The Men They Couldn’t Hang are this year celebrating their fortieth anniversary. They play Glasgow every year-round about Christmas time and I have a friend who never misses them. So here I am listening to them for the first time which I cannot fathom why as I have known of them for years, my error.
How Green Is The Valley was released in 1986 and you can see the link to The Pogues (bassist Shann Bradley was in The Nips with Shane MacGowan) with mandolin and tin whistle making an appearance on this record.
Two songs stand out, first up is Ghosts of Cable Street detailing the battle of Cable Street back in 1936. It starts (and ends) with acapella before becoming a rousing number with added trumpet and does not let up from start to finish, I imagine hearing this live has a lot of men belting out the lyrics.
Shirt of Blue is about the miners’ strike which seems from another time, two old school friends one a miner and one now a police officer, but we should, and will not, forget what Thatcher did to that community and there is real passion in this song.
The album contains two instrumentals, Gold Strike and The Parade which I am afraid do not do anything for me but the track, Gold Rush is engaging. This is a song about working on an oil rig, a bizarre topic for a song but it works.
Dancing on the Pier is an enjoyable romp along with a catchy chorus and The Bells details a man’s life, it is slow paced and a nice contrast and Nick Lowe’s Wishing Well, they make their own. All three tracks are passionately sung by Stefan Crush.
Rabid Underdog is a riot from the start with a ringing guitar and Tiny Soldiers has an infectious opening, a magical instrumental break and is another I can imagine men of a certain age, my age, smiling the second they hear this.
The record ends on the acoustic ballad Parted From You.
I enjoyed this record and Ghosts of Cable Street and Shirt of Blue deserved to give this band much more acclaim.
6.5/10
GIVE IT A STREAM: Shirt of Blue
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