Good gravy, that is a whole other kettle of fish! I enjoyed the last Pogues album in this list ("Rum, Sodomy & the Lash"), but this one takes their punk-Celtic sound and spreads it out over a range of other genres. From the jazzy nightclub swag of "Metropolis" to the Middle-Eastern-sounding "Turkish song of the damned", the lolloping oompa of closer "Worms", and of course the slightly drunken ballad of "Fairytale of New York" that has rightfully become one of the most beloved of the modern Christmas songs. That last song featured vocals from Kristy Macoll the wife of the band's producer Steve Lilywhite.
Their previous producer Elvis Costello had become romantically entangled with bass-player Cait O'Riordan, who ended up leaving the band, leading to a bit of a lineup shuffle prior to the recording of the album. "Fairytale of New York" had originally been written with her in mind as the female vocalist.
