Rum Sodomy & the Lash

I’ve only listened to their next album, If I Should Fall from Grace with God, and that one feels like an ode to the Irish diaspora, while Rum Sodomy & the Lash is more of a love letter to those who stayed, or are still trying to find happiness at home in Ireland.

Shane MacGowan has always been hailed as one of the generation’s greatest songwriters, and it shows on tracks like The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn, A Pair of Brown Eyes, and Sally MacLennane. Some of these could easily pass as traditional Irish songs, with their rural sound and timeless nature. The Pogues also have a knack for arranging older folk material so it sounds fresh and modern.

And like any good punk album, it’s not all showboating. When the moment calls for it, they deliver raw, emotional songs that hit hard. All the more reason to check these guys out.

IRELAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND

The Irish seem so fun, and the Scots too, so why are the Brits so fucking boring?

I may be Romanian, but listening to this album makes me feel like I'm living in the 1900s. My head starts getting heavy from all the rum I've been drinking at the pub after a long, treacherous journey at sea. The band of amateurs starts playing these songs. I raise my glass to all my comrades who have fallen ill and pour it all onto the ground. I stumble as I get up from the chair I've been sitting in and make my way towards the exit, stumbling all the way home, where my wife awaits me with yet another glass and her warm embrace.

If it were shorter maybe I'd have given it a 4? but after some time it gets too much. Kind of repetitive, I mean there's so much you can do with Irish tunes. For what it is though, I enjoyed it.

Man, I love Shane. And The Pogues. Such a rollicking good time.

It was fun for the first few songs, yeah, but I was fully worn out by the time I hit Jesse James. Despair overcame me when I looked at the tracklist, not realizing until later that it was for the expanded edition. This wasn't for me!

Standout: The Sick Bed of Chuchulainn

Nice sea shantys. Not a big fan, but sounds great.

I know The Pogues are a well-known band, but I wasn't familiar with their music before today. The opening track made me feel like I was being yelled at by a drunk pirate who had cornered me at a pub. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it did put me on edge.

Then there's a silly song about Jesse James that feels like it wandered in from an entirely different album.

But by far the star of the show is this slow little banger called "I'm a Man You Don't Meet Every Day," which, in a stunning case of false advertising, is not sung by a man at all. I had to look up who was singing because I hadn't heard another female voice on the album. Turns out it's their bassist, Cait O'Riordan. I could listen to her velvety Irish voice sing the phone book. Easy 10/10 track and one I'm genuinely glad this album introduced me to. 4 stars baby

Rum Sodomy & The Lash was an album that i was kinda bouncing back and forth on whether i should give it a 3 or a 4 but after much consideration, i went with the latter. I don't remember much about this band if i've ever even heard of them at all, but they sound like they would definitely go on to influence bands like The Dropkick Murphys due to their Celtic sound. The songs here are definitely very fun sounding and while they sounded a bit samey after a while, it still had enough of an interesting sound to keep me hooked no matter what. This band was definitely a really nice surprise and this album proved it.
Best Song: The Old Main Drag
Worst Song: A Pistol for Paddy Garcia

As a born and bred Irish person I've mixed feelings on Celtic punk. Mostly because it give me images of yanks claiming to be Irish because their great great great grandmother was fingered by a potato farmer.

In terms of music, it's super fun, pity a Rainy Night in Soho isnt on the original release, probably hadn't been written.

Shane MacGowan is a genius but his alcoholism being glossed over is wild to look back on. There's a 1994 version of Spancil Hill with Christy Moore on the late late show and he is ossified drunk but Jesus he's still magic. Worth a watch. Anyway, 3.5/5. Raising to 4. Up the RA.

First listen. Loved the themes. Leaving this album depressed, not in a bad way.

I’d have gone 3.5 if I could’ve. A shot of Jameson would pair well with this one.

Wish I was more into this.

Favorite track(s): The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn, I'm a Man You Don't Meet Every Day, A Pair of Brown Eyes, Sally MacLennane, Billy's Bones

I would describe this as (and I'm not kidding, I swear) rousing pirate music. I don't know where this fits on the list, but it was certainly fun and creative.

Love it

Could do with an oxford comma in this title. Hello, this is my daughter, Rum Sodomy, and her little dog, The Lash. Or maybe superheroes.

Anyway, whatever genre this is ("Celtic punk"?), I wish there was more of it. Very nostalgic. Lotta war talk.

Slur count = 0-2 (unclear due to cultural differences).

Highlight: not just one, but TWO funny little voices in 'The Gentleman Soldier'.

Excellent Celtic folk/rock. Shane MacGowan just puts a smile on my face with his Irish troubadour vibe- the diction/pronunciations give him such a "stereotypical" aesthetic but it feels very genuine. Production is not anything special, but the songs are all so fun that it works.

IM A FREE BORN MAN OF THE USA

In much the same way that the Violent Femmes were way ahead of their time with their debut, this one feels similar and what I'm getting is that folk punk doesn't evolve at all. And honestly it doesn't need to.

Prefer when its more punky than folky in this case though (just coming from listening more to stuff like Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly).

But still a great album. Honestly a tad surprised, wasn't expecting to like it quite as much as I do.

Fun, though not amazing.

Second Pogues album in three days. I much preferred the first one though this one has its moments. I’m glad I’ve got no more Pogues in my future!

Fuck's sake read the Wiki. There's only twelve songs on this album not 18.

Anyway, until I read the reviews I forgot about the particular kind of Pogues fan who just uses them for a knees up - it's all FUN, apparently. Not a criticism.You do you. I'm not saying there isn't fun to be had but you must be skipping The Old Main Drag and drunk under the table by the time the band plays Waltzing Matilda.