Tribute albums can be complicated affairs, but every so often an unreleased cut turns up with an unexpected layer of history attached. That is the case with Glen Hansard tackling “Bottle of Smoke,” written by Shane MacGowan during his time leading The Pogues. The track has surfaced as an advance preview of 20th Century Paddy: The Songs of Shane MacGowan, an upcoming tribute project created to spotlight MacGowan’s songbook. The release brings the work of two prominent Irish musicians together in a way that feels direct and reflective.
Hansard tracked this version in the studio in October 2024. Following Hansard’s subsequent passing, the recording now reaches the public posthumously. That timing alters how one encounters the performance entirely. Rather than working as a standard commemorative nod from one peer to another, it documents a singer in his final creative stretch paying homage to a songwriter who spent decades reshaping the boundaries of modern folk and rock.
Tackling “Bottle of Smoke” is never a casual undertaking for any vocalist. Originally written during MacGowan’s years at the helm of The Pogues, the piece moves at a punishing, runaway clip. It relies heavily on rough edges, razor-sharp narrative detail, and a specific collision of humor and relentless rhythm. MacGowan built a writing style that routinely tests anyone trying to keep up with its breathless cadences and sheer lyrical volume. Listening to Hansard work through that dense text reveals how an experienced interpreter negotiates the song’s sheer velocity, leaning into the grit of the storytelling without losing control of the pace.
The cut serves as the latest advance selection pulled from 20th Century Paddy: The Songs of Shane MacGowan. Well-assembled tribute records often do their best work when they treat source material as durable and adaptable rather than delicate museum pieces. Inviting contemporaries to bring their own vocal instincts to MacGowan’s writing demonstrates how much weight those arrangements can still bear across different voices and interpretations.
Because the October 2024 session remained unreleased until now, the track provides a clear view of Hansard’s late work. It captures an unvarnished interpretation born of genuine respect for MacGowan’s legacy, giving an archival performance a welcome hearing instead of leaving it shelved.
