Talking With the Taxman About Poetry

I wanted to like this but couldn't

I love a political song (or several)

Tuesday, 18 August, 2026 I enjoyed this. It wasn’t complicated: just a man singing about some important emotions!

Kind of surprised I don’t mind the vocals, and overall I liked this.

i was quite surprised. i liked it alot.

I guess this falls into the category of modern singer-songwriter / folk. Thought provoking and clever lyrics with minimalist instruments. It entertains me enough that I stay focused but not enough to want to listen to again. Train and Honey I'm a Big Boy Now were my two favorites.

Ok. Average at best. Nothing stood out either way

Levi Stubbs Tears is a stone cold classic.

Musically, not very impressive and his voice gets to be grating over the entire album, but the lyrics are good and the messaging is important. 2.5/5 Probably won't listen again

folkpunk?? erste song bis etz sehr afoch folk. aber cooli chords und omg er singt so british working class. das isch sehr noice, johnny marr ade giti! moll super cool. giige uf train train seeehr geil. afoch au kei schlagzüg aber s het huere drive. cool. pure ideology sehr politik jaja politik scheisse aber heter scho recht. sehr platitudes usehaue aber s het öpis so folksong aber mega 80er chorus gitarresound. fühls no. levi stubbs tears het plötzlich de schellechranz wo huuuere guet tuet. find sehr geil wie minimal s bliibt. ich han biiitz d konzentration verlore, aber han immerno recht spass und scheeisse isch de dude ume politisch. die ganz ziit am mitmache.

its not bad but I wouldn't lsiten

Not for em

not for me

I enjoyed that. First experience with BB without Wilco. The reviews scared me that it would be too folksy. Wasn’t. 3.75

Ah, Billy. If you ever feel slightly cringey about lyrics that are too on the nose, or which crowbar well-meaning politics into songs which don't fit, you'll probably hate him. I find him quite adorable. There are some great turns of phrase, and a song like Levi Stubbs' Tears is raw and naked in a way that other musicians can't reach. I'd honestly consider him Britain's equivalent to someone like Dylan or Springsteen - a songwriter that can so perfectly sum up what it's like to be a left-wing young man in a country that doesn't want you. There are too many creaky rhymes and subtlety-free songs to get a 5, but i'd take this over any 70s blooze rock again. If you enjoy, look up the Bill Bailey song "Unisex Chip Shop" - a parody of Billy Bragg so good, Billy sometimes sang it himself. "Do you want salt and vinegar?" Was what they made her say But in the language of the ghetto, That means "Help, i'm a woman in chains"...

2.75

It doesn't help that I probably wasn't in the mood for this, but also I don't think I ever will be. Couldn't finish the album, was getting too agitated.

I've mixed feelings about Billy Bragg aka the Bard of Barking. The original punk folk poet, I agree with most of his political leanings such as shown in Power of the Union (a standout on this album) and adore the song about Scousers never buying the Sun (sadly not here) He was very committed to the miners and the left in Thatcher's Britain in the 80s. Also love the Mermaid Avenue collection with Wilco. And what a great album title ... Talking with the taxman about poetry. These days I'm too TERFY for him though. But this album shows him at he is - committed, romantic, political, earnest, and with some great tunes but maybe not enough unfortunately. 3 stars.

Not bad -- kinda punk-ish, folk-ish. Expecting a lot worse from other reviews, but I could kind of see the appeal (but again, not worthy of this list). 3*

1032 - "Here's your juice box and orange slice. Thanks for coming."

Notable Textzeile: There's always room for one more soul Down in the Human Zoo I don't want you to come here though I want to come home to you Stellt euch mal vor er hätte auch noch eine etwas angenehmere, aber gleichzeitig weiterhin so dringliche und intensive Stimme. Stellt euch mal vor die Songs wären noch ein wenig geeigneter als Arbeiter*innenlieder die du auf den Straßen singst, beim demonstrieren. Dann bräuchte man gar nichts weiteres ändern und es wäre einer der wichtigsten Stimmen. Auch so ist das toll. Einen Punkt Abzug dafür dass es nicht perfekt ist (so sind wir halt, die Linken)

Loved it. Wieder so ein Künstler, bei dem ich die Hits kenne, mich aber nie näher mit beschäftigt habe. Was für tolle Texte, was für eine passende Musik, alles 80er, aber vieles zeitlos: Liebeslieder und politische Lieder und Liebeslieder voller Politik. Klar, auch hier wieder mit fettem Edding auf die Stromkästen der Vorstadt geschrieben, mit Reimen und Bildern die halt jetzt funktionieren müssen, aber hey, wie viele Hits über häusliche Gewalt funktionieren so gut vie Levy Stubbs Tears, wie viele Zeilen fassen Kunst vs Realpolitik so gut zusammen wie They're out there making history In the Lenin Shipyards today And here I am in the Hammersmith Hotel Wishing the days away. Darauf ein Lech, ein Manifest, eine E Gitarre.

Keine Ruhe für die Lyrics und daher vll mit Mut zur Bewertungslücke: Musikalisch ist das über weiter Strecken sehr kraftfolles Singer-Songwriting, Abzug gibts für dich sehr eintönigen Rythmen trotz schöner Melodien. Gerade Stomp-Clap-Passagen bitte einfach sein lassen. Toll aber, dass ich jetzt noch eine ganze Reihe neben "New England" kenne.

English singer Billy Bragg claims to be talking about poetry here. Maybe, although he definitely is talking about relationships and politics. This is another British artist who is fascinated by USA culture (track about Levi Stubbs, one titled “Help Save the Youth of America”, and a Jack Ruby reference). The album does have a nice variety of music, so let’s give it 3.5 stars.

Is this our first Billy Bragger? I think so. I know he's very popular, both among the hipsters of yesteryear and my students today. Can't go two weeks without hearing 'There Is Power in a Union', not that I've ever been in a union (not that I've ever had the chance to, I should say). I do like that his (English) accent is noticeable to an extent that is rare in songs. And the lyrics are good and the music is mostly unobjectionable. But I don't really like his voice that much. It's like a less interesting Bob Dylan-Robert Smith hybrid. Highlights: 'There is Power in a Union', 'Help Save the Youth of America' (except the unnecessary gendering in lines like "Help save the boys in uniform / Their mothers and their faithful girls" tyvm) Don't mind me, I'm just yearning for the Magnetic Fields: another HDH shoutout here - "Holland and Holland and Lamont Dozier too"

Not as bad as I thought it would be, but once youve heard one youve heard them all

Needs more reverb.

weird stuff, not a huge fan of the sea shanty at the end but whatever

Wish I could give this a 3.5. It grew on me the longer I listened, so I will round up.

This was very campy in a classy kind of way. Fun listen but nothing new here.

Lyrically much more interesting than musically.

Music is fine but voice is okay

It was an eh album

Not for me. Pretty tough when the music is mostly just stripped down to vocals and guitar, and the guitar playing is average at best and the vocals are god awful. I'm not saying this is a bad album -- I think there are some good tunes, and I can appreciate the subject material. But as far as the actual listening experience is concerned, it's not a stellar one. Fave tracks: - Train Train - Wishing the Days Away - The Passion - The Warmest Room

I can imagine listening to this in your room and feeling so punk and so political.

I recently described a Morrissey album as “the most British album I’ve ever heard”. I was wrong - this beats that one.

I'm a big fan of Mermaid Avenue, the album. That's a collaboration between Billy Bragg, who I've not heard solo before, and Wilco, who I also have to admit I ought to know but don't. Together, they do unreleased Woody Guthrie songs. Brilliant album. Thus, I was excited to listen to this one, but it did not grab me the same way at all. I'll do a re-listen, but Mermaid Avenue may be a lightning-in-a-bottle sort of thing.

The great Billy Bragg!

Det är få som gör det bättre!

This album is a great balancing act between the political and personal and Bragg brings his fiery, leftist lyrics and punkish guitar to both arenas. It's passionate and outspoken about the dangers of fascist ideology ("Ideology") and the loss of democracy at home ("Help Save the Youth of America"). And it has three of his best songs in "Greetings to the New Brunette," "There is Power in a Union," and "Levi Stubb's Tears." This is top tier Bragg but I'd put his early 90's album Don't Try This at Home slightly ahead of this one.

Had never listened to this whole record before and unsurprisingly I was missing out. Bragg is a rare voice today. He carries class solidarity messages of the old Left into a late 20th/21st century where identity politics are the name of the game. He doesn't have to be super political to be effective, as the brilliant Levi Stubb's Tears shows. There is Power in a Union and Help Save the Youth of America are great too - 'you can fight for democracy at home, and not in some foreign land' - fuckin preach

ugh

good in small doses!

I first discovered Billy Bragg when I was in my leftist workers/union protest songs phase in middle and high school. He was a natural progression after listening to Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. This type of stuff heavily influenced who I am today and my beliefs. Here I was, a white middle class kid in the American midwest in the 21st century, caring deeply about British miners and their strike from the 80s. I hated scabs and Thatcher despite the fact they had no real material effect on my life at that point. The actual music is of course pretty damn good, as long as you can enjoy his singing. I can understand why it’d be grating to a lot of people, but I learned to enjoy it. This album has plenty of songs that aren’t political too. Billy Bragg is a good songwriter and can make interesting stories about anything

Basically every other song here was good, I generally liked the more groovy ones like The Warmest Room

Like this one, with the working class themes and stripped down sound recorded quite well.

Like it 3/5

Although I gave this, Repeater, and Blue Lines four stars, this is simply at a higher level musically and lyrically. Also, there are very few voices I would rather listen to than Billy Bragg.

Billy Bragg gets five stars for Mermain Avenue with Wilco and everything before and after. An underappreciated musical genius.

I enjoyed this album. Kinda sounded like a mashup of Mischief Brew with Damon Albarn singing. Pretty neat folky, punky sound.

Wonderful stuff. Relevant as ever.

2.92

Greetings to the New Brunette had me thinking this guy was secretly writing really good, funny, layered lyrics - but then I felt like I only got that a few more times over the course of the album, though it was ok. Voice hit me a little grating a here and there, and found myself rolling my eyes quite a bit

Man, this guy should do a Woody Guthrie cover album. I bet that would sound awesome based on his style on this album.

I wanted to like the theme of an early punk rock/folk protest album but man this was boring as hell. Entertaining enough to keep 3 stars but I'll probably never revisit this

I didn't like this album, and I really don't like an album with two parts where the second part is demos/alternate versions

Songs are good. Billy's voice is not objectively bad, it's just a bit annoying to me.

love a good protest song, and "there is power in a union" will always go hard as fuck.

Normally, I don't like strong British accents when it comes to folk singing. However, I am a big fan of Richard Thompson and this guy is almost as good as he is. Like Richard, he blends folk and electric guitars into a sound worth listening to.

good

2/10 Muy malo, tiene uno o dos temas que meh, pero después es malisimo

love it!

Highlights: Levi Stubbs’ Tears, Help Save the Youth of America, Greetings to the New Brunette

Pas fou honestly

decent

Not my bag. Good lyrics but I feel like it's limited without a decent band behind it.

I like how British it is. Working class struggle shit. It's cool.

Never listened to a Billy Bragg album before, it's really nice, lovely songs, very raw

Eh

s/s, Folk Rock, Country, 1984 -> 2

A bit M'Eh, not bad at all but more background noise that something I'd activily listen to. A pity as I had high hopes for this

British folk punk political gobbledygook. He sounds like he really cares about whatever he's saying. I liked it well enough

yeah man we got tom waits at home

It’s really gooby to be like “I just don’t really like singer songwriter stuff” as a default, but it’s the truth. Bragg is cool and good, but ultimately this is just too much of something I don’t have all that much patience for.

it was fine, average

What are we inspiring with this one?

Didn't really strike me as that enjoyable

Not what I expected. A little bit like The Clash performing an acoustic set of sea shanties. A little long but interesting enough.

Had not heard of him, other than the album here where he paired with Wilco, so I was expecting something different, but this is pretty good, albeit sometimes focused on a social cause that is unknown or no longer relevant, but that doesn't detract from the songwriting or his bold singing.

Vibes: 1 Instruments: 0 Production: 1 Emotional Value: 0 Storytelling: 3 Album Cover: +0 Stand Outs: Sin City, Help Save the Youth of America

Really never cared for Bragg's whole thing of tuneless shouting over the world's clonkiest guitar, even if he's super influential among the indie schene. This is a bit better than his debut (not on the list), at least, because he fills in the arrangements a bit in places, but it's still not quite where I'd wish it would be.

Another enjoyable album from an artist I was aware of but would have been hard-pressed to name a single track or album. Musically it as very good, all the tracks were catchy and the album flowed nicely.

4/10

For as much as Billy Bragg is compared to Woody Guthrie and other fokly protest singers, there's a surprising amount of musical variety on this album. The opening song sounds like a jangly post punk song, making the transition to the bluesy song after it a bit jarring. Bragg gets a lot of sounds out of his acoustic guitar, from upbeat modern numbers to more traditional sounding folk tunes. The melodies on most of the songs are quite nice. The lyrics are really the draw here though, and I find them just OK. The political songs are cutting and direct, but they never seem to land the bit hit that a good protest song should. Most of the other songs are stories, and they're often more interesting because they make their points more subtly. A really pleasant album but one that doesn't really ever wow me.

Nice to have someone to speak for the skin and the bone.

As someone who absolutely loves his collaborations with Wilco, I was fully expecting to enjoy this one. Unfortunately I really disliked it. The songs are just fine, and I wouldn't mind seeing them performed live but it isn't anything I'd listen to in my spare time. The voice grated on me quite quickly. Really surprised at this one. Favourites: Ideology?

Punk Folk Freedom

Quickly falls into whiny hippy music (I like the cause but no the music)

I had to listen twice; the first time I found his voice grating as I played it in the background while working. The second time I had the lyrics up and when I was paying attention to the storytelling I became more interested in what he had to say.

I fuck with this

Billy es toda una figura, un moderno trovador con algunos temas realmente buenos (She's Got A New Spell Album) además de la colaboración con Wilco en los imprescindibles Mermaid Avenue. Podríamos decir que es un cruce entre Costello, The Clash y Guthrie, que no es poco. Comprometido y activo, recordemos su gira con Style Council , Jerry Dammers (The Specials) y los Communards. La verdad es que suena de maravilla desde ese luminoso Greetings to the New Brunette o el potente Train Train. El brillo de los vientos en The Marriage, que podrían haber inspirado a R. Smith en The 13th... Ideology que podría ser una actualización indie del Mr. Tambourine man de los Byrds (comparten alguna melodía). Honey I´m a big boy now rezuma music hall. El tema más conocido es Levi Stubbs' Tears, dedicado al líder de los Four Tops que luego sería un mayor éxito con Beats International (la banda que formó Norman Cook después de Housemartins y antes de ser Fatboy Slim). Hay también una estupenda versión acústica de The Tracks of My Tears de los Miracles, y otra de Count Bishop (Train Train). Muy buen disco, que no envejece, y eso hablando de los 80´s es mucho decir. Además cuenta con Johnny Marr (The Smiths) and Kirsty MacColl.

Knew this album. I'm couldn't be called a fan of Billy Bragg though. But sometimes I really like his songs. But mostly I do not like listening to the whole album in one session.

About as fun as the title

I have never quite liked Billy Bragg's material enough to add his albums to my collection. He sings in an accent similar to my own - perhaps that is why! In all seriousness, though, his music and vocals have never quite gelled with me over the course of a full album. This is despite the fact that I genuinely admire him and what he stands for; his writing has remained consistently and admirably focused on wealth inequality, workers' rights, and holding those in power to account. Perhaps what I felt was missing previously was a certain pop sensibility. Yet, against those expectations, I found "Talking with the Taxman About Poetry" to be a very good album. It is a varied, engaging, and a thoroughly enjoyable listen - and a very pleasant surprise. Perhaps it is time for me to give the rest of his catalogue another chance? Four stars. 1 "Greetings to the New Brunette" (4/5) 2 "Train Train" (3/5) 3 "The Marriage" (4/5) 4 "Ideology" (3/5) 5 "Levi Stubbs' Tears" (3/5) 6 "Honey, I'm a Big Boy Now" (4/5) 7 "There Is Power in a Union" (4/5) 8 "Help Save the Youth of America" (4/5) 9 "Wishing the Days Away" (4/5) 10 "The Passion" (4/5) 11 "The Warmest Room" (3/5) 12 "The Home Front" (3/5) Total - 44 Average - 3.67 376/1001 201/376 albums reviewed were new to me.

Waow! The more things change the more they stay the same, am I right fellas?

I did not want to listen to 70 minutes of this on my run. But it was there...

Sorta sounds like pub music. Even the recording sounds a bit like Billy Bragg is playing through his pedal board and out through a pub’s shitty PA system. I like the music well enough, and his voice doesn’t bother me like it seems to bother a lot of folks on here, and I guess I’d prefer this over some super slick studio production, but I wish he’d employed musicians to flesh it all out for the recording; it honestly sounds like most of this was composed and performed with a mic, a guitar, the world’s shittiest chorus and reverb pedal effects, and a synth. 6.5/10

Brilliant!

I listened to this and by the time be of the day I forgot what it sounds like.

There's good stuff here. I enjoyed the sparse instrumentation, and politically I can absolutely get on board. Not something I see myself going out of my way to listen to, but glad I've heard it.

I only knew Billy Bragg through his work with Wilco. This wasn't like that. It was ok.

This is really good, much better than I anticipated, thought it was going to be much more strident and hectoring. He has a way with words and a guitar and some great musicians backing him up. Greetings To The New Brunette took me back and is a cracking wee tune. Yeah, he doesn’t have the best voice but, honestly, I’d take him over Bob Dylan any day

Guthrie-esque folk with a punk rock edge. Will explore further.

There was a lot of music to listen to and it all kind of sounded the same to me. I just couldn't get into it.

понятно

There is power in a union.

It's the morning of July 5th and I'm grumpy. I hate this. But even if I wasn't grumpy, I still wouldn't like this.

That was definitely some bullshit, but at least it was marginally better than Mariah Carey’s bullshit.

Christ almighty. Awful voice and lyrics as subtle as a sledgehammer. A vibe and aesthetic no one needs.

The Good: We get to talk about poetry! The Bad: Who wants to talk to a taxman? The Ugly: The working class delivery to be more… working class? So, according to Apple Music, this is a double album… and trust me, this should not be a double album. Unless you like to get punished… The protest songs aren’t bad. The instrumentations isn’t either. But the fucking voice… Then, on side two, all of a sudden, I started listening to songs that I could really get into… to find out that those were not sung by Billy B… Guess he needs to stop bragging… 3*

Kind of lacking and boring music to me. I get the lyrics is a big part of this kind of music but to me that is an extremely small part of music listening so I don't really take that in to consideration (as apparent by earlier reviews). I couldn't get in to this at all and can't really remember a single song on the album now that its over.

it just felt like the same song on repeat. And it was a super average song where this guy tries to be a punk rocker with his personality but also super sensitive? It just doesn't work

Folk rock with a bit of a punk edge. Many of the songs were just some pleasant guitar and singing, but the mix of electric and acoustic guitar makes it seem less minimalist. I really enjoyed the political anthem Ideology, but I'll admit part of the fun was hearing his strong accent.

I'm a sucker for Billy Bragg's voice.

Not for me

it's like a guy standing outside my window with a guitar who won't go away

Honestly expected to hate this but ended up loving it. Pretty sure it’s because there’s no Wilco anywhere near this album (thank god). So many great tracks here, but my favorites are “Greetings To The New Brunette,” “The Marriage,” “There Is Power In A Union,” and “Help Save The Youth Of America.” There’s a good chance my favorites could change on any given day because most of the tracks are incredibly strong. I was waffling between 3 and 4 stars, but I’m rounding up because I love an album with a pro-union song.

Two frickin discs is a disc too many. Also way for the vocals to take me right the hell out of this listen. At this point in my journey of this list it just feels pretty generic compared to others here. Overall the music itself isnt bad and has a pretty solid presence but those vocals just dont match up well enough, weird thing to harp on but I cant move past it.

Such an unpleasant accent. The songs were decent and often enjoyable but man oh man had this bozos voice worn out its welcome by song 3

Folk-punk, sommige nummers ok, soms zeikerige stem

Bit promising to start, but failed to keep me interested, like, at all.

ok union man go off!! if i were the playlist sort i could see myself setting aside a few tracks for future listening but i'm not especially moved by this album as a whole. i think because to me, this has a very similar sound to other british acts of the era that i prefer. while i appreciate some of the lyrics and where this fits in the evolution of folk punk it's nothing that stands out to me personally. fav: there is power in a union

Love some good folk punk!

Oasis but with more whining and somehow sounding like country.

I really enjoyed this. Great songs, good instrumentation, or lack there-of.

Rock de Pub com discussão política alcoolizada. Bem legal! Celest Pandamon.

Petardopolois, flaco nosos bob dylan, mientras que el vaso mas diri es el mio, esto no es lo mio

Liked it. Wanted a touch less American stuff but it's not really fair to judge it on what I wanted when I liked what I got.

Not awful but kinda sounds like a drunk Englishman who decided he was gonna sing/make an album Or like a bar band There is Power in a Union was good but other than that was not great; kinda a rough listen

So he just heard that's entertainment by the Jam and made a career of it? The songs and the songwriting are actually really good and right up my street, I just wish he had a full band

I like Billy Bragg, and love some of his songs, but this is too long. Maybe Bragg is more of an "in the mood" vibe as I think on the right day, maybe hanging out with friends and bbq, this would slap. But as a general listen it's a little too meh.

I misunderstood Bragg to be a wall-to-wall protest singer, and I should have known better. There's so much storytelling to this record, and at the risk of making single-listen judgements, I feel like there's a story arc, from relationship to marriage to children. (Also Power in a Union, so at least one protest song I guess). Gotta listen to more of Bragg's catalogue.

It’s not bad but forgettable..

It was a drag

I've encountered Billy Bragg often through my life (musically speaking), but have never sat down to listen to an album. I thought it was great.

Enjoyed it after resisting it for most of the listen 😂

It's probably 2,5 stars for me. Rounding upwards because it wasn't really bad. I liked the acoustic guitar here.

Meh 1.5

some big swag on this one

Not my favourite Billy Bragg album. Quite dull and dreary. Next.

This reminds me of Irish punk music, very political, pretty catchy

2.9/5

3/5 Favorite Song: There Is Power in a Union

i quite like the idea of Billy Bragg, this gruff commie-poet of the masses who leaves aside subtlety for a kind of gleaming directness, but it's these lovely qualities that also inform the worst parts of his songs. there are clunky lyrics, boring tunes, the same themes warmed over and over - but god, when he's good, that earnestness and steadfastness will bring a tear to my eye quicker than most things. many of the more personal songs are lovely, and then there is the Power that one can find in a Union, a song that is so diamond-cut and eternal i genuinely thought it was a standard. to me, in the circles i run in, maybe the last genuine folk song. not my favorite record by a guy i wish i could love more consistently, but man, when it hits it hits!

Whiny londoner

As a longtime fan of Billy Bragg, I went into Talking with the Taxman About Poetry with high expectations, and it didn’t disappoint. What Billy does so well is combine sharp political commentary with deeply personal songwriting, all delivered with honesty, wit and real passion. His lyrics feel like poetry from the street, clever, grounded and full of heart. Lines like “Whoops, there goes another year / Whoops, there goes another pint of beer” are classic Billy: funny, relatable and deceptively smart. What strikes me most is how relevant Billy’s message still feels today. His mix of cynicism, compassion and belief in collective action feels just as powerful now as it did when this album was released. For me, that’s the mark of great songwriting. Favourite tracks: “Greetings to the New Brunette”, “Levi Stubbs’ Tears”, “There Is Power in a Union” and “Help Save the Youth of America” Least favourite tracks: Every track earns its place on the album Album artwork: A classic Billy Bragg cover that suits the album perfectly

Decent demos. Could make an OK album when it's done.

enjoyed it more than i thought i would

Quite a dour sound. Also more varied in style than I expected, but not really up my street

I tried super hard to talk myself into a FIVE for Talking With the Taxman but I couldn't do it. The sparse pub rock arrangements found me longing for the energy of The Clash or the anxious pop arrangements from Elvis and the Attractions. Bonus points for the album art, though.

6.5/10

pero que pedazo de embole hermano 4/10

british folk

Huh, not my usual cup o tea. Very vocal-driven music with simple, raw guitar strumming, almost like a modern bard - he is acctually more of a political poet than anything else. Many can't stand his raunchy voice and british accent, so be warned. Suprisingly very touching for me, and works very wll, without any fancy effects added in mastering. His musical range was also quite striking with Socialist Union-Songs, more mainstream-fit 'britpop'-ish music all the way to folk-songs on disc 2. 👏🏼

EGAD! That voice just ruins the whole thing.

This is giving vibes of Appalachia and rural North Carolina of the 30s and 40s with their Scottish based music meets Bob Dylan meets disenfranchised 80s youth of the UK. I think the first disc was better than the second one. His voice was too aggressive on so many songs on the second one.

Album 225. Talking With the Taxman About Poetry (https://open.spotify.com/album/0jMxhxH5JW3aUdVoeRKjWl?si=D5XIDjThR42QnONF4MswCw) — Billy Bragg (1986) It's exhausting and very long. It wouldn't be a problem if it was good, but it's garbage. 2/5 No liked songs

-mayakovsky title makes me kindly inclined towards this album -"greetings to the new brunette" HI? -i love when singers sing with their accents :-) -all in all i liked it!

WDYM 1 hour and 9 minutes.... Update: 20 songs in and all I can say is.... Not my cup of tea either 😭😭 GIVE ME SOMETHING GREAT PAGE!!! Update 2: Nope.

This is another one I will need to revisit. The problem with this list is that I need to give more time than I have. I will go back and listen to this one and probably redo my review. It was okay though, definitely English folk in the way some of the early folk pioneers told their stories. It's not so much about the singing as it is getting your message out. Sometimes I am in the mood for it, but most times I am not.

Good to start when it’s a bit more bluesy, but a whole album wears on as it gets to too druggy and political.

Strong message and unique voice. I get why some people would find it grating - but I think it suits the music really well!

Booooo!!!!

Maybe you have to be British to get this one. Not good.

So he sings, plays guitar and protests and complains and on and on and I couldn't finish it. Meh.

3/10 Second album from this guy and I think I preferred the first one, this was pretty average for me.

One of the great storytellers with one of the best songs of all time Levy Stubbs tears

I have to admit that this is a great album title for a record that never quite lives up to it. The cover artwork is nice as well. Other than that, I found it largely forgettable. The songs are fairly homogeneous and lack any real standouts. The vocal delivery doesn’t do much to elevate the material either. It’s not terrible by any means, it’s just kind of there. I liked "The Passion".

Englands Dylan but better. At the time there was nothing like it. Refreshing. Great lyricist and his politics are spot on. Rated this 4/5

Not for me

Es ist ein sympathisches, handfestes Folk‑Album aus politischem Biss und Alltagsromantik ohne immer die ganz großen Funken zu schlagen. Die Songs wirken oft wie kleine Straßenszenen mit Gitarre, direkt, ehrlich, manchmal etwas spröde. Stücke wie „Greetings to the New Brunette“ oder „Levi Stubbs’ Tears“ zeigen seine Stärke: warme Melodien, klare Haltung, ein rauer Charme.

I love Billy Bragg so this is probably inflated, but this album just so great, essential Bragg

7/10 - Really liked this. There's a lot of great story telling here. Adding to my short list to listen to in a dark room. I can see myself coming back and rating this higher Fav Tracks: Greeting to the New Brunette, The Warmest Room, Honey, I'm a Big Boy Now Heard before? ---–- ❌ Saved a Song? ----- ✅ Saved Album? --–-- ✅ Will Listen Again? -- ✅ Album Cover -------tax man be hungry

Blindingly Britpoppy. The guitar sound is pretty good, if a bit brash and overproduced – slapping you in the face with a case of the 80s. But the vocals... blech. Like a narcissistic British drunkard with his mouth full of congealed pig fat. I wish there was some standard to release music such that you had to at least sound passable on your instrument of choice. Sure, vocals have a slightly higher bar to surpass, but records labels needs to have standards. Or maybe Robert Dimery (and the miscellaneous critics responsible for the 1001 Albums book) should've vetted out the poor vocalists more effectively. Because dammit, there are too many of them. Punk, post-punk, and Britpop are the main suspects. Many of the positive reviews cite funny or politically-charged lyrics. But I'm not a lyrics kind of guy. The one that got my attention the most was "Whoops, there goes another year. Whoops, there goes another pint of beer." Greetings to the New Brunette is fine, but it's not until The Marriage where we get something that sounds genuinely decent. Mostly thanks to the bright, poppy, Penny Lane-esque brass section blotting out the poor performances on other instruments. Levi Stubbs' Tears (spelled incorrectly by Bragg, but ah well) is pretty good too. I dig the synth's melodic line in the middle. Another standout is There Is Power in a Union, where we discover a potential upgrade to Bragg's vocal: harmonising! Sure, it's no Simon & Garfunkel, but it's noticeably better. I like that folky melody, too. Sounds a bit like the Smiths in places. Yeah, this guy's just a knock-off Morrissey, isn't he? Once I realised that, I started to warm up to the music. Far from perfect, but also probably better than 1 star. I wonder if part of the reason the music started to become more enjoyable is that the background noise (on my end) got louder. Most likely. 2/5 Key tracks: The Marriage, Levi Stubbs' Tears, There Is Power in a Union

Ugh... This sucked.

Agree with his views, hate his music

On a list with a heavy British bias, this has got to be the most unapologetically British album I've had yet. Really enjoyed the storytelling on this one, but it was a little bit too pessimistic and nihilistic for me. Great album.

I had a miserable time with this one. And a long miserable time it was too. I wouldn't Bragg if I were you.

Nice vibe, a little too long

liked the message, dislike the vocals.

i'm not the biggest fan of billy bragg's voice, but it's head and shoulders (heh) above most of the guys out there singing worksongs about unions. there's some good stuff here, even on (gasp) disc two!!! favorites: greetings to the new brunette, levi stubbs' tears, honey i'm a big boy now, there is power in a union, the tracks of my tears, greetings to the new brunette - demo

Oh, Billy. I had high hopes. Just a cocky album.

Honestly it’s a pretty cool album! Folk punk with a very British vocalist. Not the strongest vocalist, but with punk music it doesn’t bother me too much. Politically and socially charged, he has something to say and is going to say it. It’s obvious it’s one guy; rather than a full band that is just all played by the same person often it’s just him and an instrument. Can’t imagine he wasn’t an influence for Frank Turner.

no.

Sounds horrendous. The message might be amazing, but I can't focus on what he's saying because I'm hearing aaaaa oowwww knees up muvva braaahhhhn aaaaa oioi.

Don't like but do respect

first album and artist so far ive never head of. felt some promise in the first track but went downhill fast.

Never heard of Billy Bragg, and probably never would have without this list. When I saw it was both categorized as "punk" and "folk", I feared the worst... and I was right. The only punk thing here is that the artist can neither sing nor play, but still enthusiastically does both (and I say this as a punk lover). I can 100 % get behind the message and political statement, so I really wanted to like it, but I just can't. Except for a couple of fun moments ("Train Train" and "There's power in a union" were not too bad), it was mostly annoying. Yet another proof that the so-called singer-songwriter genre and the "one man with a guitar" format are not for me. I'll rate it a 2* for effort and attitude, but that's as high as I can go. Nice cover art though. And we do need more socially engaged artists. 4/10

Folk punk… and now, I know. For me, basically anything touched by folk or country instantly loses points in my brain. This one gets close to that psychedelic Scottish folk stuff… not unlistenable, but yet another example of the unfair overrepresentation of British music in this list.

I enjoyed it

Not bad.

"It only takes five fingers to form a fist" Gee Billy thanks for reminding me because for a second there I forgot how to do math 🤦‍♀️

Not a lover of Billy Bragg’s politics or the way he tends to preach and stick his views down our throats. But I do warm to the down to earth ‘Englishness’ of his music. His style is unique and whilst he would probably claim to have influences from around the world, the way he delivers his music is firmly rooted in England. So I do celebrate this even though his voice after a while does tend to grate at your senses. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 3/5 25/5/26

Good messaging. Annoying vocals and quite boring

Great writing, but the performance is definitely lacking. Feels like there should be a full band to lift the melodies and energy, but it’s always just a guitar or two that can only do so much. But I appreciate the political messaging, reminds me of Guthrie or today’s Jesse Welles.

I like the feeling of the music, it's very fast-paced. It's a little boring and he's so posh. I don't think I'm going to listen to the whole album.

Light punk, a touch of prog and… country? I’ll take the light punk and prog, and leave the country.

A perfectly fine folk rock punk album. I certainly could have liked some more range, but still good. The union song is good, but I can’t really mark it that much bigger

Rubbish

nice, would never have come across this if it wasn't for this list. not my genre though.

Everything that the Violent Femmes album wanted to be

Prostest songs, good lyrics, the acoustic vibe in some tracks is valuable. The timeless sound it give me good vibes. And the opening song is catchy.

love this album

2 bit album. I don’t find the lyrics interesting, and I certainly don’t find the music interesting. The guitar sounds farty and the singing is devoid of range and depth.

Bright and sharp - god bless the civil servants! Love how his voice makes me think "I could do that, as long I believed in what I had to say". Favourite tracks: Ideology, Levi Stubbs' Tears, There Power In A Union

Power to the people

2,3/5

Give me the music without the vocals.

Love his voice and style. Great album.

sick album title lol. very english blue collar 80s core. cool song about the union. fun

Ihan mielenkiintoista folkia, jossa laulettiin työväenluokan ongelmista yms. Voisin joskus kuunnella uudestaan.

Dad had this album playing all the time while I was growing up. Got a Ratatouille-esque flashback when the first track started playing. I can’t rate this anything other than a 5

Odd that Bragg’s political folk seems less anachronistic today than it did in the 1980s. The rest of the world had moved on from his Guthriesque look into the plight of the working man in the Thatcher-Reagan era. Now, his commentary seems more in line with how more artists look at inequality. Musically this record offers a bit more muscle than Bragg’s usual guitar and vocals set up. Even when pared down to the basics, he created more appealing songs, such as the Buddy Holly like “The Warmest Room” and the near pop of “Levi Stubbs’Tears” In “Ideology” Bragg nicks the guitar lines from Bob Dylan’s “Chimes of Freedom.” Of course, Dylan likely got his picking from Dave Van Ronk, who got it from his mother. No crime for Bragg to continue the folk tradition. Frequently for me, art with political statements elicits an “I agree with you, but the song/film/painting has no interesting angles” response. Usually this appears in a straightforward tale or with an issue that is so black and white there is little room for nuance. This problem appeared as Bragg put on his teacher's hat to wag his finger at the audience in “Help Save the Youth of America” and “There is Power in the Union.” The latter would work well if belting it out during a coal strike, but is not particularly interesting as a piece of music. More interesting, but perhaps outdated is “The Marriage.” In the song, the young Bragg rejects the concept of marriage as conventional, and siding with, God forbid, “their parents.” He wants to avoid commitment in typical male fashion, and thumbs his nose at bourgeoisie values to avoid his lover’s desire for deeper ties. Wonder if today’s Bragg, in his 60s, feels the same. The world needs Billy Braggs, but not necessarily frequently on my turntable.

I'm sorry Billy Bragg, but your voice takes some getting used to. I think I would enjoy this album more if it fit the vocal perimeters I prefer. The writing that I caught was enjoyed, but diminished my interest as the album went on. The album title gets 3 stars alone.

There were a couple of moments, but overall I wasn't in the mood for this, and left 8 songs or so unlistened to. 2.5

Billy Bragg speaks the truth.

Britain's favorite folk singer, I guess. I feel like, for music like this, being of the time and place is an important part of the musical experience. But in terms of flavors of protest music, I prefer other flavors over the folky stuff. I get why it's here, but I don't want to listen to it again.

No idea! Accent had me literally grinning on the drive home from the beach on Ideology “And her husband was one of those blokes The sort that only laughs at his own jokes The sort that war takes away And when there wasn't a war he left her anyway” … brutal. Would definitely like to learn more about him. Folk singer with punk(?) influence and political af. (Irrelevantly to this album: 💀 at “milkman of human kindness” as song title)

This is #day640 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… the fact that the record takes its title from a poem by Mayakovsky doesn't help my perception of it, to put it mildly. As a Ukrainian, whose country is in its fifth year of full-scale invasion, I don't give a flying fuck about the "great" Russian culture, to put it bluntly. As for the record itself... lame folk protest songs with a mediocre implementation. What do you mean there's another album of his I must hear before I die? This is a 1 out of 5. Looking forward to #day641.

not my cup of tea

Just got an Elvis Costello vibe and I don't see what this adds to the list. I also notice this guy has two albums on the list? British bias strikes again. 2/5.

Quite liked this one.

Incroyable titre d'album

Gillade inte först men den växte på mig efter några låtar. Ideology var exempelvis bra.

Rough start, but eventually made it's way to a 3. Punk-folk-protest is good in very specific circumstances. 3/5

Nice album. Didn’t know much about him but like his message.

I might be fine with one of these songs at a time, but definitely not an entire album, and certainly not a double album.

Pretty boring to me, not my style.

I like it, but 3.5 because I can’t understand his voice. I don’t find it annoying like others though.

I didn't expect this album to be that great. Just imagine if Morrissey is good, and you get Billy Bragg. At first, I was sceptical of Bragg while listening to "TWtTAP"'s first song. A few tracks later, I began to love "TWtTAP". Many songs on this album are still relevant today. 4 stars for "Talking With the Taxman About Poetry".

An album I had enjoyed a lot when It came out. Billy Bragg was an anomaly to this American listening to alternative music in the late 80's, as his songs were not the usual post-punk/brit pop/new wave tunes but were acoustic and poetic and progressively political. I wondered if today's me would feel the same way, and I totally did. Even though many of the specific references are dated, the songs of world and national politics are still very prescient and the songs of personal politics are as well. Standouts were Greetings to the New Brunette, Ideology, Levi Stubbs' Tears, There is Power in a Union, The Passion, and The Warmest Room. There wasn't a song that I didn't like or felt was unnecessary. Hoping to get back on track after a lackluster week from the generator. This was a very good start.

I really want to like Billy Bragg. In theory he’s a leftist folk musician, that should be my bread and butter. And sometimes he’s great! But often he’s just sorta fine, the message isn’t really present on some of the songs, his voice is fine. I want to like it more

Accessible and erudite, it’s not hard to see why this is the most celebrated of Bragg’s works.

I like this guy's vibe, just a guy with a guitar but there's something gritty about it

So so

Stellar!

Folky tunes

I can take a guess all the Yanks doing this project will be gnashing their teeth and moaning about a British artist being on here (as they do with seemingly EVERY British album that makes an appearance) and especially with an artist quite so quintessentially British as Bragg. Anyway, fuck 'em. If you're not interested in lyrics then this probably isn't the artist for you. Bragg can conjure up some absolutely beautiful, heart breaking, funny and pure kitchen sink imagery while also talking politics (I'm sure some Americans will baulk at the idea of a musician openly promoting socialism). The tunes aren't bad either. Best Tracks: Greetings To The New Brunette; Levi Stubbs' Tears; Help Save the Youth of America

No me gustó

This would work better as a written book of poetry. His voice makes me think of every drunk englishman I've been around. Not in the fun way either. No great chants cause of a goal, it's after the game and everyone is sad drunk. This album sounds sad drunk. The words are great though, I liked those, but the voice and production of it removed me from the good. Why is it echoy? Why does it just sound like a man singing in a gas station bathroom? Could have been better. Go seek out the lyrics, those are great.

another nice BB album

The two billy bragg albums we’ve had (acknowledging the roles of woody and wilco in prev) have been really the only times ive felt like i really couldnt do anything but listen. He’s done (does?) it again folks!

One of my fave essays that I wrote back in my prime ended with the quote “there is pow’r, there is pow’r in a union” so I was positively delighted to hear that resoundingly on this album and then subsequently crushed when I found out the song has absolutely zero link to the 1913 song I had quoted. My first exposure to Billy Bragg has been through this exercise and we’re 2/2. I really loved this album! The subject matter resonates (and is seemingly timeless) and we all know I love an accent! At time of writing this review I’m angling for a 4 ⭐️ but we’ll see what I end up giving it.

up the unions! up the proletariat! what a legend, great songs Help Save The Youth of America was my fave

Billy Bragg sometimes tries to be subtle and write a nice little character piece to express his opinions and perspectives like how Levi Stubb’s Tears tells a really tragic story about how easily people are left behind in society and then sometimes he just goes ‘fuck you join the union idiot’ and both are very good ways of writing songs.

Loved this one so much. Simple songs, many just Billy and his guitar. A great mix of playful and political... one of my favorites so far.

Pretty vanilla but not bad.

God his voice is not enjoyable

Enjoyable first listen. I’m aware of Billy Bragg with his Mermaid Album / Wilco collab and enjoy California Stars immensely. I’d revisit this album and possibly explore more of Billy’s work. Happy listening all!

Never a good sign when I think an album sounds like a Weird Al parody. I guess Al didn't feel the need; Billy did it for himself.

Thank god it's over! He has that talk-singing style that just makes me cringe. The amount of reverb in this recording is insane - way over the top. I would have rather read this album than listen to it. The lyrics are phenomenal! Favorite review: "The voice ground me down to a fine, lubricant grade powder"

Good madlad muzac.

Is there some rule that says protest music must be sung by people with the worst voices possible? Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and now Billy Bragg. All have bad voices. Does it somehow make the music more important if the singer sounds like crap? If they played the guitar like they sang, they'd be laughed off the stage. So why is a bad voice acceptable? Anyway, the music is kind of interesting, but Bragg himself was painful to listen to.

Pretty good

Música y letra muy de contexto específico. Si bien el contenido es político, es lejano para mí, difícil identificarse.

Slightly more good than bad

I would never choose to listen to him/this type of music but points for the beliefs and attitude.

Love BBragg. Great album. Gets a little long at times, but still a strong album overall.

Starting to realize that I just don't care for folk music that much. That, and it feels like we've recently had a lot of albums that are similar in vibes, and I'm getting a bit tired of it. Bragg's lyrics are obviously thought-provoking in a good way, I just think the instrumentals are kinda boring.

I've long been aware of Bragg's presence as an activist here in the UK but I've never actually checked out his music until now. Based on the evidence of this album, he's certainly a skilled songwriter that knows how to stir the spirits with his music, on both emotional and ideological levels. The compositions here are a little on the simple side, but I suppose that helps keep the focus on the stories and the messages. Not that there's anything wrong with these sort of straightforward compositions that focus on the melody of course. It's kind of the name of the game with folk music after all. I'm rambling a bit here but in summary, this record isn't massively exciting on a musical level but it's good stuff all the same. There, that's my terrible 'review.' Favourite tracks: There Is Power in a Union, Help Save the Youth of America, The Warmest Room

Well… Folks either love him or can’t fucking stand the guy. I’m indifferent. Decent guitar and lyrics, reminds me of a young and less melodic Paul Weller. Could just be the heavy accent and leftist ideology. Sorta punk, but doesn’t close the deal. End of the day, neither loved nor hated. Interested, but not terribly interesting. Like late night TV… hard to turn off, but won’t remember what you watched in the morning.

I've always been a music first, lyrics later (if ever) music appreciator, so my first run through this album completely passed me by. A lot of it is just Billy and a guitar. Almost no drums whatsoever, only the occasional supporting instrumentalist and then only sparse, acoustic folk. But I admire and respect him for his views and activism so I gave this another go with time and space to absorb it properly and listen to his words. This is where this album really thrives. His unforgiving critique of the state of the world, the government, humble tales of ordinary people and their ordinary struggles. But it's poetic and pretty and frighteningly relevant to the world of today, some 40 years on.

Me gustó bastante, muy chill.

sram na to

Absolutely not my thing 1/10 Will I add this album to my library? No

Divertido o roque da rainha

Inpressivo

How did I end up with another country album? It didn't start out that way did it? I'm not sure, but oh well. Okay it's also some kind of British Bruce Springsteen type of thing.

No-one has ever acussed Billy of being restlessly sonically adventurous, it's all basically hammering that guitar atop minimal backing while delivering dissident lyrics in that distinctive growl of his. This was no exception, but it's got Levi Stubbs' Tears on it, which is a powerful song and probably his best.

Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: 👺🍽️💸 Production: 🔪💩😖 Music: 🙄😖🤬 Rating: 🤑(🤑)/5

Stripped down electric folk? Just Billy and his instrument, no drums. Wasn't my favorite, similar sounding IMO and voice ended up annoying me.

Not a fan. Sounded like a drunk Englishman with the thickest accent known to man singing 12 songs with the same 3 melodies

Eh, it was alright. Billy Bragg, to me, is just a name Spotify has tried to throw my way for four or five years now as someone the algorithm is sure I'd enjoy. Wrong again, machine.

"we need more left wing protest music" >the left wing protest music I mostly kid - billy bragg is just phenomenally annoying I think. He's a good guy, good politics, but as a musician, he's treacly and sort of a bore. There are songs of his that I like a lot and I recall the collabs with Wilco being pretty good but I've tried numerous times over the years to get into Bragg and it never takes. Any time he pops up on a John Peel broadcast, it's never a big discovery, just filler and since Peel really liked him, he showed up a lot. And here we are with another Bragg album so once more into the breach. This one's alright. The political songs have energy to them, I particularly like how Ideology & Help Save the Youth of America bite off Bob Dylan & The Clash respectively. I think it's totally fine to cheat a little and borrow from The Best when your project is trying to make protest music to pass down comunally. And for as sentimental as I find Bragg, Greetings to the New Brunette is really, really, really good. Really sweet, great playing. Little wonder that was a radio hit.

Mum please can we have Paul Weller for dinner. No we have Billy Bragg at home.

The bard of Barking having a proper knees up on this one. I actually liked it more than I expected, sometimes I can find this stuff a bit corny. Maybe the difference is that Bragg is actually a good lyricist. The second disc meaning I hear it all twice probably helps too.

2,5 ⭐️⭐️

Another artist pivotal to the UK festival scene, inspiring a key archetype; the socialist singer-songwriter. Usually playing in a small tent on the Sunday to remind you of the hellscape society you’re returning to. Billy Bragg seems like a decent guy but musically, I need a beat and some bass. Even just a kick drum. I crave rhythm. 6.5 / 10 Best track/s:There is power in a union, wishing the days away

Levi Stubbs' Tears is easily the highlight here. The rest of it is mostly pleasant folk, the best of which is closer The Home Front. I appreciate the messaging. But it's not enough to make me want to listen to a lot more of this. Still earns a passing grade.

Tough to finish. Overall, it was good, but there were just some tracks that I really struggled to fight through (cough cough The Home Front). It would be good background music, just maybe not something I would sit down and give my full attention to. Greetings to the New Brunette was my favorite track.

Normal

I can't tell how I feel about this one. Every few tracks popped out.

Pretty decent album

Greetings, Train, Ideology, Help Save..., The Passion, There is Power..., Wishing The Days..., and The Warmest Room were keepers. The Marriage, Levi Stubbs..., Honey I'm..., Home Front were okay but not essential imo. I'd just listened to Blonde On Blonde. Nothing really compares, right? Sorry Billy, but you're not Bobby. None of us are really. Still, this album maintains a respectable 4 stars.

Why does the singer sound drunk?

This album was excellent. I'm giving it a 4 but it's really a 4.5. Some of these songs just hit so hard and some are just pleasant but it's great throughout.

Best Song: There is Power in the Union This is what I'm talking about, it's like a folk Rage Against the Machine. Not quite, but the ideology is there. There is Power in a Union should be required listening to every single person who gets their first job. 4/5.

Raising a fist on solidarity with Billy

Be still my little beating socialist heart. So 80s production, but Bragg's songwriting shines through, even at his (relatively) young age. So much CE2 chorus! Levi Stubb's Tears is still one of the most devastating songs ever written.

So, melodies can get a little repetitive and the lyrics can be a little clunky and lacking in subtlety. They're without a whole lot of clever metaphor. But, all of that kinda works for this folk setting. No band to speak of, mostly just a dude and well played guitar. A few horns or light fiddling strings here and there. A bassline and organ stuff on the penultimate track. What it lacks in allegories and snappy wordplay, I think it definitely makes up for in a Seeger or Guthrie-like bluntness and call for reformations of all kinds on the overtly political tunes. It's not as biting as the aforementioned, but it is direct with some heavy sarcasm here and there. I kinda like it that way for this album. I'm torn between a 3 and 4, so maybe I'll give this one a high 3. Y'know what fuck it, low 4. I enjoyed that all the way through and no skips or anything.

I like Billy Bragg. This was enjoyable. But that's all. Good, not great.

Ef þú fílar þessa rödd þá er kannski eitthvað hérna, en ég fíla ekki þessa rödd. Og heldur ekki þessar berstrípuðu útsetningar. Levi Stubb's tears er ágætt, hitt er meh.

A local lad, but this is an abomination.

Think a British Bob Dylan who can sing a little bit better (not hard) writes good tunes but not quite as good a wordsmith (not a criticism). Social and political commentary. None of my favourite Billy Bragg songs here but still a good listen for me. I do like singers that their accent shines through (looking at you Tom Petty) and that gives them an unique sound. I understand how it can grate on some people but I enjoy listening to him even if I don't catch all the lyrics. Looking forward to the other Billy Bragg album in the list

Never heard of this guy before but it’s a good listen. Really made me think of my father in law. Strong Pogues energy. Raucous and driven.

Not my taste in music - but okay.

I love this guy’s voice. This album is very unique in a good way. An easy 5

I totally forgot this was the title of the album while listening. Cheekier and more fun than I was expecting. Pretty novel sound.

Hints of The Proclaimers; a good thing. Started off strong with "Greetings to the New Brunette" and "Train Train". The rest of the first few tracks were very good. After that, every track was indistinguishable from each other. I like his singing....two songs at a time. Anything after that he should figure out a different set of 3-4 notes to sings.

I'm glad one of the reviews said this album only has 12 songs. The link brought me to a double lp on spotify. I'm too happy this is over earlier than I thought for me to give 3 stars. I dislike his voice and the music just doesn't grab me. This project has already shown me that I can't really stand singers who can't sing and Billy Bragg is one of them.