Across the Broad Atlantic [Live]

Shane MacGowan | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 26, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Eagle Records
• ASIN: B000060OLB
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #178,099 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Shane MacGowan first came to prominence as the frontman and principal songwriter of The Pogues writing huge international hits such as Fairytale Of New York and The Irish Rover. After splitting from the band in 1991 he reappeared with a new band, The Popes, who released their debut album The Snake in 1995. He remains an iconic figure in Irish music.During the tour to support the release of their album, Shane and The Popes played the Montreux Jazz Festival on July 15, 1995. The show combines tracks from the Snake album such as Nancy Whiskey, Donegal Express and Bring Down The Lamp with Pogues classics such as If I Should Fall From Grace With God, Streams Of Whiskey, A Pair Of Brown Eyes and The Irish Rover along with a rousing version of the Hippy Hippy Shake that's so good they have to play it twice!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It only took a year to get here!, February 27, 2002

By 

J. Turley - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Across the Broad Atlantic (Audio CD)

So the now infamous St. Paddy's Day 2001 live album finally sees the light of day in 2002! Fans of Shane MacGowan & The Popes have suffered long hard this past year with every release date getting pushed back, but let me tell you, now that it's out, it's well worth the wait!

Those of you that recently purchased The Pogues' "Streams Of Whiskey" live album (which The Pogues are rumored to be quite unhappy with), will be pleasantly surprised in the amazingly improved recording quality on Shane's disc. The instruments and vocals are crystal clear, well the instruments are. Shane's drunken bellowing is of course: Shane's drunken bellowing!

Yet, our favorite 20th century Paddy is in fine form here. Shane & The Popes bang out ould Pogues, Shane's, Traditional, Pope's tunes and even a cover of the last song Hank Williams Sr. wrote before he died: the eerie "Angel Of Death". And if all that wasn't enough, we're also graced with hearing both Shane's sister, Siobhan and their mum, Theresa sharing the vocal duties.

...

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SHANE STILL STANDING HIGH, April 21, 2004

By 

S. F Gulvezan (Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Across the Broad Atlantic (Audio CD)

Having seen Shane in concert, vomiting on the stage, I didn't know what to expect from this live album. It exceeds my expectations. Shane sounds more drunk on the spoken introductions to the songs than he does when singing. Once the song starts up, he gives it all he has, which is quite a lot. In my opinion, he is one of the greatest singer/songwriters of the century. This live album is a special treat, as, not only does it include great live performances of many of Shane's songs, but several songs, such as "Rainy Night In Soho," which were never put on an album, but are amoung his finest work. Highly recommended. Drunk or not, Shane is up there with the very best, including Van Morrison, Gene Clark, and a handful of others of the 20th and 21st centuries.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kahaya! Come Hell or High Water!, March 6, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Across the Broad Atlantic (Audio CD)

I was lucky enough to have been at the New York leg of this and I have to say, he was in fine form. Best I've seen him in a decade or more. In the past he's been a little better off than worse, but this last time he really held it together. And though The Popes may seem to lack the recklessness of The Pogues, they really are more than a mere backing band and incredibly tight to boot(as evidenced on the instrumental selections).

Though there isn't a alot of new material on this, there are enough sprited renditions like POOR PADDY, PAIR OF BROWN EYES & SICK BED OF CUCHULAINN to remind you why they're classics.

True, he does tend to sound like a pig caught in a vise on POOR PADDY but he's kept his infamous drunken garble to a minumum. Infact, as others have cited, his diction is suspiciously concise.

While frat-boy Paddy's may prefer the STREAMS OF WHISKEY side of MacGowan, I've always been a great admirer of his ballads. When was the last time you heard RAINY NIGHT IN SOHO, not to mention "live"?. GRENUILLE(probably mispelled it) & Hank Williams' ANGEL OF DEATH are equally moving as well.

So alas, new album it is not. But a great live album it is. For those seeking a post-Pogue introduction, here's a good place to start.