Talking With the Taxman About Poetry

I like this, but I kinda expected to like this more. This was marketed to me as folk punk, but the problem is that this was kind of forging ahead before folk punk was really established, so it doesn't *feel* like folk punk. But it *is* folk punk, in the strictest sense of the word, in that it feels like a combination of singer-songwriter music and like class of '77 songwriting. And there is a lot here I like, the songs themselves are really cool, and combine these two worlds in a really unique way. My favorites here were Train Train, Levi Stubbs' Tears, There Is Power In A Union, Help Save The Youth of America, and The Home Front. These all prominently feature the combination of great songwriting and razor-sharp political lyricism that this album features at its best. I will say, my biggest problem here is the production. There is sort of an echo-y, new wave-y sheen on this album that I don't think suits it especially well. It sounds fine on some songs, my favorites tend to be the ones that wear the aesthetic well. But as a whole, it imparts a kind of strange sound, and I think I would prefer it with a more stripped down presentation. All in all, it's obvious that Billy Bragg is talented, and I like his songwriting quite a bit. It doesn't fully come together, but it's a cool listen all thr same, and I see myself coming back.

I haven't heard of this artist before and had no expectations, but this was still a surprise. I read a bunch of the reviews that complained a lot, and usually I'm the complainer that doesn't like what everyone else says is great. This time, I thought the album was great and it seemed like most reviewers didn't. Maybe I I have a soft spot for folk music, English accents, and sparse arrangements? Kind of reminds me of a stripped down Clash

I don't know what it was specifically, but this album went into my collection during track two or three without a bit of regret by the time it was over. I'll be coming back to this, for sure.

THERE IS POWER IN A UNION!!! ✊✊✊

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This artist is entirely new to me.

At the start, I wasn't really feeling this album, but as it went along, I enjoyed it a little more. It's not quite rising to the level of "I think I'll listen to this again" though.

Love the message and some absolutely great songs on here, I'm off to join a union.

Really like the message, really like lots of the instrumentation, but oh my god his voice I can't handle a whole album of it

Great album from an artist I was hitherto unfamiliar with. Love the pro-union stuff. Definitely going to explore more of his work on my own.

On the front of double five songs, this is a compelling crossover record for BB, sounding like himself but with some powerful tunes and lyrics that stick with you.

Enjoyable, but mot memorable

Not really my thing.

I kinds of dug this a little. Not my favorite, but it's not bad.

Talking With the Taxman About Poetry is an album that did have some pretty good ideas and for the most part, executed them rather well. This album mainly combines folk music with some more punk rock elements and a fair few of the songs put that on full display. I would also say that Bragg's songwriting is definitely quite a standout aspect about this album as these songs could tell some rather interesting stories. I also felt that this album went on for a good length by not being too long or too short. Some of the songs here do blend in with each other a bit which makes them hardly stand out but i still thought that there was no outright bad part about this album.
Best Song: Train Train
Worst Song: Honey, I'm a Big Boy Now

It's pretty good for folk but it's not really my cup of tea. This isn't a very fair review, but oh well.

2.5/5.0: Mixed

i wasnt sure what to expect going into this album. i first heard of billy bragg when lars frederiksen covered "to have and to have not" back in the early 2000s. i always enjoyed that track but never really explored his discography. then i got the billy bragg/wilco album on here which I did not enjoy. this one was closer to what i was hoping for from him but still left me with a lot to be desired. the genre on wikipedia is folk punk which i think does fit a few of the songs but i think folk is more accurate. for the most part it felt like listening to the uk bob dylan.

ah eh de boa até
achei que seria bem pior

jako fora!

Loved this, I've been meaning to get into Billy Bragg for years now. I prefer his political songs to his love songs, but some of those are great too. Some of the points he raises should be dated, but are unfortunately more relevant than ever. 8/10, but could see this rising to a 9 over time.

Incidentally, it occurred to me that this is what Elvis Costello's music could have been, if he was a bit more political. Maybe that's why his music rubs me the wrong way a lot of the time, it just feels lacking in some way.

I’ve put on a few of Billy Bragg’s songs in the past thinking I must like him because I love the idea of a folk punk artist and I’m a huge fan of his work with Wilco on the Mermaid Avenue project to put music to some unheard Woody Guthrie lyrics, but I’ve never been able to get past his voice/accent. I understand that it’s very much part of his persona and is a way to connect with the working class, but it just isn’t really for me.

That said, I actually ended up enjoying this album quite a bit when I got into it with songs like Train Train, Levi Stubbs’ Tears, Honey I’m a Big Boy Now, There is Power in a Union, Wishing the Days Away being highlights for me.

Billy Bragg is one of those artists I can only take in small doses. One or two songs? Great! This album? Tedious as hell!

I don't know what to do with this.

I actually enjoy the music, but I truly struggle with the lyrics. This very explicit protest song, street poetry style of writing always seem to be created by a nerdy teenager.

Billy Bragg goes a little jangly and remains political and the political side is still as relevant today as ever.