Mr Love And Justice

Billy Bragg

'Mr Love And Justice' nicely encapsulates both of Billy Bragg's song writing stalwarts in the title and over two CD's we get a band version and a solo outing for the same set of songs. For the first time a photograph of Billy Bragg's profile adorns one of his albums starring enigmatically skywards. Drenched in sepia tones you could be forgiven for anticipating a lacklustre release from someone entering an autumnal period of their career, especially now the lad’s hit the fifty mark.

It's his established crew 'The Blokes' that surround him in the studio for CD number one. This is the album you'll get if you opt for the single disc. The sound could almost be The Band at times, soulful and countrified. Those who have stayed on board the Bragg wagon have been treated to numerous musical developments, the piano-led crooner, full on indie strum-a-thons also ska and world timbres, but this time he has hit pay dirt.

'I Keep Faith' with it's multi-voiced chorus leans towards a stirring Stax vibe with Robert Wyatt lending his dulcet tones. It opens an album littered with his thoughts on many topical themes. Billy will never forget his Army days and there aren't many artists who could perform 'Sing Their Souls Back Home' and sound this convincing. He's been quoted as saying 'It's a pro-humanity song' and it sums up his anti-conflict stance with a beautiful gospel warmth. 'O Freedom' is a timely track about the injustices of extraordinary rendition and 'Farm Boy' has further words of sympathy '..all that I can see are farmers and families and a whole lot of misery'.

The mood remains dark for some troublesome relationship talk on 'I Almost Killed You' but it's 'If You Ever Leave' that wins in the love category with some truly melancholic words 'If you ever leave my love then they can bring the curtain down on this lonesome town'. The WPM ( Words Per Minute ) may have dropped but each line still has the potential to be savoured.

His guitar and voice haven't shifted that much in style since the 80's and some will find it hard to suppress the nostalgia when they play the solo disc. On his own Billy's guitar can summon it's own storm clouds and in contrast to the band versions the sentiment of the songs is expressed with even greater clarity. My advice is to definitely spend the few extra quid for the deluxe version.

It's wonderfully satisfying to have some studio product again from the great man after such a lengthy lay off. Over the intervening years the gigs have always been a treat but there has been the slightest whiff of self-parody creeping in. Now this release wipes the slate clean, it has a weightiness that helps us re-establish our bond to Billy.

For other artists with a twenty-five year career I would have been approaching yet another album with trepidation, harbouring fears of another hero being creatively spent, not so with Billy. Never having stagnated he's still a persuasive spokesperson, an inspiration and a righteous musician.

David Kushar