Hell's Ditch [Original recording remastered]

Pogues | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 19, 2006)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Rhino
• ASIN: B000H8SFN4
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #28,423 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #28 in Music > World Music > Celtic > Rock
  • #63 in Music > Folk > British & Celtic Folk > British Folk
  • #77 in Music > Folk > British & Celtic Folk > Irish Folk

Track Listings

1. The Sunnyside of the Street

2. Sayonara

3. The Ghost of a Smile

4. Hell's Ditch

5. Lorca's Novena

6. Summer in Siam

7. Rain Street

8. Rainbow Man

9. The Wake of the Medusa

10. House of the Gods

11. 5 Green Queens & Jean

12. Maidrin Rua

13. Six to Go

14. Whiskey in the Jar [*]

15. Bastard Landlord [*]

16. Infinity [*]

17. Curse of Love [*]

18. Squid Out of Water [*]

19. Jack's Heroes [*]

20. Rainy Night in Soho [*]

Editorial Reviews

Deleted in the U.S., this is their 1990 studio album, produced by The Clash's Joe Strummer. 13 tracks, including 'The Sunny Side Of The Street', 'Ghost Of A Smile' and 'Sayonara'. Lyrics & color photos included in the sleeve. 1990 WEA International release. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Through the haze, Shane still shines, May 30, 2000

By 

James G. Mundie (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hell's Ditch (Audio CD)

While it was clear by the time this album was released that all was not well with the Pogues, there are moments of pure crystaline brilliance on this album that continue to speak to me. "Lorca's Novena" is right up there among the best songs Shane MacGowan ever wrote, and is simply beatiful -- and also horrifying. The patient listener is amply rewarded on this album. There are hardly any of those tedious non-MacGowan moments one finds on "Peace & Love", as "Hell's Ditch" feels more like a harmonious whole than a patchwork of unrelated 'showcase' material for various bandmates.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The church bell rings, an old drunk sings, December 19, 2006

By 

Jason Michael Crannell "The Pilfering Monk" (somewhere just outside the salt city) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hell's Ditch (Audio CD)

This is the fifth and final album that the Pogues and Shane MacGowan collaborated on, and it's a nice swan song. While it doesn't quite live up to the stature of the band's first three albums, it's a marked improvement on their fourth record (Peace & Love). It's a surprisingly upbeat album, considering the nature of some of the lyrics, and the outside influences that would soon cause the band to move forward without it's driving force. Songs like "The Sunnyside of the Street", "Sayonara", "Summer in Siam", and "Rain Street" are among the Pogues all time best works. Unfortunately, the album loses it's momentum after a strong first half, and the bonus tracks that are included on the remastered edition, aren't particularly memorable for the most part. Still, for those that love the Pogues, this album is definitely worth purchasing, and enjoying time and time again.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars End of the Pogues, February 20, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Hell's Ditch (Audio CD)

This was the last Pogues album to feature the singing and songwriting talents of Shane MacGowan- and if you ask me that makes this the LAST Pogues album. As much I would like to say that the Pogues and MacGowan went out with a bang on their last album together, it just isn't true. "Hell's Ditch" is the weakest of the band's five studio albums.

There is no question that by 1990 MacGowan's alcohol and drug problems (the man's a junkie!) had taken their awful toll on his abilities. His voice on "Hell's Ditch" is no longer the boozy growl of previous efforts but an almost unintelligible mumble. I won't say that his songwriting talents had fully abandoned him- "On Sunnyside on the Street" and "Summer in Siam" are very, very good. However, this album continues the trend started with "Peace & Love"- a good part of the CD features songs written and sung by other members of the band with mixed results. "Hell's Ditch" has a lot of weak filler songs in comparison to previous Pogues albums.

This was the end of the road for the Pogues. "Hell's Ditch" was released in 1990 and the next year MacGowan would be fired by the band on the eve of its U.S. tour. (In September 1991, I would see the Shane-less Pogues perform at NYC's Beacon Theater with Joe Strummer (who produced "Hell's Ditch") filling in as lead singer.) Without question the Pogues were one of the most exciting and unique groups to emerge during the 80's- a raucous blend of Irish folk and British punk. So in comparison to the vast majority of the music being produced in 1990 (Milli Vanilli and Vanilla Ice were chart toppers at the time) Hell's Ditch is a fantastic CD, but when compared to previous Pogues' efforts it doesn't entirely measure up.