Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
For the first time in five years, one of the beating hearts of musical radical social truth releases an album. Whilst Billy Bragg’s overt dynamism may have mellowed with age, the fire in conviction, the words he wants get across to those that sometimes won’t or can’t listen has never been more acute and on Tooth and Nail, he still uses the power of the ideas running through his head to great effect.
Tooth and Nail feels different though, the music is still a joy to hear, it doesn’t bounce at rate of knots and there is no confusion that you get with more established artists as they try to recapture a part of themselves from decades before. Bill Bragg imparts to the listener the knowledge that he is not that far of his 60th birthday and whilst he has no need to bang a very large drum anymore to get his message across, he still is able to whisper gently down the ears and bring out the very best of others and more importantly himself.
The music grabs the listener’s awareness more by playing along with any pre-conceptions that they might have and moulding them to his own views. It takes a clever musician to get away with this and in Billy Bragg it is delightful and pleasantly melancholic whilst giving no quarter to distraction or giving up any principles.
As with any Bill Bragg album, the whole is better than the sum of its parts and as certain tracks might jump out and intensely likeable, the effect on the overall record is one that makes it more appealing. To hear the music in its entirety rather than playing a slapdash game with some incredible tracks and dismissing those that marry the pieces together. However, it has to be said that even if just the once you do this reckless act then Do Unto Others and the beautiful Goodbye, Goodbye will set the album up for any listener just dipping their toe into the deep waters that Billy Bragg provides.
Billy Bragg may have been away for five years but what a great album to return with.
Ian D. Hall