Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Pogues Strike Gold Again, February 6, 2005
If "Rum, Sodomy and the Lash" confirmed the Pogues as no mere novelty act, than "If I Should Fall From Grace With God," is the triumph that they deserved. Shane MacGowan's writing was now at mythical proportions, with such songs as the title track, "Lullaby of London, Bottle of Smoke, and The Broad Majestic Shannon." Phil Chevron's song "Thousands Are Sailing," about the Irish diaspora, proved that MacGowan wasn't the only talented songwriter in the band. This album also contains the best Christmas song ever, the MacGowan/Finer "Fairytale of New York, featuring the late Kristy MacColl. This release also showed the Pogues expanding their boundaries adding jazz ("Metropolis") Spanish flamenco ("Fiesta") and Middle Eastern tunes ("Turkish Song of the Damned") into their rollicking Irish set. "Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six" showed MacGowan tackling political issues for the first time, and if you want to see the Pogues tear through some numbers than "Sit Down By the Fire, and Medley" find them doing just that. Overall, "If I Should Fall From Grace With God," is a brilliant democratically written album from a band at their most creative peak.
The new remastered version contains the Terry Woods instrumental "The Battle March Medley, and the traditional "South Australia." The Pogues and Dubliners duets on the "Irish Rover and Rare Ol' Mountain Dew" are on here as well. Shanne Bradley, a beautiful instrumental by Shane MacGowan, and Jem Finer's "Sketches of Spain," round off the bonus tracks.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun, Rowdy Music, February 20, 2005
When I first heard this album 17 (!) years ago, I was hooked. If you like rowdy music and dancing, you'll love the Pogues. I finally saw them in 1996 (minus Shane Mc) and it was still the best show I ever saw, though it took me a few days to recover. The title track, Bottle of Smoke, South Australia are great moshing tunes, but some of the most interesting songs for me include the instrumental Metropolitan and Fairytale of New York. I've been listening to this album for almost two decades and have never been bored. Not bad for something I bought totally by accident in 1988!
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If I Should Fall From Grace With God, April 18, 2005
This album was first shown to me by my high school band teacher, and thank god he did. He opened my eyes to a totally cool band with probably one of the most revolutionary sounds to ever hit the earth. Traditional sounds with pounding energy and extremely poetic lyrics, MacGowan and the rest of the Pogues deliver a sensational album. I just warn about not playing it in front of little kids, as some of the songs are a little suggestive for their age group. But all that aside, this album is one that shines above many and joins the rank of "CD that never leaves the player."
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