release date: Nov. 6, 1990
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: Joe Strummer
label: Island Records - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 1. "The Sunnyside of the Street" (5 / 5) (live in 2012) - 2. "Sayonara" - 3. "The Ghost of a Smile" (4 / 5) - 6. "Summer in Siam" (4 / 5) - 7. "Rain Street" - 10. "House of the Gods" (4 / 5) - 11. "5 Green Queens and Jean"
5th full studio album by The Pogues produced by Joe Strummer who had become more and more engaged in the band's activities and from '91 served as official substitute for MacGowan. I have always liked the album more than is easy to explain. I find it better than Peace and Love (1989) but it's also obvious that it's not on the same level as the two great full albums and the ep from 1985-88. My guess is, Hell's Ditch has a considerable amount of Shane MacGowan's signature (9 out of 13 tracks), which easily lifts the album above average. However, the band struggles just to hang on, as MacGowan's alcohol problems are beyond difficult. Apparently, some tracks were more than difficult to record as he was almost never sober but I think Strummer has done a great job finding that "edgy tone" of theirs, which is not just mainstream pop / rock but also a crossover of pub rock and celtic rock with parts of folk punk. The album is the last to feature founding member, vocalist and primary composer Shane MacGowan, who was permanently sacked from the band after this release as he was unable to help promote the album on the following tour, where Strummer substituted on vocals. MacGowan went on making music and in 1994 he released new material with the full studio album The Snake in his new band Shane MacGowan and The Popes.
[ allmusic.com hands it 3 / 5 stars ]
