Customer Reviews

Rare Oul'Stuff

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If you're a fool for the Pogues but have been disappointed with Shane MacGowan's 2 solo albums since HELL'S DITCH, this one might be worth the extra moola. It's basically a 21-track singles collection featuring his best songs off THE SNAKE & CROCK OF GOLD, which isn't a bad idea since both albums have their share of duds.

Hard-core fans will delight in some endearing B-side covers like, "Danny Boy" & Neil Diamond's "Cracklin' Rosie" of all things. It also features "You're the One", his duet with Naire Brennan off the "Circle of Friends". Another incentive to fork over the dough is "Rake at the Gates of Hell" a rarity from STAIGHT TO HELL, Shane's acting debut(if you want to call it that).

So, splurge. You won't miss the money and who knows how long it will be before a Pogues re-union album.

Hey guys, if you are looking at this review , it means that you are potentially interested in picking up "Rare Oul' Stuff" by the inimitable Shane MacGowan. Let me save you the debate...BUY IT!!! Shane MacGowan is one of the true geniuses of our time. This album is a perfect jumping on spot for a new fan of Shane's solo and post-Pogues work as it contains tracks from both of his previous solo records and some harder to find stuff. Stand out tunes include "Aisling" and "Paddy Public Enemy No. 1." "You're the One" is a really tender ballad and one of Shane's duets which are always great tunes chock full of heart. "The Song With No Name" is a love tune that should be a wedding standard on par with "Annie's SOng" or "Grow Old With Me". Who doesn't understand when Shane says "...and now I pray for a single kiss from her to be lashed and crucified..." WOW! But lest you think that the spitting, drinking, swaggering MacGowan has gone soft, "Rock and Roll Paddy" should about knock your socks off with a rockin' melody and some pretty risque lyrics. Give this record a spin, I promise it will hang out in your player for a long time. It's still in mine.

The only reason to get this album is if you're a hardcore fan of Shane and you want to get songs like "Danny Boy" or "Cracklin Rosie" but most of all of his good stuff is on "The Snake". Don't bother with the CD or "Crock of Gold" either it is depressing since his songs are slurred with the years of drug and alcohol abuse he is famous for. The songs are lifeless. I know his hardcore fans don't like to admit this but he was washed up on "Crock of Gold". If you don't believe how sub par his songs were to the Pogues listen to the Pogues version of "Rake at the Gates of Hell" and his version. Enough said.

This album is just fantastic. I have The Snake also which has many of the same songs but this album has some extra gems on it. Everything from "up the republic" pro IRA songs, to the rock n roll style songs too.
If you like The Pogues and never heard of the Popes before do yourself a favor and pickup this CD. It will not leave your player for months.

While MacGowan fans waited for his much rumored third solo album this compilation arrived. It's hardly a substitute for new material, old MacGowan is better than no MacGowan. About half of the album consists of tracks from THE SNAKE and CROCK OF GOLD. The other half are B-sides from singles and other rarities. Of those, "Rake at the Gates of Hell" is worth the price of the CD if you can't find the track elsewhere. Apart from that track, you'd be better off with MacGowan's two solo studio albums. Unless of course you can get all three.
Rake at the Gates of Hell: Shane MacGowan in Context

If he could've been a little more sober...well he wouldn't be Shane McGowan. This is well worth having...when I'm setting up for teaching Sunday School with my Zune on, listening to Shane is sort of my reminder that I wasn't always Ned Flanders. If you loved the Pogues, you gotta get this! Really.

This is a great cd! If you don't own it buy it. Shane Macgowan is a national treasure for ireland and a kinda punk rock saint for the rest of us. If you like the pogues this is as good if not better. If you never have heard of the pogues then buy everything they have ever recorded.

really like the cd but it's difficult to make out all of the lyrics