Billy Bragg - Talking with the Taxman About Poetry

Billy Bragg's Crowning Acheivement

He was edgier when he first got started, more produced later on, but this would be the moment when Billy Bragg arrived and America finally started to pay attention. Levi Stubbs' Tears is, without a doubt, one of the finest love songs ever written in the English language.

A one man Clash, indeed.

I was lucky enough to see him at UCLA in 1987. He is even better live.

January 27, 2007

YepRoc reissue

"The Difficult Third Album", Bragg tagged this album back in 1986. I always got a kick out of that honesty. Listening to the material inside I couldn't imagine what he was trying to warn his listeners about. Furthering his songs about the politics of love and living, Bragg once again penned some excellent songs on Talking With the Taxman about Poetry.

Joined by Johnny Marr on guitar and occasionally Kirsty MacColl he comes out swinging with "Greetings to the New Brunette", the reason I bought this album after seeing a grainy video on MTV. Billy shows his love of Motown in the sad tale of "Levi Stubbs' Tears" and also by referencing Motown in song and horn arrangements that one might not initially notice as being "Motown". The disc sees Bragg wrestling constantly with the idea of marriage vs. singledom and the myriad combinations in between.

Several excellent songs deal with politics in England and abroad: "Help Save the Youth of America", "Ideology" and the traditional "Power in a Union". Without the help of a pitch shifter Billy sings his heart out with passion and an electric guitar that is just as brash with reverb. Some may find this annoying, most find it honest. I found myself arguing the latter when trying to recruit my brother to his music, to no avail.

This review would be nothing without talking about the Bonus CD and packaging of the YepRoc Reissue. I'm not a singles-buyer so the extra tracks are new to me, and well worth it. "Sin City" by Gram Parsons, "Deportees" by Woody Guthrie, a traditional instrumental version of "There is Power in a Union", an endearing cover of "The Tracks of My Tears" (more Motown!), alternate takes of "Wishing the Days Away" and "The Clashing of Ideologies", a different version of "Greetings to the New Brunette", two B-side Bragg tunes "A Nurse's Life is Full of Woe" and "Only Bad Signs", and an a capella traditional song "Hold the Fort".

As I so loved this when I bought it on LP I was a little taken aback by the original cover mock-up, and the poem "Talking With the Taxman About Poetry" completely missing from the packaging. The poem really brought the whole album together as a statement. But I imagine with royalties and rights this had to be done. Still, an excellent Billy Bragg album, well-done.
February 27, 2006

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