Search - Popes :: Holloway Boulevard

Bottled Smoke

Brint Conley | Cincinnati, Ohio USA | 06/21/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Popes "Holloway Boulevard" proves several things even on the first listen: 1.)That Shane MacGowan is still a great songwriter )2.that Paul McGuinness is also a fine songwriter with a much more "traditional" ( Irish sound to his voice than Shane has, and 3.) the Popes are capable of doing something that the Pogues could not do... put out a quality album without MacGowan at the helm. Sure, Shane contributes vocals to one track and helps out on a pair of others, but people who buy this CD simply for Shane's sake are missing some great music. "New Rose" is a beautiful ballad of sorts, "Pump Action Paddy" is hilarious sober, imagine singing it at a pub after a few pints, and "The Beast" just might be the closest thing to Tom Waits' "What's He Building In There" to hit the market this year. While not a perfect CD (some songs, like later Pogues CD's get rather redundant) it is a fine testament to the abilities of Mad Dog and the boys... Add Spider Stacey and Danny Pope in for good measure and you have a disc fans of both Irish folk/punk and once a year Irishmen (see St. Paddy's Day) can get into..."

Rock and Roll Paddies

Max Frost | Chicago | 04/22/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Well, it's better than "Waiting For Herb" or "Pogue Mahone", but that ain't sayin' much. Seriously, this is a pretty good, pretty fast, hard rocking mix of Irish rock/folk/trad. These are more "Crock of Gold" Popes than "The Snake" Popes--it's got a good, loose feel. Shane/Pogues fans will feel right at home. There's even a rocking version of Hills of Connemara to keep the traditionalists happy. The record has Shane's fingerprints all over it (is Mad Dog trying to sound like MacGowan when he sings? ), and that ain't a bad thing at all. And Shane's vocal on Chino's Place will rattle yer bones. Good stuff."

If its The Popes or The Pogues, both bands need MacGowan!

Musicfan101 | Chicago, Ill | 10/11/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is AHELLOFA lot better than any Shaneless Pogues albums. While those two Shaneless Pogue albums are rubbish, this "Holloway Blvd." is a decent buy. Paul McGuinness is a great musician, but I just don't like his voice. Anyone would have a hard time standing in MacGowan's shoes at the mike.(Spider,Paul McG.) The Popes sound like a very seasoned bar band to go see live, but the albums vocals just doesn't click w/ me. Great music for damn sure! My suggestion is; if the Popes play without MacGowan, they should go back in time around 1612 a.d. and find a pirate saturated in spiced rum, bring the salty dog back to the 21st century, show him the lyrics, get him drunk, and throw him in front of the mike!, because the music is good enough for someone to invent time travel just for this reason!"