Red Roses for Me ~
(1984)

The first release by the Pogues. To many long time fans, this is the best. The production is a little rough and the musicianship isn't quite as developed as it is on later releases, but the energy and enthusiasm can't be beat. Songs about whiskey, London, and some traditional tracks as well, including a haunting rendition of Brendan Behan's 'The Auld Triangle,' make this a timeless release.

Rum Sodomy & the Lash ~
(1985)

RS&L is, simply put, brilliant. From the beginning of 'The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn' to the end of 'And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda,' this release captures the band in their prime. Elvis Costello produced it (and later married bass player Cait 'Rocky' O'Riordan), giving it a bit of a cleaner sound than Red Roses, without sacrificing the energy that made their first release a classic. It includes the singles 'Dirty Old Town,' which some non-Pogues fans might even recognize, and 'Sally MacLenanne,' a permanent staple in virtually every live show I've heard.

Poguetry in Motion ~
(1986)

This 4 song EP is a fantastic little sampler of some material not on any of the other studio releases. I'm particularly fond of Body of an American,but every song is a keeper. A Rainy Night in Soho is arguably one of their best ballads, and far superior, in my mind, to the 1991 remade version on the CD. London Girl reminds me a bit of the Nips, but a bit more poppy with a bouncy acordion part, and Planxty Noel Hill is a Jem Finer penned instrumental.

If I Should Fall From Grace With God ~
(1987)

This has some of the Pogues best work on it, but it also shows the early stages of the deterioration of the band. The title track is a rockin' stroll that never gets old after a million listens. Other highlights include the Shane/Kirsty Maccoll duet 'Fairytale of New York,' the Phil Chevron penned 'Thousands are Sailing,' and the mexican flavored party romp 'Fiesta.' Don't get me wrong here, folks. This album is great. Personally, I put it a close third on my list. I just dont think it has all the magic of Red Roses & Rum, Sodomy...

Peace & Love ~
(1989)

Peace & Love has it's moments, but for the most part, it fails to measure up to the first three albums. Shane's voice and songwriting are suffering heavily from years of substance abuse and the other members have stepped in to take up the slack. They provide a worthy effort with songs like the Terry Woods standard 'Young Ned of the Hill,' and Jem Finer's 'Misty Morning, Albert Bridge,' but even in his delapidated condition, Shane's 'Cotton Fields' is still probably the strongest track on the record. It's worth getting, but don't expect all the fireworks the first three provide.

Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah ~
(1990)

Here's another EP. This one lacks the punch of the earlier ep, Poguetry In Motion, but it's still worth owning. The title track is a nod to The Jam (weather Shane admits it or not), in a mod-pop sorta way. Very catchy and simple. Other highlights include Whiskey In the Jar, which is mostly instrumental except the chorus and a verse or 2, and not quite as cool as the extended version or the version previously recorded with The Dubliners. I still see this CD EP occasionally in the bargain bin, so keep your eyes out!

Hell's Ditch ~
(1990)

Hell's Ditch was their last release with Shane in the band. The opening track 'Sunny Side of the Street' is a fantastic tune with an upbeat temp and optimistic feel. Other highlights include 'Sayonara,' 'Rain Street'(with a bridge stolen from Rod Stewart's 'Gasoline Alley'), and the ballad 'Summer in Siam.' By now however, the listener gets the feeling that Shane is merely propped up by a microphone and the other members are carrying the weight. I prefer Hells Ditch to Peace & Love, mostly because there are a few more great tunes. The problem with the last couple of releases is that they aren't all great tunes.

Waiting For Herb ~
(1993)

The first Pogues release without Shane. Spider Stacy takes over most of the vocals here and does a noble job. Many Pogues fans will not give the 2 post-Shane albums a chance, but the music is worth it! Shane's absence is obvious, but there is no doubt that you are listening to The Pogues here. This contains one of the Pogues' best selling singles, Tuesday Morning.

Pogue Mahone ~
(1993)

The last Pogues release. Spider is more confident here as a vocalist and as a reult I like this a bit better than Waiting For Herb. It has some upbeat tunes and some darker tunes and is a good listen. Although it was the end of The Pogues, I think they went out in good form on this one.

The Snake ~
(1995)

The Snake is Shane's first effort after leaving (or quitting, depending who's talking)The Pogues. Special guests include "special Teen Idol Johnny Depp," and ex-Pogues Jem Finer & Spider Stacy. It's more rock and Roll and less traditional than most Pogues albums, but it's still very good. In fact, I'll put this on before Peace and Love or Hell's Ditch usually. That's not to say that there's nothing traditional about it, in fact there are 3 traditional numbers and a few more that are in that style, but the Popes have a bit more 4 chord rock in them. I love Church of the Holy Spook, Haunted (with Sinead O'connor), The Snake with Eyes of Garnet, and Donegal Express, but really, 15 great tunes here, seek it out.

The Crock of Gold ~
(1997)

Shane's second post-Pogues release. This one dwells a bit more on the traditional side than The Snake, but the Popes still have that rockin' energy. The same can't quite be said about Shane here. His energy level is at an all time low and the vocals seem forced and lazy. Still, a great collection of songs. My favorites are Paddy Public Enemy No. 1, Come to the Bower, Joey's in America (instrumental), and More Pricks Than Kicks. This one has a couple tunes I can do without, but you should decide for yourself. Also recently released domestically - find it!.

Across The Broad Atlantic
Live On Paddy's Day - New York - Dublin ~
(2001)

This live album was recorded in the Spring of 2001. The song selection is pretty cool, especially since they threw in a few surprises we didn't hear in the states. Shane's performance is very strong and the Popes are rockin' as usual. Joined by his mum on Fairytale and a couple other guests as well. The packaging is cool with lots of great photos and a neat cover. So much for the praise... I don't particularly care for the mix here. Shane's voice is way out front and there are some annoying overdubs here and there too. The liner notes are sparse and there is no telling which songs were recorded at which location. But hey, we don't get much new product from this guy so maybe I shouldn't complain when we do. Released in November 2000 in the Netherlands and supposedly everywhere else in January 2002.

Holloway Boulevard ~
2000

Shane's backup band has an excellent CD here. Shane sings on Chino's Place but the performance is mediocre and it's not the best tune here. He also co-wrte a few other songs. Those are good enough reasons for any Pogues fan to buy this CD, but The Popes are a great band on their own and ALL of the songs are really strong here. I would recommend seeking this out on The Popes web site (see my LINKS page). Now if they would do a club gig in Michigan!