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Amazon.co.uk Review
Johnny Depp and director Gore Verbinski hatched the idea for Rogue's Gallery while filming "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"--that idea being to cast genteel rock superstars like Bono, Lou Reed, Bryan Ferry, Andre Corr, and Sting to reinterpret gritty seafaring standards for an exhaustive 43-track double-disc set produced by Hal Wilner. Throw in a bunch of credible folk stars (Loudon Wainwright III, Richard Thompson), their offspring (Rufus, Teddy) and a string of other curious characters (Jarvis Cocker, Antony) and what results is one of the strangest compilations in recent memory, if not exactly the most historically authentic or, well, digestible. Nick Cave embraces the role just a little too hard on "Fire Down Below," while Ferry can't help but sound like he's singing for the cast of "The Love Boat," but cut through the chaff and there is some real bootie here: Bono's "Dying Sailor to His Shipmates," Jolie Holland's "The Grey Funnel Line" and "Boney" by a mysterious tramp called Jack Sh**, which must be some kind of anagram for Johnny Depp. --Aidin Vaziri
Product Description
2CD set. Swashbuckling 43-track compilation of exclusive covers of traditional sea shanties by Nick Cave ; Lou Reed ; Antony ; Bryan Ferry ; Bono (U2) ; Richard Thompson ; Rufus Wainwright ; Lucinda Williams ; Ed Harcourt ; Akron Family and more!
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
104 of 108 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
As a founder member of one the Westcountry's best known shanty crews, Hanging Johnny", who have been singing "authentic" versions of these wonderful sailor's songs for some 15 years, with numerous recordings and appearances throughout Europe to our name, I suppose I could be labelled a "purist" and, having read some of the reviews for this collection, particularly on Amazon.com, might be expected to write a review full of bile and venom, bemoaning the apalling treatment given to such revered and delicate jewels as these 43 songs. However, with one or two notable exceptions, I have to say that I have rarely enjoyed a collection more! Yes there are a couple of dreadful renditions, but the vast majority of tracks are stunning interpretations of songs, all too frequently preserved in aspic and given the "precious" treatment. The opening track "South Australia" is a tour de force where spirit and sheer inventiveness rule and set the tone for the rest of the album. How grand to hear "Good Ship Venus" in all her unexpurgated glory, sung so well by Loudon WainwrightIII with such excellent backing. I am an old-school shantyman, but I take my hat off to these guys; forget purism, forget cardboard cut-out pirates; get this album because of its integrity, and because it has the guts to dare to be different in a bland and boring world -pure entertainment- Stan Hugill would have loved it.
Simon Isserlis -Hanging Johnny
Simon Isserlis -Hanging Johnny
30 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I'm a bit of an old folkie but knew that this album was not a straightforward cd of english folk songs. The list of artists featured is very broad - some of them from a folk background, some from the mainstream of pop and rock and some pretty obscure to an English listener.
There are 43 tracks on 2 cd's and I'd probably give 5 stars to at least half of them. You can always skip any you don't like or don't want your granny to listen to - some like Loudun Wainwright's version of The Good Ship Venus are truly filthy.
Among my favourite tracks are Nick Cave's outrageous version of Fire Down Below, a hilarious version of a song, Bully in The Alley by some group called Three Pruned Men and Van Dyke Parks version of The Greenland Whale Fishery, a song I've been singing for about 30 odd years. Hal Willner the weird and wonderful producer has come up with an even weirder and wonderfuller bunch of artists some of whom in turn have come up with truly original versions of the sea songs featured.
I wavered a bit about buying this album but am really glad I did - I'll just need to be careful who's in the car with me when I've got it blasting out!
There are 43 tracks on 2 cd's and I'd probably give 5 stars to at least half of them. You can always skip any you don't like or don't want your granny to listen to - some like Loudun Wainwright's version of The Good Ship Venus are truly filthy.
Among my favourite tracks are Nick Cave's outrageous version of Fire Down Below, a hilarious version of a song, Bully in The Alley by some group called Three Pruned Men and Van Dyke Parks version of The Greenland Whale Fishery, a song I've been singing for about 30 odd years. Hal Willner the weird and wonderful producer has come up with an even weirder and wonderfuller bunch of artists some of whom in turn have come up with truly original versions of the sea songs featured.
I wavered a bit about buying this album but am really glad I did - I'll just need to be careful who's in the car with me when I've got it blasting out!
46 of 50 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
When I heard about the release of this album I was extremely excited, as for years I have been hunting down various old and new recordings of sea chanteys. I'm not a huge fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, as whilst they are a lot of fun and great entertainment for the average person, they are completely fantastical, and anyone who knows much of the history of the real pirates will be aware that there are so many absolutely fantastic and true pirate stories out there. Still, director Gore Verbinski and star Johnny Depp obviously care a great deal about the subject and with some help from some world-class artists have produced this album.
Whether or not you'll like this music depends largely on what you're looking for in it. The songs fall into two loose categories - 1)dedicated folk singers singing fairly faithful versions of the sea chanteys; and 2) rock/pop artists reinterpreting the material in a loose punkish style. The first category of songs I found to be absolutely what I was expecting from the album, and have found some incredibly moving moments among them - the opening tune 'Cape Cod Girls', for example, followed by 'My Son John'and 'Haul Away Joe'. The folk singers seem to be able to deliver an authentic feel to the material which takes you to another place altogether.
The rock singers, on the other hand, should certainly be applauded on trying to make something new of the traditional songs. Alas, it doesn't always really come off. Some work better than others (Andrea Corr's performance is a nice surprise) but some really feel leaden compared to the subtleties of the folkier side of the album, all clunking drums and distorted guitars where they really don't fit. Bono's redition of 'A Dying Sailor To His Shipmates' (a heart-stoppingly beautiful song in the hands and vocal cords of Paul Clayton) is never-ending and cannot fail to grate, and Nick Cave's blackish snarling feels rather like he's trying to compensate authenticity with attitude - it doesn't work. I suppose this is all simply an attempt to attract more interest in the album by having the big names. They don't completely wreck it, and I'm happy that people may hopefully discover the other songs on the album having been initially interested only by the more well-known artists.
Ultimately, I've derived a lot of pleasure from this album, given judicious use of the skip button. There's a huge amount here to enjoy, whatever your taste, so get stuck in and have fun. Yo ho ho.
Whether or not you'll like this music depends largely on what you're looking for in it. The songs fall into two loose categories - 1)dedicated folk singers singing fairly faithful versions of the sea chanteys; and 2) rock/pop artists reinterpreting the material in a loose punkish style. The first category of songs I found to be absolutely what I was expecting from the album, and have found some incredibly moving moments among them - the opening tune 'Cape Cod Girls', for example, followed by 'My Son John'and 'Haul Away Joe'. The folk singers seem to be able to deliver an authentic feel to the material which takes you to another place altogether.
The rock singers, on the other hand, should certainly be applauded on trying to make something new of the traditional songs. Alas, it doesn't always really come off. Some work better than others (Andrea Corr's performance is a nice surprise) but some really feel leaden compared to the subtleties of the folkier side of the album, all clunking drums and distorted guitars where they really don't fit. Bono's redition of 'A Dying Sailor To His Shipmates' (a heart-stoppingly beautiful song in the hands and vocal cords of Paul Clayton) is never-ending and cannot fail to grate, and Nick Cave's blackish snarling feels rather like he's trying to compensate authenticity with attitude - it doesn't work. I suppose this is all simply an attempt to attract more interest in the album by having the big names. They don't completely wreck it, and I'm happy that people may hopefully discover the other songs on the album having been initially interested only by the more well-known artists.
Ultimately, I've derived a lot of pleasure from this album, given judicious use of the skip button. There's a huge amount here to enjoy, whatever your taste, so get stuck in and have fun. Yo ho ho.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Rogue pop.-folk collaboration
Some decent tracks but altogether a disappointment.For most of the half decent tracks better ones can be found else where- for example the Turkish revelry was intersting (to say... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Megan
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar!
A very good album, for what it is. Lots of old sea shanties played in the respective styles of the individual artistes, so a mixed bag, which will contain some you'll like, some... Read more
Published 16 months ago by The Brigadier
Rogues Gallery Sea Shanties
If you were looking for a CD of Sea Shanties then you will be disappointed. However it is what its title says a selection of Pirate Ballads, Sea songs and "Chanteys". Read more
Published 22 months ago by Mr. Michael Penn
In no way sea-sickness-inducing
It's good because the tunes are weird and wonderful to the modern ear, because it's a compilation and will both surprise you with artists you've never heard of and the ones you... Read more
Published on 2 Feb 2010 by A. Chinn
concept stuff -when it's good it's quality - not authentic
I love it. It's not all of a standard, difficult to digest in parts for sure.
Never heard any real shanties apart from stuff modern folk guys chose. Read more
Never heard any real shanties apart from stuff modern folk guys chose. Read more
Published on 12 July 2009 by Mr. I. Meek
Mostly excellent with odd patchy songs
Most of the songs are excellent and interesting history or context provided in the sleeve notes. A couple of tracks I find irritating and unlistenable (obviously some people may... Read more
Published on 4 Feb 2009 by Smoky Bear
Not too shabby
I can understand some folk purists wanting to hate this before they've even heard it, and it could have ended up as a complete dogs breakfast. Read more
Published on 1 Nov 2007 by Marley's Ghost
A Hearrrrrrrrty Thumbs up for this Beauty
Nick Cave, Bryan Ferry, Lou Reed, Jarvis Cocker, Antony Hegarty and Loudon Wainwright - all on two fantastic discs - what could be better (even Sting and Bono are bearable) - add... Read more
Published on 1 Oct 2007 by N. Edwards
Put it in a sack and throw it over the side...
How typical of 'The Big Names' to ruin some great and traditional songs. With the exception of a very few tracks this compilation is awful. Read more
Published on 7 Sep 2007 by DanFolk
Don't let the cover and title fool ya'
The first two tunes give you an idea of the musical gamet being covered here, Baby Gramps ("I gargled with battery acid before I sang this song") followed by Richard Thompson's... Read more
Published on 23 Aug 2007 by collegemoney
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