Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, & Chanteys

Performer: Various Artists
Producer: Johnny Depp; Gore Verbinski; Hal Willner
Distributor: Alternative Dis. Alliance

Notes: Overseen by Hal Willner, and featuring a remarkably eclectic artist roster that includes Sting, Nick Cave, Bono, and David Thomas, this collection of ancient work songs from the days of sail is a treasure trove of undiscovered minor classics. Jarvis Cocker sings "A Drop of Nelson's Blood," while Bryan Ferry splices the mainbrace with a rendition of "The Cruel Ship's Captain," Loudon Wainwright III puts hairs on his chest singing some of the myriad stanzas of "The Good Ship Venus," and 1960s folk scene mover and shaker Bobby Neuwirth bends his back to the strains of "Haul in the Bowline." Given the irrepressible fascination--on the part of both music fans and musicians--with old-timey tales of sordid behavior and existential hardship (note the celebrated status of Harry Smith's ANTHOLOGY OF FOLK MUSIC), it's not exactly surprising to see a collection of pop stars performing sea shanties. Sting, Bono, Lou Reed, Lucinda Williams, and Nick Cave are among the bold-face names on ROGUE'S GALLERY, and while contemporary productions belie the music's rustic nature, they don't damage the rough-and-tumble soul of these songs. Lesser-known and no less brilliant artists like Mary Margaret O'Hara, Akron/Family, and Jolie Holland also contribute to this two-disc set of pirate ballads and sea shanties.

Entertainment Weekly (p.86) - "[A] revelatory folk-song collection with the sea in the leading role....Covering way more emotional territory than the film that occasioned them." -- Grade: B+ Q (p.158) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[With] Bryan Ferry's brace of excellent contributions. Growling like a ravaged sea dog, the old smoothie is utterly unrecognisable."

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