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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
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Mr. Love & Justice
by Billy Bragg
The 12th album for the musician was released both with and without his backing band, The Blokes.
| LABEL: |
Anti |
| RELEASE DATE: |
22 April 2008 |
| DISCS: |
1 disc |
| GENRE(S): |
Rock, Alternative, Folk |
NOTES: Original UK release 3 Mar 2008.
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
82
Filter
Flourishes of horns add to the traditional band instrumentation, giving Bragg a solid foundation on which to convey his message. [Spring 2008, p.92]
80
Observer Music Monthly
Six years after his last album, England, Half English, Bragg has come up trumps: Mr Love & Justice, with his band the Blokes, is his best realised work musically for ages.
80
Mojo
Mr. Love and Justice unvels a warmer, less blustry, more soulful Bragg. [Apr 2008, p.102]
80
Uncut
His best work transcends politics. Mr Love & Justice contains both he best and worst of Bragg.
80
All Music Guide
The scope of Mr. Love & Justice is often modest, but it speaks with grace, wisdom, and heart, and finds Billy Bragg a bit older, a bit wiser, and still committed to fighting the good fight; it's a return to form, a step forward, and a potent reminder of why Bragg's music still matters.
80
Billboard
Whether you prefer him shouting vitriol on the picket line or whispering sweet nothings in the bedroom, you'll find plenty to enjoy here.
80
Boston Globe
Bragg colors his brilliant Cockney-accented discourse with Appalachian folk on the Woody Guthrie-influenced 'O Freedom,' where he protests, "Freedom, what liberties are taken in thy name?" On 'I Keep Faith,' which features Soft Machine legend Robert Wyatt, he taps classic soul.
80
Paste Magazine
Rather than being a return to form, it’s a leap forward in maturity, depth and nuance.
80
Village Voice
Overall, Mr. Love and Justice is classic Bragg: frequently fantastic folk-rock that keeps both the faith and your attention.
75
The Phoenix
Recorded with his working band the Blokes, the album isn’t without its misfires (the obvious 'The Johnny Carcinogenic Show'), but it is Bragg’s most assured statement since hooking up with Wilco a decade ago to give life to lost Woody Guthrie lyrics.
75
The Onion (A.V. Club)
While he doesn't scale the heights he achieved on earlier albums, at least the mountains are visible from here.
70
Spin
Bragg gets the balance of message and music just about right. [May 2008, p.94]
70
Hartford Courant
The songs are pleasant enough, but they ultimately feel a bit over-thought, and Bragg often makes his best points with nothing more than his voice and an acoustic guitar.
65
Pitchfork
Mr. Love & Justice isn't exactly the musical equivalent of dropping flowers down the barrels of rifles, but there is a certain passivity to the disc, a characteristic magnified by the rootsy approach of Bragg's trusty band the Blokes, who channel the bucolic bent of the Band rather than the edge of the Clash.
63
Los Angeles Times
Unfortunately, when Bragg ventures back into well-trod territory, it falls somewhat flat. Though 'Sing Their Souls Back Home' focuses on troops stationed all over the world, the teeth of past protest songs are entirely absent.
60
Hot Press
Bragg is taking stock. He’s now doing it for himself, at his own pace. Those in search of revelation from an old punk with a new perspective will be left hanging
60
Q Magazine
Here his long-established yet lumpy backers The Blokes too often impede his thoughtful lyrics. [Apr 2008, p.102]
50
PopMatters
It is, for all its faults, still a solid record. But, coming from an artist as consistently brilliant as Billy Bragg has been, it could have been a lot more.
50
Magnet
Overall, though, Mr. Love & Justice is a collection of broken promises and lyrics that don’t live up to their potential.
40
Drowned In Sound
On the whole Mr Love & Justice is an album that sounds like it was made for the sake of it rather than to cascade any real statement of intent.
40
NOW Magazine
Billy Bragg’s studio return finds him in his comfort zone provided by the Blokes and producer Grant Showbiz under yet another title copped from novelist Colin MacInnes.
40
musicOMH.com
After six years away this pasty Americana comes as a big disappointment.
The average user rating for this album is 5.0 (out of 10) based on 2 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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