Billy Bragg - Mr Love & Justice

Two Bills for the price of one

Bragg’s first album in six years is also his most aptly-titled. The political conscience of old fires on all cylinders as he enters his 50s, but the articulate troubadour who cuts right to the heart of human emotions is given equal billing. Mr Love sings with tenderness and insight on Something Happened, the words of a man who perfectly understands the responsibilities and thrills of having someone to care about.

Mr Justice is always close by: Farm Boy is a hugely affecting portrait of soldiers far away from their loved ones, while Bragg the mouthpiece seems rarely angry, except on The Johnny Carcinogenic Show, with its rage against tobacco manufacturers.

The two sides meet on the stand-out opener I Keep Faith, a soft soul strut that could be read either as a love poem to one special person or a rallying cry to a larger populace that he believes can still bring about change. It’s Bragg’s most musically accomplished collection, the caustic guitars of yore rarely surfacing, tempered by a plethora of styles, visiting Fairport Convention, Al Green, Rod Stewart and beyond. Bragg’s said he’s not sure who needs another Billy Bragg album, but if you’re thinking of buying just one, this really should be it.

Cooking Vinyl | COOKCD 452

Reviewed by Terry Staunton
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