Various Artists – ‘20th Century Paddy – The Songs of Shane MacGowan’ album review: an unflattering assortment

The review of 20th Century Paddy, a 36-track tribute to Shane MacGowan, says its star-studded line-up raises expectations the album rarely meets. It argues that many covers smooth away the grit and realism central to MacGowan’s songwriting, making the collection disappointing for devoted Pogues fans.

Bruce Springsteen opens with a faithful version of ‘A Rainy Night in Soho’, while Lisa O’Neill, Kate Moss and Tom Creagh are praised for standout contributions. The review criticises Hozier and Jessie Buckley’s polished take on ‘Fairytale of New York’ and calls Johnny Depp’s ‘Haunted’ especially poor; it also notes that half of the artist’s royalties reportedly go to Dublin Simon Community.