHE "that" song (you know which one) and occasionally the diction to too overpowered. Giving it 2 because I can always switch this one off and put on Rum, Sodomy and The Lash instead.

Couldn’t decide how to rate this. I’ve played in many Irish bands so it’s irritatingly familiar. But if I can separate it from “work,” it’s unique and fun and gives me a lot to think about. In general I enjoyed it

Nothing of great interest here except - of course - for Fairytale of New York, which gets a 3 all on its own.

Raucous, lively and very Irish…but unlikely to realistically revisit.

Read the band's Wikipedia before listening, thought "oh how cool!" Knew it wouldn't be the kind of music I'd listen to on my own, but how bad can it be? BAD