THE POGUES

THE POGUES
PEACE & LOVE (1989)
REMASTER
320 KBPS

"Peace and Love" is the most underrated Pogues album of the MacGowan era, even to Pogues fans. The Pogues flirt with jazz throughout on this release and what most people don't realize is that Shane had embraced acid house rock and was trying to inject into the Pogues musical catalogue. Sure, MacGowan's vocals sound garbled on this release, but that doesn't mean his songwriting gifts have diminished. "White City," is a excellent song about a dog track being torn down. While "Boat Train; a song about traveling from Dublin to London, and "London You're a Lady," Shane's geographical tribute to London, still showed that MacGowan hadn't drank away his talents quite yet. Other songs like "Down All the Days, which pays tribute to Christy Brown, and "Cotton Fields," are all stand out tracks. Shane also showed that he had a knack for rockabilly as well with the overpowering "USA." The problem that most Pogues fans have with this release is the fact that most of it was written by other members of the band. SO WHAT!!!!!! Jem Finer provides the excellent "Misty Morning, Albert Bridge," as well as the jazz instrumental "Gridlock," and the depressing "Tombstone," and "Night Train to Lorca." Philip Chevron steps up to plate once again and provides the beautiful ballad "Lorelei," with backing vocals by Kristy MacColl. Terry Woods provides the excellent traditional numbers of "Young Ned of the Hill and Gartloney Rats." The only real throwaway track on this album is the cheesy irish-calypso track "Blue Heaven," which should have never made its appearance on the album. Overall, "Peace and Love," is not the Pogues best album, but it certainly is a very good one, and better than the follow-up "Hell's Ditch."
The new remastered version contains the traditional reworkings of "The Star of the County Down (vocals by Andrew Ranken), and "The Limerick Rake." Jem Finer's "Train of Love," is a delight, as is MacGowan's tribute to Northern Soul with "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah." However, the best bonus track has to go to Terry Woods/Ron Kavana's "Everyman Is A King," which should have been on the original "Peace and Love" release.

1. Gridlock
2. White City
3. Young Ned of the Hill
4. Misty Morning, Albert Bridge
5. Cotton Fields
6. Blue Heaven
7. Down All the Days
8. USA
9. Lorelei
10. Gartloney Rats
11. Boat Train
12. Tombstone
13. Night Train to Lorca
14. London You're a Lady
Bonus Tracks
15. Star of the County Down
16. Limerick Rake
17. Train of Love
18. Everyman Is a King (In the US of A)
19. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
20. Honky Tonk Women