The Filthy Thieving Bastards is Johnny Bonnel and Darius Koski of Swingin’ Utters fame side project. The EP (9 tracks – longer the most CD releases) is a non-cover version tribute CD in the style of their hero’s-The Pogues (mainly), Billy Brag (some), Iggy and the Stooges, The Ramones, The Clash, John Lennon and Elvis (P&C). Musically for the most part it is punked up acoustic guitars with some nice mandolin and banjo running through it, very like the post Shane MacGowan Pogues, almost the CD the Pogues could have made if they didn’t split after ‘Pogue Mahone’. Other notable Tracks include ‘Thick’ a Stooges/Garage romp and the excellent ‘S.S.S’, which sounds like The Clash at their very best.

June 2001