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October 23, 2008
Mr. Love and Justice
One-time Wilco collaborator and current folk-rocker Billy Bragg's latest effort, Mr. Love & Justice, opens with the piano driven and finger snapping "I Keep the Faith" It asks the listener "to just see it through," "go against the grain," and "endure," yet it is surprisingly filled with a saccharine sound that makes it a pleasure to do all of the above.
Unfortunately, the same can not be said of the entire album. Bragg alludes to vignettes of life with his acoustic guitar such as departing the familiar, scolding cigarette makers, challenging politicians or revealing desires to return to country life. The lyrics make big attempts but never grab the listener. One of the CD's better moments comes when asking the whole town to join in on "Sing Their Souls Back Home," as organ and slide guitar happily collide into each other. Classic rock with a punk tinge emerges on "Something Happened," and a vibe eerily similar to The Band is on the title track. By the album's end two characters seem to emerge: Mr. Love or Mr. Justice and only you can pick the one that occurs more.
John Paul Leonardi
Posted by msrap at October 23, 2008 8:13 AM