The Popes new album - Outlaw Heaven

[Low D]

* Outlaw Heaven is out now

So where's me pre-ordererd copy?!

... oh i see, the Townsend Records web site lists it as "Released: June 15, 2009", but it's available on amazon for mp3 purchase already. weak, dude, totally weak...

[Alex]

... oh i see, the Townsend Records web site lists it as "Released: June 15, 2009", but it's available on amazon for mp3 purchase already. weak, dude, totally weak...

on amazon.co.uk/com/de the digital format is up for download from 6 July 2009 on... no idea why it takes so long to release. It was actually due to release last summer, there's been a release party in May this year

[firehazard]

It was actually due to release last summer, there's been a release party in May this year

Must've been a good long party, that one.
Come on, guys, get the thing released.

[IrishRover]

OI ! Loing loive the Popes & upcoimoin' OIutlaw Heaven !

http://www.townsend-records.co.uk/artis ... pes&ac=ms1.
http://www.thepopesofficialsite.com

[Zuzana]

Listened to the album (big thanks to our very own MacRua ). Not bad, but I don’t think the Popes managed to surpass their previous Holloway Boulevard. Not counting his growl in the chorus of "Bastards", Shane prominently features on two songs: "Outlaw Heaven", a lively duet with Paul McGuinness (and perhaps the catchiest song on the album), and "Loneliness of a Long Distance Drinker". The latter is the closing track of the album, a slow number sung just by Shane, with Leonard-Cohen-like backing female vocals. He sounds like a life-weary long (and short) distance drinker indeed. It’s an entertaining number, though. The rest of the album ranges from slow ballads (surprising quantity of them) to noisy rock numbers and even a brutally butchered version of the traditional "Black Is the Colour". Holloway Boulevard was more trad-sounding, more melodic. Outlaw Heaven is a listenable album, not really memorable, but I think some of the songs have the potential to grow on one after repeated listenings. And Shane’s tracks are a must, of course.

[IrishRover]

poietry aoin't foir managers anyway.

[IrishRover]

and heres the real revoiews !

The Guardian:
"The Popes' excellent Outlaw Heaven album is what The Waterboys would have sounded like had Mike Scott sipped from the streams of whiskey. A true rough diamond"

Q Review:
"Rouses like only the very best of Irish Folk can.."

Uncut:
"It’s a chaotic, red-blooded mix of punk, rockabilly, Celtic and country, surging to ferocious peaks"

Clash Magazine - 8/10:
"Watch the fireworks start flying again. This isn’t just an Irish party album with fire in its belly, it’s also the most warm, celebratory and downright mortal LP you’re likely to hear in 2009." 8/10

Daily Mirror:
"The indestructible Shane MacGowan assists Paul McGuinness' crew on an album which is a rowdy blend of crude metal and broken-bottle folk rock"

OIutlaw Heaven ois oiffoicoially oiut toiday !

[IrishRover]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHXKjEDkYQY

[Mark_Wafc]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHXKjEDkYQY

Just before that song, do you think he said "Shane has just called, he cant make it tonight i'm afraid...but we will play you a few tunes anyway" and then emptied a can of guiness over his head??

[IrishRover]

can't recall the dates, there was that 1 majoir goig Shaneo was scheduled to appear but cancelled..
was thois the very oine ?

[FAY]

The Outlaw Paul McGuinness - Andy Wilkinson on the Popes new offering 'Outlaw Heaven' and why sometimes if you fight the law you get some work done. - September 2009 / The Irish Herald

Sorry, there is no electronic version. The Irish Herald/The New Irish Gael is a free, monthly California paper. Andy Wilkinson is its music critic and has written favorably in the past about Pogues American Tours, Radiators album review, etc. Overall, it's a positive review in favor of Paul McGuinness and his music, but less-so of Shane's performance.

(Oh, well. But, good for Mad Dog and Co.)

Andy writes, "...Featuring Shane Macgowan, as it appears on the sleeve here, will undoubtedly sell a few more copies, as his return to the Pogues will sell tickets to their October North American Tour. For those looking forward to those shows - they will be good nights out, I'm sure. For those looking forward to this album as a return to the glory days of The Snake- too much vodka and soda has flowed under the bridge..."

(And, I thought Shane was a gin and/or wine man? And, yes! I'm looking forward to (atleast) the 2 shows in SF!)

He goes on, "...There's a brilliant chorus, too, and a bit at the end where Paul and Shane freestyle over the groove, naming various dead people they admire, from James Joyce to Janis Joplin. I would list more but I can't make out hardly any of the names Shane grunts. Spider Stacy's on there too - singing that is, not in the list of the dead people, but if he hangs round with these two for too long he might well be."

(I've met Spider a few times recently and he's doing just fine, thank you very much!)

And, offers, "...The album closes with the third song featuring Shane Macgowan- this one a solo lament entitled, 'The Loneliness of a Long Distant Drinker.' It sounds like it should be great, except that Shane's vocals don't sound like they used to. I mean, Johnny Cash, when he was dying- on American Recordings V- he still sounded pretty damn good..."

(Apples to oranges.)

Finally, "...don't buy this because it features Shane Macgowan- you will be disappointed." But, he does insist, "...Buy it because Mad Dog went to prison and got a lot done."

(I would buy it if it was offered on vinyl.)

So, there you have it, folks. Personally, I'm happy that Shane and Spider are actively participating in new, studio recordings together again, but discouraged by the assumption that reviews such as this are indicative of - albeit, one of several reasons - why the others are non-comital about a new recording.

(Rick Rubin, please call Pogues Management pronto. Help me, Rick Rubin. You're our only hope.)

Anyway- inevitably, there is likely to be a feature/announcement/review of the 2009 West Coast Tour in upcoming editions of the Irish Herald and I'll be sure to share it with you all.

See you in October, Pogues!

[IrishRover]

Andy writes, "For those looking forward to this album as a return to the glory days of The Snake- too much vodka and soda has flowed under the bridge..."

oi saoid oit oince, oi'll repeat oit agaoin - poietry aoin't foir #&/*-/ (managers..)
as oif thois guy here stands(undertstands) as a true fan of Shane MacGowan & The Popes, goimme a break, quasoi-artoistoic revoiew shalloiw & tasteless as the very soida he mentions !

.." I would list more but I can't make out hardly any of the names Shane grunts. Spider Stacy's on there too - singing that is, not in the list of the dead people, but if he hangs round with these two for too long he might well be."

yeah, he'd loist hemself, sadly foir hem, he'll never get there, last oi've heard they doin't take oin managers 'n' poiseurs oin Oiutlaw Heaven; gruntoin', hes letters & death woishes are the oines gruntoin', gruntoin'..

..'The Loneliness of a Long Distant Drinker.' It sounds like it should be great, except that Shane's vocals don't sound like they used to. I mean, Johnny Cash, when he was dying- on American Recordings V- he still sounded pretty damn good..."

THOISE LOINES ARE ACTUALLY AMOING ME FAVOIUROITES AND SHANEO DOIES EM' GRAND !
"Goit the crazy thoiughts of a mad relentless thoinker, goit the loinelyness of a loing doistance droinker !"
A few days ago oi was just sendoin' a coimment to MadDog, regardoin' thois very loine, poietry !
Thois manageroial revoiewer had to.. he had to mention Johnny Cash as well, leave Johnny oin peace, oim sure he needs no manageroial praoisoin' froim people loike ye.

"...don't buy this because it features Shane Macgowan- you will be disappointed."

[IrishRover]

"The judgements may be harsh, the judgements may be wroing, never have doiubt, ye goitta keep oin, goitta keep oin, goitta keep oin, goitta keep oin walkoin' oin.."
Angels Are Coimoin'
by The Popes

[kintaro hattori]

Just letting everyone know that the new Popes CD is sheit.
The cover says "FEATURING SHANE MACGOWAN" That is a fraudulent lie. Last song has him singing.

I am so pissed. Almost 20 bucks for an import that sounds like Joe Cocker is signing...

D- at best.

Kintaro

[fake OIroishRoiveir]

oi saoid oit oince, oi'll repeat oit agaoin - poietry aoin't foir #&/*-/ (managers..)
as oif thois guy here stands(undertstands) as a true fan of Shane MacGowan & The Popes, goimme a break !

yeah, he'd loist hemself, sadly foir hem, he'll never get there, last oi've heard they doin't take oin managers 'n' poiseurs oin Oiutlaw Heaven; gruntoin', hes letters & death woishes are the oines gruntoin', gruntoin'..