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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Anyone who subtitles there LP `The Difficult Third Album' is not building up peoples expectations and although `Taxman' may have been `Difficult' for its author for the listener it is an absolute delight.
The album opens strongly with what would become its second single `Greetings to the New Brunette' with Bragg's aching guitar being complimented by John Porter on Bass and Johnny Marr on guitar (respectively The Smiths producer and guitarist) and backing vocals provided by the late Kirsty MacColl whom had done more for promoting Bragg then anyone else by getting her `Pop' cover of Bragg's `A New England' into the charts. Although many mourned the death of pure `Urban' folk it has to be said that the enthusiasm for a further album of a man shouting over his own urgent electric guitar accompaniment may have eventually waned. The additional musicians are used only sparingly but enough to keep you interest in the arrangements as well as the lyrics.
From this strong opening Billy takes us through a cover of Pub Rock outfit The Count Bishops `Train Train' whom were on the Chiswick label when Billy Bragg and colleagues Riff Raff put out the classic single `Romford Girls'. Following this are some of the strongest songs in Billy's cannon `The Marriage', `Ideology', the taster single `Levi Stubbs' Tears', `Honey, I'm a Big Boy Now', `There is Power in a Union', `Help Save the Youth of America' and `Wishing the Days away'. I think the last three songs are probably the weakest on this album and yet strong enough to be better than the majority of songs recorded in 1986.
Of the Bonus tracks collected here the cover versions are the most telling and although the Woody Guthrie cover `Deportees' could have been predicted Gram Parsons `Sin City' and most staggering Smokey Robinson's `The Tracks of my Tears' are obviously curiosities they are strangely fascinating. Bootleg the Bragg, confuse the enemy.
The album opens strongly with what would become its second single `Greetings to the New Brunette' with Bragg's aching guitar being complimented by John Porter on Bass and Johnny Marr on guitar (respectively The Smiths producer and guitarist) and backing vocals provided by the late Kirsty MacColl whom had done more for promoting Bragg then anyone else by getting her `Pop' cover of Bragg's `A New England' into the charts. Although many mourned the death of pure `Urban' folk it has to be said that the enthusiasm for a further album of a man shouting over his own urgent electric guitar accompaniment may have eventually waned. The additional musicians are used only sparingly but enough to keep you interest in the arrangements as well as the lyrics.
From this strong opening Billy takes us through a cover of Pub Rock outfit The Count Bishops `Train Train' whom were on the Chiswick label when Billy Bragg and colleagues Riff Raff put out the classic single `Romford Girls'. Following this are some of the strongest songs in Billy's cannon `The Marriage', `Ideology', the taster single `Levi Stubbs' Tears', `Honey, I'm a Big Boy Now', `There is Power in a Union', `Help Save the Youth of America' and `Wishing the Days away'. I think the last three songs are probably the weakest on this album and yet strong enough to be better than the majority of songs recorded in 1986.
Of the Bonus tracks collected here the cover versions are the most telling and although the Woody Guthrie cover `Deportees' could have been predicted Gram Parsons `Sin City' and most staggering Smokey Robinson's `The Tracks of my Tears' are obviously curiosities they are strangely fascinating. Bootleg the Bragg, confuse the enemy.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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2 reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
YepRoc reissue
27 Feb 2006
Format:Audio CD
"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.
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.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Billy Bragg's Crowning Acheivement
27 Jan 2007
Format:Audio CD
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 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.
A one man Clash, indeed.
I was lucky enough to see him at UCLA in 1987. He is even better live.
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