877 Billy Bragg - Life's A Riot With Spy Vs Spy (1983)

 877 Billy Bragg - Life's A Riot With Spy Vs Spy (1983)


Studio Album - Folk Punk




About the Act:

Billy Bragg is a British singer and guitarist who came to prominence in the 80s. He was known for his left-wing politics and activism, especially in opposition to Thatcherite politics, and for his stripped-back music that is just himself playing an electric guitar and singing. His singing is not what could be called technically skillful, but it has a certain everyman appeal, delivered with a strong working-class (Essex) accent. He was considered a poet of the people before Morrisey and The Smiths came along, and his lyrics are often political and acerbic. He has gained wide critical acclaim.


About the Album:

This was Billy Bragg's first album, and may be the shortest album on this list at just under 16 minutes. It was released on vinyl for 45RPM rather than the normal 33.3, but still was seen as an album rather than an EP.


My History with this Album:

None, although I know one song really well. You might know it too.


Review:

My memory of Billy Bragg was that he used to be more bitter than this. I suspect I mostly encountered him in political mode. On this album it is just him and his electric guitar, which gives a stripped-back feel, which allows the lyrics to come through strongly, and really that's the most important thing on the album. Songs about things. The plying is competent but not that good, there are occasional small fluffs. The singing is so far from the vocal gymnastics of people like Celine Dion and Alexandra Burke that it is a feature. Billy is a down-to-earth guy, one of the people, just like you.

One song is well-known. "A New England" became a hit for Kirsty McColl. She changed the lyrics around to make it work rom a female perspective, so it is curious to hear Billy's less-known version, from a male perspective. They both work.

The other songs are new to me. I like them. I pretty much like all of them I think. He has a certain gentle wistfulness that I really didn't expect. There is some of the politics, but there is more of the romantic here. Some social commentary, and while some of it is pretty on the nose, some is more subtle and measured. It's all pretty inventive, and I can see how at the time it would have been refreshing.

So I liked it, quite a bit to be honest. Give it a try, you might like it too.

7.5


Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/7McfyVgOfvdfyREan8IHHC

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBB3DD10CD922655B

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life%27s_a_Riot_with_Spy_vs_Spy



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