Night of a Thousand Candles

On their debut album Night of 1000 Candles, The Men They Couldn't Hang come across a bit like the Pogues, but without the slurred sloppiness or Shane MacGowan's vulgar wit. Instead, the group relies on straight-ahead rock and unadorned folk, which are tied together by their compassionate working-class stance and passionate playing. Most of the record consists of sturdy originals from Phil Odgers and Paul Simmonds, with a few covers, such as Eric Bogle's 'The Green Fields of France', thrown in for good measure.