Is there no end to the piratical talents of Captain Jack Sparrow? Not content with being a true cult figure, Johnny Depp (together with Pirates Of The Caribbean director Gore Verbsinki) is likewise responsible for having fished one of the coolest music-CDs from the depths of the ocean; and being its executive producer, too.

Rogues Gallery, admittedly, has been on the market for quite some time now. However, this double-CD is most likely only known to hardcore buccaneer fans, whilst in Germany hardly anyone has heard about it at all.

What shame! Both CDs feature 43 of the best known pirate ballads and shanties; each and every one are impressive interpretations by artists like Lou Reed, Sting, Andrea Corr, Bryan Ferry, graphic artist Ralph Steadman (!) as well as Nick Cave, who delivers one of the album’s darkest ballads with ‘Fire Down Below’.

But there are more traditionally arranged sea shanties amongst the many gold doubloons to be found, such as ‘Good Ship Venus’ – a rather frivolous affair which would sound even more frivolous had Tom Waits climbed aboard, or ‘Hanging Johnny’ by Stan Ridgeway, whose song is surely not meant to be aimed at a certain actor!

The album is a Hal Willner production, who is well known for his tribute albums honouring musicians like Kurt Weill and Thelonius Monk. The CD can be bought via www.amazon.co.uk amongst other sources.

In his foreword, Gore Verbinski says: “The sailors of the time were dancing with death, and these were their tunes.” Let’s hope that this macabre dance will continue with Rogues Gallery 2… and an original song by the immortal Captain Jack Sparrow wouldn’t be out of place on deck either.

Claudia Andrei