Reviews (page 4 of 8)
I often complain a bunch of these sound "too American", but finally have an example of an album sounding "too British". Now don't get me wrong we love punk-esque politics albums, but I dislike dreary folk music way more unfortunately.
Not really my thing.
This is mostly not my thing, although I do like a few of the songs, and the general sentiment. "Greetings To the New Brunette" "The Marriage" "Levi Stubbs Tears" and "Help Save the Youth of America" were all good.
#739. Shitty sounding pretentious twattery. 2/5: not great
Very good album similar to the smiths and morrissey and the brit pop era pf tje mid 80s Maybe more indie and musical than depache and the others definitively could listen to the arrangements that are very good.
All these folk and social commentary albums do not hit the mark for me. Even with the lyrics open I didn't care for it. The music and voice did nothing for me.
This was a nice surprise to discover; a protest-spirited English rock album. Surprisingly relevant to 2025 politics/society, from 1986.
The people who say Dylan or Morrisey can’t sing need to give this guy a go. Dear me. Musically this was fine, good in places, but his voice makes this a real slog. No idea how clever the politically charged lyrics are because I mentally tuned his voice out. Frank Turner does it better for me.
Imagine how annoying this faggot must be in real life.
Iconic and important. I totally get how his voice isn't for everyone, but things that are for everyone tend to be a bit dull.
Couldn’t finish it , don’t want to.
Billy Bragg doesn't dance around his messaging with flowery poetry and deep metaphors. He's gonna make sure you understand loud and clear his criticisms. In Ideology, he calls out lying politicians that don't fight for the people. Help Save the Youth of America is a breakdown of American malaise and how it affects the world and in turn affects America. There Is Power in a Union basically says it all in the title. It's all right there for the listener, delivered in his brash mumbled accent. (Admittedly, I had to have the lyrics out for some of the songs.) However, the album also has a sweet mix of songs about love and the struggles of relationships. He's a lover and a fighter just like any of us regular folk. Billy has spent an entire career talking the talk and walking the walk and his legacy is well deserved.
I had this and his collab with Wilco in short succession. I loved discovering Billy Bragg through the challenge He might be tge only British vocalist that I like when he sings with a British accent. Great songwriter and performer. A four.
As a fan of quirky/unique voices (see: Geddy Lee and Claudio Sanchez), I've always found an appeal to Billy Bragg's voice. I'm also aware enough to sympathize with those that don't haha. I only heard a handful of his music, but I can appreciate this effort. I was hopeful of a bit of tone change, but at times it plateaus too long. There's certainly a meld of different genres, but doesn't necessarily from 'protest-folk.'
It started off alright but I couldn’t do that for more than an hour
Like a British woody Guthrie or bob dylan. I don’t really like to listen to woody Guthrie or bob Dylan.
5/10
I think it was super boring and all the songs sounded the same and I don't think hate is a nice thing to say but I genuinely hated this one.
I wanted to really dig this one, but felt more neutral. I didn’t dislike it at all. I liked it not at all. Neutral isn’t good.
Would’ve been a 3 if this was one disc. Maybe even a 4 if it was half a disc
Reminds of Billy Bailey’s impression of Billy Bragg
Talking With the Taxman About Poetry hits like a sharp truth told softly - raw, literate, and unshakably human. Every line matters, every chord serves the message. It’s protest and poetry, heart and hammer. A working-class masterpiece.
OK
A good meaty folk album. Bragg has always been on my radar but I was surprised with the songwriting quality. Not as political as I thought it would be. Not sure why other reviews are complaining about the vocals. Sound fine to me.
To anyone reading this review: if you like british folk rock and lyrics with political messages, this album might be for you. It would also be for me if I didn't despise his voice. I have listened to his collaboration with Wilco prior to this project, and if I didn't like this man's voice back then, imagine how much I disliked it now having to listen to an album where he is the only one singing. Besides, another comparition between these two is that this one feels very loud and over-produced, with the singing feeling very inflated and forced. As much as I appreciated some of the lyrics and instrumentation, I'm not willing to subject myself to Billy Bragg's voice anymore.
3/5
The 80's were a realtively down decade for music. This project's continued propogation of British singer-songwriters is wearing really, really thin. Here we have an early British Tom Morello prototype. He's a little political (I'm not complaining), and he cannot sign at all. I don't expect to see a Nightwatchman album here for the same reasons I didn't want to see this album. And the production is crap. Tinny and thin-sounding, he needs to actually put pressure on the guitar strings. We also have a double album - this time literally containing multiple recordings of the same song. Cut it down, dude. Almost every song sounds the same. And it's clearly Bragg that's the problem, as his cover of a great song - Tracks of My Tears - is hot garbage. Influence 1. Quality 1. Hits 1. I want to bump him to a 2 for the political statements, but it's just so, so bad. 1
maybe if it had drums..?
Ok
I really liked this!!!
I really enjoyed this album. It’s got plenty of sharp lyrical observations wrapped in a really interesting package of music.
Soft post-punk/indie rock. I like the distinctive vocals. More folk/country by the end? Some Spanish horns in The Marriage. Lyrics are quite on the nose. Honky tonk style in Honey... Other country on Sin City Best track - Greetings to the new Brunette, Help Save the Youth of America 3 stars, almost 2
It started off in a negative light. I thought the voice was over the top. I gritted through the first 2 songs and considered packing it in. However, persist I did and rewarded I was with a solid landing. The folk atmosphere is constant throughout but it approaches a melodic and layered delivery. The voice doesn’t change, but it’s contrasted well with great chorus’ and jangly guitars. Really impressed by the ideology lyricism and I feel that was the turning point of the album. A great track to drink a pint to.
The review that said this was modern-day Woody Guthrie was spot-on, for better or worse. I didn't hate this, tbh.
It's very cool. This fills in a blank for me. I had always wondered how Bragg got from those raw urgent guitar and vocal albums at the beginning to the almost country stuff more recently. Here I think I see the start of that range. He's a great lyricist obviously, but also a good melody writer and great at framing those melodies in nice simple arrangements.
Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: Ideology This was boring. I found the whole thing uninspiring, non-impactful and ultimately something I am going to promptly forget about in a day. I also could barely tolerate how frequently Billy veered into this English-Country twang that is just blahhhh. So long Tax Man. Enjoy the poetry.
Meh
Surprisingly really good. Modern folksy. Never heard of Billy, but enjoyed.
Favorite: The Marriage
Great voice, great guitar play, interesting lyrics.
92/1001 :: Billy Bragg - Talkin with the Taxman about Poetry Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ✅ Rating: 8 Listen before you die: Yes I only really know Billy from his Wilco collab and frankly I didn’t love his voice. I got over that today. There’s some great songs on here and the social commentary adds layers.
3.5
I came to this Billy Bragg album - number 100, hooray - knowing only the basics: English, guitar, politics. All true, as it turns out. What makes this record distinctive is its setup — varied instrumentation but no drums. That absence defines the sound: Bragg’s clean electric guitar dominates everything, ringing and chiming for nearly forty minutes without much relief. It’s a sharp, jangled tone that starts out bracing but grows fatiguing. His voice is just as defining — nasal, raw, and steeped in a thick Essex accent. At first I thought of Paul Weller, but Weller sings with far more finesse. Bragg’s delivery feels more like a statement than a performance, and after a while it grates. The album opens well. “Greetings to the New Brunette,” featuring Johnny Marr, is bright and melodic, and “Train Train” carries the manic rhythm its title promises. But after that, the energy fades. The brass flourishes in “Levi Stubbs’ Tears” and “The Marriage” give things a peculiarly English (Purcell) flavor, though they never quite work for me. “There Is Power in a Union” feels like The Pogues stripped of their spirit — more protest chant than song. But the real misstep is “Honey I’m a Big Boy Now,” a painfully off-key piano piece that seems to mistake awkwardness for authenticity. It’s not a bad album, exactly — more an earnest one that wears itself out. I started with a six, but after a few listens, I’m dropping it to a five.
Greetings to the New Brunette - 3/5 Train Train - 3/5 The Marriage - 1/5 Ideology - 2/5 Levi Stubbs' Tears - 3/5 Honey I'm a Big Boy Now - 2/5 There Is Power in a Union - 1/5 Help Save the Youth of America - 3/5 Wishing the Days Away - 2/5 The Passion - 4/5 The Warmest Room - 3/5 The Home Front - 3/5 Average score: 2.6/5 (rounding down) yikes. that bri'ish voice made it very hard to sit through aside from that, this felt a little bare and same-y. i suppose the political messaging was all good and well, but it's hard to sit and listen to the message when the performance isn't very pleasant on the ears
Interesting but I won't add it to my library
meh
Indie ragtime ok
This actually kind of grew on me, second half is definitely better than the first. That being said should this be on this list? Probably not. Its just ok and I’d probably never listen to this again.
One of the coolest surprises so far in this exercise. And I’m sure it’s one of the more polarizing ones. But when this cassette fell into my hands in high school it quickly became part of the soundtrack of my youth. Activism, romanticism, and a wit all wrapped up in a punk rock delivery. And it’s probably safe to say that his message and popularity would not have survived if it weren’t for the voice. But 40 years later songs like Help Save The Youth of America and There is Power in A Union still seem relevant. Billy continues to this day to be an active performer and smart activist voice for so many.
This grew on me. At first wasn’t sure I’d be able to make it through a full album. His voice is sooooo….British. But like that certain British accent that can be a little harsh and obnoxious. But I ended up liking it. Really enjoyed the guitar tone on some of the songs like Levi Stubb’s Tears. 3.25
There’s something about this album that I don’t like. Can’t put my figure on it…JK it’s his voice. 1.75/5
Annoying
Folk punk. Who knew? This is another of those surprise albums. I started off not really into it, but it grew on me. By the time I got to the Union song I realized that I really kind of like it.
Mari ütles, et see album kõlab täpselt nii nagu ta arvas, et kõlab. Siuke ühe mehe indie, folgi projekt. Polliitilise alatooniga
I don't know what it is, but this album just doesn't work for me. I think it's partly Mr. Bragg's voice, partly the compositions, and partly the entirely unsubtle lyrics. I could probably work with this if it was just two of the three, but it sadly falls flat. Favorite track: probably the one about trains
Meh
I kinda get it, I don't think it has legs for a whole album, especially not the extended run, but it's the kind of music you hear and think "yeah, this is one of the things music can do".
Okay
Decent album with a nice collection of songs. New Brunette and Power in a Union stand out, the rest just exist, in a mostly positive way.
love you billy
Punky, heavily British folk. Oddly, the love songs work much better than the political songs which often come across as goofy, such as “There Is Power In A Union.” But “Greetings To the New Brunette”, “The Marriage”, and “Levi Stubbs’ Tears” are all terrific and affecting character studies. An imperfect album, but with some real high points that carry it.
I am a fan of Billy Bragg and I own this album. I knew a lot of the reviews would be negative because of his voice and his very socialist political views. He can be a divisive character, but he is also an artist that has collaborated with a LOT of artists over the years from REM to 10000 Maniacs to Wilco (which is also in this list). John Peel introduced me to Billy Bragg via the BBC world Service and this album is chock full of a lot of great songs. I wore my cassette out listening to Levi Stubbs Tears, which is up there with my favourite songs. I can genuinely see why this album is on the list. It is unique, varied and simplistically raw, covering a myriad of topics from love to politics, released at the height of the grim times of Thatcherism. Maybe it is my familiarity with the songs, but every song on this album is flawlessly beautiful, but 3 to 12 is just perfect Notable songs: Greetings from the New Brunette, The Marriage, Ideology, Levi Stubbs Tears, Power in a Union, Help Save the youth of America, Wishing the Days away, The passion, The Warmest Room, The Home Front When I saw this album on my list I grinned, and that grin continued throughout the entirety of the album. My spirits were lifted. It was always going to be 5 stars
Ok, enjoyable
I have no opinion. Nothing about this stuck out or was memorable. At the same time, it wasn’t the most awful thing I’ve heard so I suppose a 3 is fine. It’s just okay. The way Billy’s voice is, particularly in the first song was incredibly annoying though. It sounded like a scene kid style of singing, so obnoxious, kind of like “Tonight will be the night that I will fall for you” kind of annoying.
I listened to this on a flight home, which was probably to its discredit, because it was hard to focus on the lyrics. While it didn’t click with me right away, the punk/folk pedigree is cool and noticeable. I’ve heard “Deportee” before, and it felt like a jarring shift in style from the rest - I had to double-check that I was still listening to the right album! 3?
Very good!
okay sorry sir i was not familiar with your game. this was such a good album and i will be listening to more.
sai che c'è? è lungo, se fosse stato solo un disco avrei dato un voto più alto perchè non mi è spiaciuto, ma così è un po' pesantino...
Decent
Great melodies and lyrics. Pure and simple music 👌
Charming and British. Maybe not my cup o' tea but I'm glad it exists.
Took a break so it's actually possible for me to like new music again. I remember struggling trying to get through this before I took my hiatus and I can understand why, however, my new and improved self honestly quite liked it. It kinda started to just become background music as it went on so not a must-listen for me, but genuinely pleasant. Favourites were Greetings to the New Brunette, The Marriage, Levi Stubbs' Tears, The Warmest Room, and The Tracks of My Tears. You can tell I kind of lost interest by disc 2. Just another 3
Ever since Mermaid Avenue came out, I’ve wanted to love Billy Bragg, but I just don’t. I never really feel the urge to listen through an entire album. He’s good, just not for me.
Stripped down modern folk with Braggs distinctive vocals and social political messaging. I happen to be a Billy Bragg fan so I enjoyed this record having not listened to it in many years. It’s not his best record though.
I want to like this more then I did. I've tried a couple of different Bragg albums and they don't click with me. This wasn't bad but it's still not my thing.
I kinds of dug this a little. Not my favorite, but it's not bad.
Didn't like Bragg at the time and that hasn't changed neither has this improved with age.
He's a man to hugely admire, Bragg. Probably more than he is someone to really, truly enjoy listening to. I love the forcefulness of his delivery and guitar playing, and the rawness of the lyrics are, of course, fantastic. On the other hand, he's not much of an actual vocalist, and the accent is a bit much to listen to for long periods of time. Power in the Union is absolutely anthemic though, and overall, the world needs way more Billy Braggs making art, so fair play to him.
interesting, something i’d never thought i’d like i guess
Talking With the Taxman About Poetry is an album that did have some pretty good ideas and for the most part, executed them rather well. This album mainly combines folk music with some more punk rock elements and a fair few of the songs put that on full display. I would also say that Bragg's songwriting is definitely quite a standout aspect about this album as these songs could tell some rather interesting stories. I also felt that this album went on for a good length by not being too long or too short. Some of the songs here do blend in with each other a bit which makes them hardly stand out but i still thought that there was no outright bad part about this album. Best Song: Train Train Worst Song: Honey, I'm a Big Boy Now
Ballads
Weird British rock
It's pretty good for folk but it's not really my cup of tea. This isn't a very fair review, but oh well. 2.5/5.0: Mixed
i wasnt sure what to expect going into this album. i first heard of billy bragg when lars frederiksen covered "to have and to have not" back in the early 2000s. i always enjoyed that track but never really explored his discography. then i got the billy bragg/wilco album on here which I did not enjoy. this one was closer to what i was hoping for from him but still left me with a lot to be desired. the genre on wikipedia is folk punk which i think does fit a few of the songs but i think folk is more accurate. for the most part it felt like listening to the uk bob dylan.
The folky Bob Dylan-esque feel is hard to escape. It really isn’t in my wheelhouse but there are moments of brilliance. I can see the appeal.
Starts with a pretty upbeat folk-rock song and sort of relaxes itself after that, I'm more into that first track myself, but the rest is still pleasant, his voice goes well with the lighter, airier guitar
Not for me at all
Michael Cain accent.
Day 49 First listen- I couldn't vibe to the music that much, I am not sure why cause normally I LOVE acoustic albums but something felt missing. I enjoyed around 3 songs. (2/5)
The political songs feel pretty timeless and still hit hard. The jilted love songs haven't aged well imo.
I can see why this album and, specifically, Billy Bragg's voice would annoy some people but it didn't have that effect on me. I enjoyed it, overall, but probably won't spend too much time listening to it going forward.
That voice is just bad.
Yeah - I mean this is what it’s all about.
Good musoc and lyrics, heavy English accent
meh
😴
A good album, I liked Greetings To The New Brunette and The Marriage the most.
listened to the first one but ew british
mais um pra série: "tava esperando lixo completo e recebi um álbum bem ok das ideia"
ah eh de boa até achei que seria bem pior
If Joe Strummer made folk, pretty cool
I liked this more than I thought I would.
My first introduction to Billy Bragg back when variety in my music was probably at its peak. .
very british but very catchy and fun
3.5
Honestly I can see myself going higher on this one. I really like this album especially when it gets overtly political which it does quite a bit, in fact most of it. I don't know if anyone else heard it but when I listened to "Ideology" it almost sounds like a clear homage to "Chimes of Freedom" musically, but I'm pretty sure given the subject matter Dylan wouldn't mind. Definitely need to come around to this at some point but I'm going to give this one a high mid four... But given my affinity for a well-written protest song this might actually grow on me in time. (8.7) ★★★★
A lot of wit, poignancy and political matters in the lyrics, backed by a mix of folk and punk. 4 stars
This is my first time hearing this album, but I had Billy's 2003 compilation *Must I Paint You a Picture*, which had four of these songs on it, I believe. I got into Billy in the late 90s with the *Mermaid Avenue* albums he did with Wilco, and finally decided to check out some of his solo albums. I think he has a really unique sound that's based on this Guthrie/Dylan style of political folk music, but he mixes in elements of punk and jangle pop and crafts something really interesting. The instrumentation is pretty minimal -- usually just an electric guitar -- but there's some other touches that keep it interesting. Highlights include "Levi Stubbs' Tears", "There is Power in a Union", "Greetings to the New Brunette" (which features Kristy MacColl and Johnny Marr), and the excellent "Help Save the Youth of America", a hilarious and poignant flip of the "We Are The World" type benefit songs which suggest America is the country that really needs help. It's funny, but true. 4.5 stars.
3.5
Would be better if it was Talking With Jeremy Paxman About Toe Trees or summat. Opener Greetings To The New Brunette is actually a bit of a surprise gem, mainly because it has Kirsty MacColl and Johnny Marr on it and therefore the materials to be halfway lush. Unfortunately the rest of the album does not have these materials and tends be to more on the tedious and craggy all-Billy Bragg side. Needs someone like Billy Joel or Billy Paul to bring justice to these songs.
Pretty good British folk album. Liked it.
Some very thought provoking lyrics here. Favorites were "There Is Power in A Union" and "Help Save the Youth of America"
This was ok, I have a soft spot for politics in music so that helped this a bit. Some solid writing throughout and I can imagine the voice is tough for some but I didn’t dislike it. More interesting than a 2 but not reaching the level of 4 so at a 3 this sits. Probably won’t revisit much but glad I listened.
jako fora!
Loved this, I've been meaning to get into Billy Bragg for years now. I prefer his political songs to his love songs, but some of those are great too. Some of the points he raises should be dated, but are unfortunately more relevant than ever. 8/10, but could see this rising to a 9 over time. Incidentally, it occurred to me that this is what Elvis Costello's music could have been, if he was a bit more political. Maybe that's why his music rubs me the wrong way a lot of the time, it just feels lacking in some way.
some great tunes on this, lyrics are very political and romantic, i enjoyed it, good record
liked this, especially ideology and Levi Stubbs, wasn't sure if the 2nd disc was meant to be included but was happy to listen to it too Worth finding the headspace to really take in the lyrics
Grew on me throughout - a cool new (to me) version of folk music. There were spots in the first listen where I was cursing the all powerful LIST, but as it went on I enjoyed it. Morrisey vibes on vocals. I think 3 for my personal taste but deserves a 4 and feeling generous today.
One of the most obnoxious album titles we’ve had. Don’t love the odd Marxist lectures peppered throughout the album, but on the whole this guys sound and style are unique. There’s a cockiness you need to put out a double album of mostly just you singing poorly over not much more than very basic strumming patterns - but he does pull it off for the most part with a certain rough charm. Apparently he’s known for his lyrics but I can barely understand what he’s saying for the most part. Still, a nice find. I’d probably go 4 stars, but I’m detracting one because he violates one of my core tenets which is that I can’t fucking stand when Brits opine on American culture. Based on his song about the youth of America and his extremely, almost comically on the nose political songs, Bragg seems like the kind of guy who’d love John Oliver and share his inane rants on Facebook. If he wasnt a solid songwriter (at least in his love songs) I’d probably hate this guy.
Ooo man. Some good folksy rock here. Usually the double album is an immediate turn off, but it only drags on slightly here. The entire album I was thinking about Frank Turner 😂 Turns out they’ve collaborated a lot together. Giving it a 3 for now, but definitely going back this weekend for another round
Wow, I really didn't enjoy this. What a grating combination of voice, accent, lyrics, and music. His singing style feels intentionally annoying. His accent sounds like someone doing a dumb English accent on purpose. Sounds like this guy is some sort of activist? As I typed this sentence, Billy whined "Is there more to a seat in parliament than sitting on your arse?" Oh wow I see this song is called 'Ideology.' These sound like some very UK-specific grievances. If you want me to care about your cause, I need you to appeal to something universal, like when the Beatles did Taxman. Make it relatable, man! The Marriage had some fun horns on it, but that's the only positive thing I can say about it. I can't be the only one here who googled this guy and thinks he looks like a British Owen Wilson, right? Never thought I'd see someone else with schnozz like that!
Have been listening to Billy for years, mostly through his Wilco collabs - Mermaid Avenue is always a favorite - California Stars a favorite track. Don't think I've heard much solo Billy. Same reaction as Chad - reminded me a ton of Frank Turner, who I love and have been listening to often on the occasional work trip to the UK - love walking around London listening to Frank. Gave this a few listens, and definitely opened up over time, but in the end, felt like a bit of filler. Enjoyed Marriage, Levi, Warmest Room, and Tracks of My Tears.
This album was described by Wikipedia as "folk punk" and I feel like that label could have fit Woody Gutherie. I recently saw a picture of Billy Bragg for the first time and briefly thought it was Jeremy Corbyn (a quick Google search will show you a picture of both them hugging each other at Glastonbury in 2017, and you can see what I mean). Anyway, Bragg is clearly keeping the spirit of Gutherie alive within a modern British context. This is music to play on a date, if you met you partner at union meeting. Extra points of Johnny Marr's excellent contribution to two tracks.
***An ok album, easy listening
Meh
Ok, but often the sound is one man and one guitar (only). Dominant lyrics.
There is power in a union.
An interesting album that felt like it was worth a listen. Very loose and casual style. Felt more like listening to some guy play his set at the local pub than a polished album you would expect to be considered one of the best of all time. Clearly a good songwriter - though im sure a lot of the political references were lost on me (in part because most are about 1980's England). Happy I listened to this and have a better understanding of who Billy Bragg is - but falls short for me from having the type of cultural impact I think many people give it.
I’ve put on a few of Billy Bragg’s songs in the past thinking I must like him because I love the idea of a folk punk artist and I’m a huge fan of his work with Wilco on the Mermaid Avenue project to put music to some unheard Woody Guthrie lyrics, but I’ve never been able to get past his voice/accent. I understand that it’s very much part of his persona and is a way to connect with the working class, but it just isn’t really for me. That said, I actually ended up enjoying this album quite a bit when I got into it with songs like Train Train, Levi Stubbs’ Tears, Honey I’m a Big Boy Now, There is Power in a Union, Wishing the Days Away being highlights for me.
BRITAIN, I really like this his vocal melodies and singing voice tone are amazing. Storytelling and lyrics are also really great, I think that's what makes this sort of music very interesting, that there's always some good lyrics. I wonder if the instrumentation was partially influenced by the Smiths, especially guitar-wise in some places, mostly the 'jangliness', but that might just have been the style of guitar music back then. I also like the forwardness of his political views, and also the British wit, and also him mentioning chairman Mao, which I suppose would have been quite out of the ordinary in the mid 80s. Only downsides are that I sort of wish that some songs had drums and stuff, sometimes the high energy sections fall a bit flat, but you don't really notice it. Also on the second disk, I assume its extras but the ones where he sings in an American accent just feel quite fake after hearing him singing very British. Favourite songs: greetings to the New Brunette, The marriage, Ideology, Levi Stubbs' tears, there is power in a union, help save the youth of America, the passion, the warmest room, the home front, only bad signs. Overall around 7/10
6/10 - not bad, good lyrics, but gets a bit samesy
Very good.
I’ve only seen Billy Bragg live once (as a support act for Paul Heaton). It was a great set singing along with a big crowd of people, especially when the big guns like There Is Power In A Union came out. But I’ve found the best way of hearing his songs is not by seeing him live, or by listening to his albums, but by finding them woven into the fabric of life: a recent funeral I attended where everyone sang along to The Red Flag, or at countless protests and rallies where his songs naturally become a glue that holds people together. That’s where the power of his music is found.
Bit political but ok
2.5/5
This record was decent. I didn't like the vocals at first, but they grew on me as the record progressed. I'm not really into the Jangle sound, so maybe that's why it didn't do it for me. Favourite Track(s): Wishing the Days Away Least Favourite Track(s): Levi Stubbs' Tears
You hear what Wilco heard
With most albums I review, I arrive either fully informed or happily clueless. Talking with the Taxman About Poetry found me somewhere in between: already armed with its two sharpest arrows - Levi Stubbs’ Tears and Greetings to the New Brunette - and nothing else. The full record? Never bothered. I borrowed Don’t Try This At Home from the CD library in 1999, lured by the presence of Johnny Marr and Michael Stipe. Stipe and Bragg were doing a lot of activism together at the time. What’s the verb? He/she/it activises? I've always been slightly suspicious of Bragg. Not hostile. Just... unconvinced. He seems, in every interview, affable, earnest, like the sort of man who says “solidarity” and means it. A good sort. But while plenty of working-class songwriters were scribbling observational notes on "ordinary life", Bragg always sounded like he was preparing a speech or a sermon. Morrissey was more insular. Jarvis Cocker more empathetic. Bragg often writes to tell his audience - people who already think fascism is bad - that fascism is bad. And sometimes he sounds like he’s reporting them to the politburo just to be on the safe side. His 1996 album was called William Bloke. Is that humility or a play for visionary status? Possibly both. As Queen Victoria once quipped: “Beware of artists. They mix with all classes and are therefore most dangerous.” And for all his calls to arms, a songwriter is not really a working man. When Bragg goes full political - Ideology, There Is Power in a Union, Help Save the Youth of America - he often forgets he's writing songs. The tunes flatten, the chords turn obvious, and the slogans do the heavy lifting. The impulse, I think, is noble: to follow the tradition of the broadside ballad. Simple melodies, easily sung by many, outside the gates of whatever institution needs heckling. But in trying to write for the people, Bragg sometimes erases the person. These tracks feel like they could be performed by anyone with a guitar, a cause, and two cups of lukewarm tea. So determined is he, in these moments, to make songs of and for the people that he barely leaves a human print on them at all. And yet: Bragg’s skill if that isn't too generous, is for pop storytelling. Levi Stubbs’ Tears is still moves me - sharp opening line, evocative portraiture, a rare emotional depth. While the singing and melody are appropriately deadpan, the guitar tone sounds likes someone jabbing a butter knife into a wall socket. Of course, the tune lifts once he hands the bridge over to the greats of Motown. After all, it is a song about the redemptive power of pop music, though the rest of the album could use some of that self-reflection. Greetings to the New Brunette glimmers among the other spare arrangements. But it has aged awkwardly. The line “How can you lie there and think of England when you don’t even know who’s in the team?” is clever, sure - but is Bragg laughing with his character or at him? Bragg gets to be witty; the character gets to be dim. This, we are told, is solidarity. Elsewhere, he sketches male types with much less sympathy than he does the female protagonist of Levi Stubbs. Honey, I’m a Big Boy Now mocks a neglectful partner with no interest in why he is that way. Bragg, a Marxist, forgets to mention the system. Where’s your intersectionality, Billy? There’s a second joke about football fans later, and while it’s hardly dehumanising, it does feel like Bragg’s tossing scraps to the bedsit Berias - sniggers for the fey indie boys who wouldn’t be seen dead near a terrace. Of course, later he wrote Sexuality, where an uncle who “once played for Red Star Belgrade” turns out to be a progressive hero. So all is not lost. An artist doesn't have to be perfect nor consistent. When they are caught between their craft and their cause, perfection is the first casualty. But even at his worst, he’s hard to dislike: slightly exhausting, a little sanctimonious, but - crucially – well-meaning. A useful idiot of sorts, who sometimes serves the interests of pop, which are not always pure or progressive. He’s the musical equivalent of a neighbour who tells you why the bin men are on strike, but not how he plans to deal with the garbage stinking up his yard. 2.5 This all goes off somewhere in no man’s land. I can hear and feel the reverberations of Elvis Costello, The Jam and Bob Dylan, but there is no meaningful impact. Bragg hasn’t the instinct for pop or for poetry to match the influences he wears on his sleeve. I can’t even, amid the muddle of his clumsy lines and tired, over-familiar melodies, find revulsion for him. There is just a sort of pity, as for the curate, delivering a half hour sermon, who can’t escape not being the more entertaining Parish Priest that every parishioner was hoping would take to the stage in this slot. All the things (and people) that Billy Bragg wants to be are clear enough but he is none of them. Not even The Worker. ‘There is Power in a Union’ is still heard on picket lines in Britain nearly forty years on. I think that is because it feels, superficially, like a remnant of class struggle from a deeper (and wider) past than post-Scargill Britain. That would be because it is the work of a man who has never worked in a factory but has, clearly, seen a few films about it. The bosses and their lackeys? Not the Intelligentsia either. Somewhere, dully, in the middle. 1.5/5
it's like Elvis Costello did an emo record
Weird rock-folk mix, not a fan.
Right after blurs double album. This js just too long and British and political and thin. I just...dont like or care about any of these songs.
Billy’s voice and vocal delivery remind me of Elvis Costello. Has a modern folk rock/alternative sound that I appreciate. Some of the songs are political commentary in nature, but the lyrics are a little too on the nose to be inspirational - they come across as a little trite. The album also contains covers of old folk songs. Notable songs include Greetings to the New Brunette, Levi Stubbs’ Tears, Sin City, Deportees, The Tracks of My Tears, A Nurse’s Life is Full of Woe.
Take the stadium country assholes that sing about blue collar living while wearing $3,000 boots and touring on $15M gulfstreams, then make them English, and you’ve got this album. How many songs can you record that pander the same message over and over? Listen and find out.
2.3 / 5 The fastest way to end a union strike is to make the picketers listen to this album. The instrumentals were good but his voice and the non stop on-the-nose politics were too much
3/5
This one grew on me as I listened to it. At first I found Bragg's voice whiney, but as I settled into it I liked it a lot more. I enjoyed the guitar on the album, and thought the lyrics were good and heartfelt, straightforward as well which is nice sometimes. Standouts: There is Power in a Union Rating: 3.25/5
Bragg is a legend within music, I found him because he did a thing with Joe Henry. Worth the deep dive
I have said before that I don't like politics in music. But if that's what you want to do then the quality of the music has got to shine through first and foremost. Unfortunately Billy has completely failed in this respect. His voice drones on, and for the most part is tuneless. The music is bland and uninteresting. I can however understand why this is here, unlike many of the items included in this list. And he can write a good track when he puts his mind to it, because he has for others to perform. None of that can rescue this piece of rubbish though.
A lot better than I thought it would be. More interesting production and musical arrangements than I suspected. Still underpinned by the social activism for sure, but very listenable and enjoyable despite that!
Fucking leftie tosspot. While high at Glastonbury I was coerced into seeing him live. It was a dreadful experience which I am still recovering from. Time has been kind to him musically, a million times better than Jerry Cinamon, but I just hate the overtly political nature of his lyrics.
Most definitely on the strong side of 3/5. Just a little one note for me aside from some notable exceptions. My favorite being Levi Stubbs’ Tears, what a song.
This album is very rough around the edges
I really liked the first disc. It was updated punk folk vibe I am getting overall. It is a great UK vibe to the music. I would go into a pub and enjoy it if I heard it. But moving into the second disc it does seem a little disjointed. The second album goes more country traditional folk and then his voice starts to get to me a little. Its not bad, but a lot of whiny country twang that makes the songs seem much whinier and depressing. Suddenly a good folk album calling for change and improvement starts to feel like there is nothing we can do. Tracks of my Tears for instance is just so sad now it almost feels like a totally different song. Overall I love the lyrics and message. If it was just disc one this might be a five for me, but disc two just gets to me too much.
I really liked this. He has a unique old timey style and I love how his emotional reflections on relationships, families, politics, society and war are all woven together in what feels like an album that captures the essence of someone’s lifetime.
29/1001 Billy Bragg - Talking with the Taxman About Poetry Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ✅ Billy Bragg is someone I admire, even if I don't always love the music. Coming in at just under an hour and ten, this mixes politics with romance and street poetry in a stripped back and raw fashion. There are dashes of country in this as well. There's a clear lineage between him and Woodie Guthrie and updates the sound for the 80s. The politics are still as relevant today as ever. Greetings to the New Brunette is the standout on this.
Enjoyed this more than I thought, although his accent does start to grate after a while.
I should have gone on strike instead of listening to this album
We get it, you like Morrissey.
I'm sorry, I can't.
Billy Bragg is one of those artists I can only take in small doses. One or two songs? Great! This album? Tedious as hell!
Billy!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't be impartial here he's my fuckin guy. First artist I've got that I've seen live? Bit tragic. The album release on spotify is a year early i thought he'd predicted chernobyl.
I came around to his voice but I really didn’t find much enjoyment here. Good melodies, good parts, I agree with what he’s singin bout, but I just don’t really vibe with the songs. Won’t be coming back to it but pretty good album. I really didn’t like the divorce song.
eh this was fine. I kinda liked his voice, but the album was too long. There were some nice sounding parts, but I definitely won't be returning. Fine 3
Like, don't love it. I feel like I've just listened to Bragg preach for an hour. Most of this album kinda went by and I didn't notice too much of it. I find myself usually liking a little bit of this kind of music, but never really get into it. Straight down the road 3/5.
juz tytul zapowiadal cos ciekawego, ale nie spodziewalem sie folkowego rokowania z twistem w lewo, billego bragga kojarzylem tylko z mermaid avenue, tez z listy, gdzie razem z wilco zrobili genialna robote na materiale pana guthriea, chociaz na tamtym krazku brzmi on nieco inaczej niz tutaj, wiec pewnie gdyby nie wiki, to bym sie nie odgadnal, ze to ta sama osoba, 12 trakow na 38 minutowym albumie, ale spotifajowa wersja ma dodatkowy disk na ktorym jest kilka nowych trakow bedacych coverami oraz alternatywne/demowe aranzacje innych za co zawsze okejka, dawno nie sluchalem albumiku zeby sobie puscic od poczatku do konca folkowego rokowania, ktore wiki okresla nawet jako punk folk, ale wydaje mi sie to dziwnym okresleniem, bo poza kilkoma romatycznymi utworami, wiekszosc plyty stanowia mocno socjalistycznie zorientowany material, wiec czemu nie lewak folk, ale jest to bardziej poruszanie problemow klasy robotniczej zjednoczonego krolestwa, niz bicie faszysty po kasku, ale znalazlo sie tez miejsce na poruszenie problemow typowo kobiecych, wiec nawet i watki feministyczne sie pojawiaja, a slucha sie tego dobrze bo nie sa one przerysowane i wydramatyzowane, a dobrze oddaja obraz wyspiarskich lat 80 i ich problemow, na plejke dodam uroczy opening greetings to the new brunette, levi stubbs tears, wishing the days away i z dodatkowej plyty sin city, trzeba bedzie sprawdzic co jeszcze w dyskografii ma pan bragg, bo to dopiero jego trzeci albumik z trzynastu studyjnych krazkow
Ist ok, aber etwas besonderes kann ich für mich nicht heraushören. 2/5
Preaching, shallow Punk Folk.
Liked it for the first couple of songs but then the rest of the album started to feel like the same thing over and over. Got tired of the vocals pretty fast.
Didn't love it, but it wasn't the worst thing I've ever heard.
My only exposure to Billy Bragg for years was his collaboration with Wilco (one of my favorite bands) on the Mermaid Avenue records, and as a Wilco fan I always wished there was a little less Bragg on those and more Tweedy. As far as I can recall this is the first proper Bragg album I’ve listened to, and it’s pretty fantastic. It reminds me a lot of Frank Turner, to the point where I’m now thinking Turner may be more derivative than I thought (still really like Turner and I don’t mean this negatively - most rock is derivative in some way). Opening track Greetings to the New Brunette is probably my favorite, but I enjoyed the album from beginning to end. I’d like to revisit it and it may have 5 stars potential once the lyrics are digested. There’s a ton of passion and Bragg’s vocals are stronger here than what I’ve heard from him since.
yeah this is my shit. a british folk musician loudly singing about how great unions are. this album felt like i was listening to the british woody guthrie. aesthetically feels like the progenitor of frank turner. not only do i vibe with the tunes on that level, but he has a knack for a catchy hook too. definitely adding this to my rotation!
This sounds a whole heck of a lot like a whole heck of a lot of bands I already like. I like this, but it feels… hollow? to me. Is it just bc it’s unfamiliar so I have no emotional connection with it? Idk who Billy Bragg is so I don’t have that artistic trust in him. Oh great now I’m reviewing my notes on “Trust and Sincerity in Art” by C. Thi Nguyen. Maybe I do have ADHD; I should make some doctor appointments. Wait, now it’s a bluegrass album? I don’t know, man.
Listened to this on the flight to London which seems fitting! I love this album cover, it reminds me of that SpongeBob pimp picture. The music reminded me of King Krule and Adam Sandler at times… but the album is really awesome. Love the Union song
Rad as hell
really awesome when socialist music goes mainstream and i love the inclusion of some topical songs on this list! also i like the tunes - they are awesome
I discovered Billy Bragg through "California Stars" on Mermaid Avenue, his brilliant collaboration with Wilco. Imagine my delight as a 19-year-old punk rocker when I listened to the follow-up, Vol. 2, and heard bangers like "All You Fascists". It led me down the Billy Bragg rabbit hole. Billy, the unlikely hero of the British working class. This record is full of great songs all about the working class struggle, from love and relationships to finding power in trade unions. "Levi Stubbs' Tears" is a song that especially stook out to me this listen. Like Billy, I find much comfort in the music Levi made with the Four Tops. It's music that I grew up with and it evokes a simpler, safer time in my life.
Loved this. Never used to rate him but saw him at the Roundhouse in Camden and can appreciate the songs.
pretty good
I don't know what to do with this. I actually enjoy the music, but I truly struggle with the lyrics. This very explicit protest song, street poetry style of writing always seem to be created by a nerdy teenager.
Not for me
Arranqué odiando este album en la primer listen, pero después de darle otra oportunidad, la verdad las canciones son buenas y bastante distintas entre sí. Y pegadizas también. Shirleyyyyyy (Greetings to the New Brunette). Al principio me chocaba muchísimo el acento tan marcado de Billy y el hecho de que las canciones son poco más que Billy y una guitarra y que usa progresiones simples (aparte no soy fan del folk). Me dio la impresión de que era todo medio igual, pero esto cambió cuanto más lo escuché. Hay varios buenos temas en este album, como el que mencioné antes, Train Train, The Marriage (pegadiza), There Is Power in a Union (política y bastante powerful), Wishing the Days Away, The Passion (super interesante, habla sobre una madre raising a child con un padre no muy interesado). En general habla de política y relaciones amorosas. buen album al final
Pretty good tunes for a bonfire during a summer trip
British folk music is not something I thought I'd ever listen to. Cool riffs, relatable lyrics, and good album cohesion.
I went in blind on this one. Never heard of Billy Bragg and figured I’d hate it. Turns out his Essex accent and razor-sharp take on politics give it a real punk edge. The songs cut right to the chase on social issues. You can’t help but nod along when he rails against the system. His words still hit home. Tax hikes, inequality, civil rights....track after track, it feels just as relevant now. Between the "Chimes of Freedom"-inspired chorus and jangly electric guitar, "Ideology" is a clever wink to both Bob Dylan and the Byrds without feeling like a rip-off. Favorite song: Help Save The Youth of America
My previous exposure to Bragg is via Wilco. Here he’s not much of a singer and the chip on his shoulder gets in the way of any saving graces in the music.
Largo y me deja con sabor a poco.
Enjoyed
Ugh, he thinks he's saying Something Important.
It's a good one-off listen. Not my taste so probably won't revisit.
had no idea going into this what it would sound like. Now i do. It's not bad. same bucket as Paul Weller et all. that accent tho.
Very different sound, folk and punk mix well and songs are great.
2,75
Knew the name, but not the music. To me, it sounded like a stripped-down and more politically or socially oriented version of Squeeze or The Jam. I can hear NIck Lowe’s influence, Difford & Tillbrook coming through. Not sure I’d go back, but pleasant enough.
Really great instrumentation on this. Bragg’s voice is very distinct, but I enjoyed listening to him. Very folky. Solid listen.
this was just brilliant, and i will forever feel grateful for getting to see billy bragg live last year. there is power in a union made me cry, hadnt listened to any of his full albums until now but he is a poignant and striking songwriter and this album felt especially relevant today.
Enjoyed the first few songs, felt unique and different. And to its credit, it’s definitely got a lot of variety in instrumentation between songs. But man, 22 songs of his voice really starts to wear on you about halfway through. Decent enough but in limited doses.
Not into this. Very long - two discs! They all kind of sound the same and sound sad...
Dit is zeker niet voor iedereen, maar ik hou wel van een lekker politiek links protest albumpje in de stijl van Guthrie & Dylan (Ideology is zelfs een herinterpretatie van een Dylan track). Kan Billy Bragg echt zingen? Nee, niet echt. Voor menig luisteraar zal dit een struikelblok zijn, ik hou daar wel van, lekkere rauwe emotie. 'Levi Stubbs' Tears' & 'There Is Power in a Union' zijn wat mij betreft de absolute hoogtepunten, al zijn ze beide misschien wat on the nose. On the nose is sowieso iets wat de heer Bragg niet bang is om te zijn en dat bewonder ik ergens wel. Echter, uiteindelijk bekruipt tijdens het luisteren van deze plaat me steeds het gevoel dat ik ergens een mondharmonica mis (of toch de superieure songwriting van de eerder genoemde influences). Al met al best vermakelijk en ik zal het in de toekomst nog wel een keer aanzetten om te kijken of ik het wat meer kan loskoppelen van andere artiesten.
Het nummer Train train vond ik wel aardig met de violen, maar voor de rest kon ik er echt niet goed doorheen komen. Ik kan daarom ook niet veel anders zeggen dan: dit is niks voor mij.
Op advies van Timo alleen disk 1 aangezet en zelfs die met moeite afgeluisterd. Schel gitaar geluid zonder andere instrumenten en een stem die vermoeit maakt voor een album waar geen enkel nummer in een van mn playlists gaat.
Oef.... Ik begrijp dat het een wat ouder album is, maar ik ben niet door disk 1 gekomen. Deels te weinig tijd, maar ik kon ook de schelle gitaar op een gegeven moment niet meer aanhoren. Tot aan dat punt helaas niets noemenswaardigs positiefs gehoord 🤷♀️
Better week, mowed the lawn, and asked Abby about her day
Such a Brillant Punkrock Poet. Loved his music in the 80ies and still do!
OK? The guitars would be absolutely OK for an improvising busker, or for a friend at a campfire. Even then, the vocals would not be acceptable though. Constant changes in volume don't make the voice sound any less monotone, just more grating. Couldn't stand more than the first half the album. But since everything sounded the same there, I'll just assume the rest sounds the same too.
Not for me but also not an easy listen once I locked in. Listening to it while at a drive thru. It's a 1.7 or 1.5 so giving it a 1.
One can only endure so many songs about unions from a brambly singer songwriter before one starts wishing they’d shut up. This album is like an hour long, and to what effect? There’s very little variation. Some of the melodies are straight lifts from Dylan and Nico, which, sure, pay homage, but like with the cover on this, it made me wish I was listening to the originals.
I wanted to like this more than I did. Frankly, there was just too many songs and they all kind of sounded the same. I love his voice though, and love the vibes.
lyrics were interesting, but the music isn't really my thing. Not enough drums.
Billy Bragg goes a little jangly and remains political and the political side is still as relevant today as ever.
interesting, it’s not usually the kind i’d go for, but it was okay
This did not have to be a double album. There was way too much bloat on here. All the alternate takes, instrumentals, and demos should have been on some sort of deluxe anniversary edition, but that’s just the regular album!? If he had cut this to a tight 45 minutes it could’ve been okay. Even then his voice is annoying unless he’s playing a cover in which case he puts on an accent that makes him sing better for some reason. I liked the union song, and his woody Guthrie cover was solid. Everything else was not great.
Accidentally listened to the bonus tracks on Apple Music and was thinking that disc 2 was finally taking this album to a place it should've started from. Turns out I wasn't supposed to hear that. bummer. for disc 1? 3/5
Alot of political messages sometimes felt too on the nose. Alot of the songs sounded too similar
Pretty good, not totally into every track. I like the overall sound.
I honestly wish he was talking to the taxman about poetry rather than in the studio making an album ...
Is this a Communist lecture? What depressing about old folk songs is how they are still pretty accurate 40 years later. But it still kinda feels like reading an old magazine. A less catchy Midnight Oil, we were real determined to be bummed out in 80s. I can’t imagine why you would want to put this record on. It’s not bad but it’s not fun.
There's some good stuff in here, and some not so good. It started out poorly, with a couple of repetitive and dull tracks. Then it picked up. The Marriage had some good trumpet music, likewise Honey I'm A Big Boy Now had some nice piano, and Help Save The Youth Of America had some killer guitar. There Is Power In A Union was also a good listen. Best song: Help Save The Youth Of America
No comment
3/10
New to me. Pretty much know Billy Bragg from the Mermaid Avenue Sessions (Wilco/Tweedy fan). Sort of knew he was a relevant figure in British Folk, but not much beyond that. I immediately hear the influences of the '80s and the UK in both political referencing & sound production. His vocal delivery sounds similar to The Smiths. I also hear Elvis Costello. But his verse & melody construction is often more simplistic and approachable than either of those two - a la the traditional protest folk he was inspired by. It just doesn't feel as compelling as Guthrie, Baez, or other folk ballad singers, and certainly not as compelling as The Smiths or Costello. I don't strongly dislike the album, but I can't find anything I truly love either. Considering this was inspired by a political poem with plenty of wit, I would love to have felt more singular creativity - musically or lyrically. Whether or not it's fair to compare, I liked his covers from the 2006 reissue substantially more than his original work. Of the initial release, 'Ideology' & 'Levi Stubbs' Tears' were my favorites. I can see enjoying those after future listens, so I'll likely revisit the whole album and see how I feel the 2nd time.
The Jam jamming and experimenting in studio
It's a good album by a singer-songwriter. Billy Bragg has his heart in the right place. But the ballad style doesn't hold up over an album. He named The Clash as an influence and you can hear that. But this album sounds like you'd just Joe Strummer playing acoustic sets of Clash songs: Good, but not great.
Was initially pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t just Bragg and a guitar. There is actually some music production going on. It actually has some 80s sheen to the music. But he doesn’t half bang on. Glad I gave it a go. It’s good that artists like Bragg exist and indeed there will be plenty of people who love this. I’m just not one of them.
Calm and nice.
Stopping this halfway through. Thick British accent rambling on and on is too much.
A lot of this sounds the same to me, but there’s an earnestness that I appreciate and lyrics like this blow me away And the cities of Europe have burned before And they may yet burn again And if they do I hope you understand That Washington will burn with them
Liked this! Folky Americana and protest songs.
I don't like folk rock. There are some good parts here, but overall the music is just too slow and not very exciting. Not really my thing. I prefer music to be more present, and this just falls into the background and fails to engage me much. That being said, the music itself is not bad by any means.
Billy Bragg is always worth listening to. Nothing as immediate as 'Between the Wars' or 'A New England', and his voice does grate a bit after a while (!).
Solid lyrically- And while I really didn't enjoy his voice at first it did grow on me enough to be tolerable. The fact that I agree more often than not on the message sways it to a 3
Workers Unite Jams. The covers are good too, and Levi Stubbs Tears is a classic.
Pretty good. We like ol' Billy Bragg (and don't quite understand why so many people take issue with the vocals here). Overall, a decent album.
Really enjoy the production on this. Raw low-fi folky country vibes with a hint of punk. Guitar work is cool and simple. Album didn’t grip me, may need some more listens. Plenty of political themes
Not too bad at all - not sure its double album 22 songs worth of good tho.
3/5. Once you get past the heavy accent, and some people might not and that is valid, there is some pretty introspective and progressive lyrics here. The production is full and crisp, allowing me to understand most of the lyrics despite the accent. And there is an innocent charm to the vocals, but also not sure it's for me all the time. I enjoyed it but it's not something I would necessarily recommend. Folk Punk is a good genre classification, but I guess I would have liked a little more Punk. Best Song: Ideology, There Is Power In A Union, Levi Stubbs' Tears
01) Greetings to the New Brunette - 6,5 02) Train Train - 7,0 03) The Marriage - 6,5 04) Ideology - 5,5 05) Levi Stubbs' Tears - 6,5 06) Honey, I'm a Big Boy Now - 5,5 07) There Is Power in a Union - 6,0 08) Help Save the Youth of America - 6,5 09) Wishing the Days Away - 5,5 10) The Passion - 5,5 11) The Warmest Room - 6,0 12) The Home Front - 5,0 TOTAL: 6,00 (60/100) Current ranking: 438/557
fuck capitalism
I don’t dislike Mr Bragg but his work can be a little samey
As I was reading reviews of this album, I discovered that many of the 1 star reviews came from people who have Red Hot Chili Peppers listed as one of their favorites. They find Billy Bragg’s voice annoying, but love the mediocre vocals of Anthony Keidis? Things that make you go hmmm…
Highlights: Ideology, Greetings to the New Brunette, Levi Stubbs' Tears. "They must declare their interests but not their company cars. Is there more to a seat in parliament than sitting on your arse? And the best of all this bad bunch is shouting to be heard above the sound of ideologies clashing." Ideology by Billy Bragg and Bob Dylan. Honestly, I'd listen to Billy Bragg over Morrissey any day. ANY. DAY. Overall: 7/10
Disk 1 giver lidt Morrissey vibes, fed stemme, der er et bar gode sange. Disk 2 giver mere folk, lidt mere stille og rolig også valid.
I know writers who use subtext and they're all cowards. - Garth Marenghi
the most british thing i’ve ever heard oh my god, this is just if morrissey was like unheard of, i quite enjoyed it, rip joe casey you would’ve loved billy bragg, overall it’s alright just very long and samey, the last song ate
I do enjoy but giving tea for the tillerman . It was very folky and I wnjoyed it a lot . Cba to listen to all but I skipped through some songs and I liked the majority just pretty decent
bragg-ing about Bragg: ist in England eine grosse folknummer, und mir bisher unbekannt. gitarre und engagement, zum glück mit gastmusikern, damit es was hermacht. gut so - roaring eighties.
Etwas eintönig.
love Billy Bragg, great songs, great live
The songs on this album were, lyrically, very strong. I enjoyed the lyricism and the music was great. It was, however, very lengthy. It felt like some of the songs could have been cut from the album and it would have made it easier to digest. The singer(s) have very prominent English accents, which is not a bad thing, but it isn't necessarily my preference. Had the album been shorter, I don't think that would've been a big deal. It just started becoming repetitive after so long.
I dig Billy Bragg. I think is debut is a better record - but this is solid.
This album is such a nice breath of overt political art. I got it when it came out and it still sounds great. Glad this is on here
116/1089 - This wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but his accent is very thick. A problem with a lot of singer-songwriter types is they focus so much on words/story that their actual melodies aren't memorable or musical. While there definitely was some English folk influence (and a rip of "Rudie Can't Fail" on "Help Save the Youth of America") in the melodies, nothing was catchy to my ear.
wasn't sure at first, but actually quite enjoyed some of it, very political
Dad- 5 Mom- 3 Mike- NA Lori- 5.5 Michael- 7 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg- 5.13
2.5 stars
He's alright, I guess. But pretty boring, really.
I wonder what the taxman has to say about poetry.
nice guitar album. i cant decide whether i like his voice or not
To sum this up in one sentence: imagine, Robert Smith fronting the clash while performing songs written by Woody Guthrie. It’s a combo that I didn’t love every track of, but the ones that worked worked well!
Should I listen more to this album I can see myself singing along. Sometimes silly, sometimes political, always Cockney; somehow it works.
This sure is a English album. I'd probably enjoy Mr. Bragg's songs more on a tribute album of covers of his greatest works. Seems to be a decent song-writer, but his singin's middlin'.
I’d heard about Billy Bragg for his politics, so I expected that the main appeal of this album would be its message rather than the music, but I was wrong! This genuinely sounds great and I think I’d have enjoyed even if I didn’t broadly agree with what was being said
Don’t mind it mate. Probably not going to listen again or search any more out though. Simpsons: No
I've never properly listened to Billy Bragg, but might have to start as this was awesome.
This was pretty darn good. His voice is lovely to listen to and made the whole thing enjoyable. My favourite line from the whole album was "How can you lie there and think of England When you don't even know who's in the team"
Now this is punk. Oh man I really liked this. Gives me Woody Guthrie vibes obviously. There is Power in a Union always gets me going. Help Save the the Youth of America I really enjoyed, I'm so used to people slagging off America and it feeling really smug and condescending but this feels like Bragg genuinely cares and believes in the country and that it's just lost it's way. Thatcher Fucked the Kids
Trying to find things to write about these albums when I'm powering through to catch up (was at 139 down, now at 21) is getting tedious. Another one I'm unfamilar with the artist, liked it well enough, and glad being a "two disc" album according to Spotify it was only just over an hour long.
Alright, some really good stuff and some less good
An album to fuck with margaret Thatcher AND Elon Musk. Workers unite!
Already have this in my library
Glad to have listened to this. Still feels very relevant.
didn't like this as much as I thought I would. Especially as a fan of Richard Dawson. Maybe I wasn't in the right headspace
Enjoyed this more than I expected to, would listen again
Can’t sing, can only play the most basic guitar. His saving grace is his politics which are delivered with the subtlety and nuance that makes left wing ideology so easy to ignore. And I do consider Myself left wing.
I actually didn't mind this album. It's pretty stripped down, mostly a dude singing ditties w/ a guitar.
Just a bit boring
I love Bragg's songwriting and musical minimalism. Liked Songs Added: Greetings To The New Brunette Levi Stubbs Tears The Tracks Of My Tears
I’ve been a fan of Billy Bragg for almost 40 years now. Love his lyrics, love his politics, love his heart. I appreciate his voice isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but his message should be heard by all. Very happy to see this on the list, and some of the songs are even more topical now than when this album came out so long ago. Billy’s Worker’s Playtime album is one of my all time favorites and is my five star album of his. I urge you all to go give it a listen even though it wasn’t chosen for this list. It will break your heart.
Do people actively search this out and sit down at the end of a day and listen to this? Or is this just an album people have to show how liberal they are without actually being liberal? It's just so boring.
Folky, vibey album where all the songs run pretty seamlessly into the next
Champagne socialist
So surprised by this one! Awesome protest album. Honestly the vocals and instruments are great on this. Production fits well too.
bastante motivador este folkipunk, muy Dylan o muy Clash. Algo triste eso si.
★★½
I really wanted to like this. In theory, folk punk is very cool. But, it's just kind of boring. I can't get into it, sorry.
I knew of Billy from his collaboration with Wilco on Mermaid Avenue which were arrangements of previously unreleased Woody Gutherie lyrics, so I had high hopes when I saw this come up in my queue. I was not disappointed. First, Billy cannot sing to save his life, but it works very well for him. His lyrics really shine through, particularly on the romantic songs. Loved the opening track, but Levi Stubb's Tears and Honey, I'm a Big Boy Now, and Sin City are all great, too. I also enjoyed the political rants, but mostly as a point of catharsis than anything else. They certainly are not poignant. My only gripe is that this album is LOOOONNG. I can't tell what is a bonus track or not on Spotify but a lot of the songs can be samey and the demo and alternative takes of tracks don't do anything to prevent the album from morphing into a wash of folky wailing. I'll come back to this one, but I doubt it'll be as a full album.
Listened Before? N Awesome! Great messages and a lot of fun mixing punk ideologies with folky/poppy music. I am digging this one. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Help Save the Youth of America
1.5 - Bad
I put Billy Bragg in the same category as Bob Dylan. Love the music, love the message, hate the voice. Favorite songs: Help Save the Youth of America, There is Power in a Union, Levi Stubbs' Tears, "Honey, I'm a Big Boy Now", Ideology, Wishing the Days Away, Sin City, Deportees, The Tracks of My Tears Least favorite songs: The Passion, Greetings to the New Brunette 4/5
I went in expecting to like this as I enjoy folk singer/songwriters but I kind of hated it. Big part was his voice was just obnoxious to me and I didn't enjoy the production on this either sometimes it sounded almost muffled. Lyrics also didn't really do as much as I was hoping. Very disappointed
This British boner sucks
I have really only heard a few songs by Billy Bragg prior to listening to this album, other than the Mermaid Avenue stuff with Wilco. I liked this a lot, It's full of protest songs and country songs and a phenomenal cover of "The Tracks Of My Tears"
Never heard this before. Kind of Irish worker songs. Several songs about being in a union and how great that is so that's pretty cool. The songs are catchy but I don't really see myself listening to it again. Nothing against workers rights or anything, I'm all for it.
good ol' brittish music
Hmmm. I think Billy Bragg doesn't do it for me.
Cava nog, wijze stem sowieso. Levi Stubbs Tears is echt een nice nummer. De rest blijft niet echt hangen. 2.5
Not bad
Really enjoyable set of stripped down songs. The style is rooted in folk, but a few of these songs would be punk if the sound was a little more fleshed out and the band was bigger. Cool to hear the connection between folk and punk like that. I love his voice too. He’s got a great accent, and he’s very emotive.
This was a pretty enjoyable listen. I really dug how the first track doesn't ever have drums yet it sounds like a full band orchestration- they make all of the acoustic guitars work really well in a nice spatial + rhythmic sense that I never felt like I needed a percussion element. Which is surprising because to me personally when I hear this kind of sound I usually feel like I'm listening to a bit of a cacophony of acoustic guitarists sitting around a campfire. Yea there's some wonderful minimalism going on here- like "Levi Stubbs' Tears" is really cool with the majority of it being a single electric guitar and voice. Also noticing this far into the album that it's not just the first song that is without a drumset, as I'm not hearing it anywhere else. Cool listen, I enjoyed!
Solid four stars here. Great songwriting as always -- just a lot of material that can get a little samey. Still very much worth a listen.
2.5