#293/928
August 5 1985
The Pogues
Rum, Sodomy & the Lash
Genre: Celtic Rock
4.25 out of 5
Highlights:
Wild Cats of Kilkenny
I'm a Man You Don't Meet Every Day
Dirty Old Town
The Gentleman Soldier
Is this “rock”? At this point in the project, deep in the middle of 1985, which is the heart of the 80s (the actual 80s, not the Richard Blade 80s of 1980-1984) how do you define “rock” anymore? Perhaps we can’t. We all know that the African beats that were absorbed into New Wave by Adam and the Ants and Malcolm McLaren were a tool 5 years before but in one year they will be the spine for the lovely and accessible to the masses Graceland by Paul Simon.
Is Celtic Music “rock”?
Not really. And yet, yes, 100%.
I admit that I don’t know The Pogues music. I wasn’t listening to this in 85 and not later as other sounds grabbed me. But, I did get to know their offspring like Dropkick Murphys (who I didn’t gravitate to) and Flogging Molly, whose “Drunken Lullabies” is one of my all-time favorite songs ever. (That album is pretty terrific as well). And even Bruce Springsteen would try to grab a little Pogue-ism in his “American Land”, another song I do adore.
A couple tracks in and I am transported to the only place I know that sounds like this: The seaside shanty town of St. John’s Canada. Where I was screeched in, kissed the cod and discovered my love for Black Labrador Retrievers.
It’s cold and dank and you really can’t understand a word anyone says, “Ey, bye?” And if you sit, for one minute, and you don’t have a drink in your hand, get one, cuz you need to be drunk by the end of the day. Not because it’s the only way to get through life there, but because everyone else is and you’ll feel left out.
This record is the sound of drink. Not the sound of being drunk. Although it’s obvious that Shane McGowan is rarely sober. It’s also filled with great songs…that are covers of Irish standards or almost standards. And that’s the issue I have. I generally take points off for covers (although I understand that pop singers are basically Karaoke singers of other songwriter’s tunes. I’m a biased asshole. I know). But those songs are the best ones here. “The Gentleman Soldier”? “Dirty Old Town”? “I’m a Man You Don’t Meet Every Day”? “Jesse James”? But they are SO good I can’t fault the band for recording them.
So, the rating is what it is and you can tell me how much I suck now.
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