If I Should Fall from Grace with God

This album has been added to 1 private list and 4 public lists:

• 

  1988

  James

  The traditional instrumentation becomes more expansive without losing the band’s roughness. “Fairytale of New York” gets remembered for the duet, but the whole album balances celebration and collapse in similar ways. Shane MacGowan writes with enormous affection for damaged people without romanticizing the damage itself. It’s rowdy music carrying a surprisingly deep sense of loss.

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  1001Albums

  Neil Hopkins

  The Pogues are much more than an Irish folk band and this album proves it. Yes, we still get the traditional songs, although fewer than you might think - there were three out of fifteen that I counted on the original release plus a couple more on the expanded edition including the classic Irish Rover with the Dubliners.

  The musical influences are broader and more diverse here - Middle Eastern sounds and wild Spanish fiestas sit comfortably alongside punk influenced folk (or maybe folk influenced punk) with a solid backing band of talented musicians.

  Shane MacGowan’s lyrics and vocals are as distinctive as ever from the mawkish Christmas classic Fairytale of New York (with the unmistakable Kirsty MacColl) to ballads and shanties, and powerful political songs about miscarriages of justice and the scattered Irish diaspora. A great album that has stood the test of time.

• 

  New to me

  Chris
• 

  BestAlbum (international)

  cieffe27