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

Q - 3 out of 5 stars - "...A welcome addition to MacGowan's canon...The Pogue songs sound great..."

Dublin had to move 2001's St. Patrick's Day from March 17 to May 19 due to an outbreak of hoof-and-mouth disease. Consequently, Shane MacGowan was able to perform Paddy's Day shows at both Webster's Hall in Manhattan and Olympia Theatre in Dublin during the same year. Across the Broad Atlantic, which features performances from these two shows, is basically the soundtrack to a 75-minute party. The audibly rowdy crowd noises combined with the boisterous performances by MacGowan and his fine band give this album a celebratory atmosphere. Upbeat numbers such as "If I Should Fall From Grace With God" tend to benefit from this raucous setting more than ballads such as "A Pair of Brown Eyes," but MacGowan and the Popes are hardly the only musicians to sacrifice a bit of subtlety and finesse for raw energy in their live performances, and the group sounds tight most of the time anyway (e.g., the impressive interplay between banjo player Tom McMannamon and accordionist Mick O'Connell on the "Popes' Instrumental" medley). MacGowan's vocals and between-song comments are somewhat slurred, of course, although this isn't much worse than on the recorded versions of the songs. Indeed, his enunciation is actually better in some instances, and he seems particularly adept at pronouncing his favorite expletive. Anyway, the album's 20 songs feature a nice balance of MacGowan's songs from the Pogues and his solo career, as well some traditional numbers and a fine cover of Hank Williams' "Angel of Death." As you'd probably expect, the songs flow together well without jarring juxtapositions and seem appropriate for a Paddy's Day show. The album concludes with a rendition of "Fairytale of New York" in which Theresa MacGowan trades vocals with Shane; it's an odd pairing considering the song's lyrics, and Theresa's off-key singing can't match the wonderful Kirsty MacColl's performance on the original recording of the song, but it's a fitting conclusion to an album that conveys the good-natured cheer of a drunken gathering of friends. ~ Todd Kristel|