Japanese pressing from legendary singer songwriter, including single tracks like 'I Keep Faith'. This version also comes with two bonus tracks, 'Ash Wednesday' & 'Goodbye'. Sony. 2008.
Si tratta di un ottimo lavoro di Billy Bragg, peraltro quello che mi ha permesso alcuni anni fa di conoscere l'autore. Il vinile è di buona qualità. devo ammettere che è uno degli album di questo autore che amo di più. Se apprezzate questo genere di musica non potete perdervelo.
It's been 6 years since Billy Bragg has released an album, and that one, "England, Half English," was a disappointment to me. However, "Mr. Love & Justice" is his best album, in my humble, since "Worker's Playtime."
Not only is the album well-balanced between romantic and protest songs - making for an apt title - but the distinction between the two genres are even blurred within the songs. For instance the song "Something Happened" contains a polemic bit of wisdom concerning the definition of love and lust, while "Sing Their Souls Back Home" and "Farm Boy" focus on humantic, personal concerns as a reason for ending a war. Significantly, Mr. Bragg doesn't specify which war, which insures their continuing relevance. (Hopefully there will never be a need for such relevance ever again.)
The deluxe version is worth the extra money, especially if you're a fan of his earlier work. "I Almost Killed You" sounds like it could be an outtake from the "Back To Basics" collection. There is a real distinction between the two different versions of the songs, and I play both equally as often.
This is a warm, wonderful collection of modern folk songs, and would be a welcome addition to the collection of any and all thoughtful and socially-conscious people.
Die Deluxe Edition beinhaltet zwei CDs, auf der die Titel zum einen mit den Blokes und zum anderen als Soloversionen eingespielt worden sind.
Mir gefallen die Solo-Versionen um Klassen besser, als die Versionen mit den Blokes. Ich fühle mich endlich einmal wieder an die legendäre Compilation "Back to Basics" erinnert. Billy bringt die Songs einfach klar und schnörkelos rüber. Ich finde die Band-Arrangements - so zurückhaltend sie auch sind - nehmen Billys Stimme einen guten Teil der Eindringlichkeit und des Gefühls, die seine E-Gitarre (die gleiche von damals) unterstreicht.
Billy ist lyrischer als damals - aber ich bin mitlerweile auch nicht mehr 21. Ich kann die Deluxe Edition jedem wärmstens ans Herz legen, der vor allem die alten Sachen von Billy mag.