The Pogues – Just Look Them Straight In The Eye and Say… Pogue Mahone!!

3 stars (out of 5)

Thanks to the enduring success of Fairytale of New York, the Pogues are permanently associated with Christmas. So, does that make a Pogues album the perfect present? Well, it certainly beats a pair of socks, but you’d better check that your intended recipient is a fan of the band before surprising them with this box set.

It comprises more than 100 tracks, of which three-quarters are previously unreleased. What we have here is a treasure trove for committed Pogues enthusiasts. The quality varies, but you keep unearthing gems such as NW3, Pinned Down, Balinalee and Nicaragua Libre, as well as a surprisingly faithful cover of Maggie May and several demos that trace the gradual evolution of Fairytale from out-of-tune mutterings through to the words that have us choking back the tears at this time of year.

Rhino 5144281352