Billy Bragg Vol.2 (Workers Playtime/Don't Try This At Home/William Bloke Vol.1/England Half English/+DVD) - Billy Bragg

Billy Bragg is a dedicated socialist. He’s been committed to those values for over twenty years. Combined with his unique Essex voice this has made him an enduring presence in British music.

Now experiencing resurgence in popularity due to the growing folk scene, four of his best albums are available in very neat and well-designed box set. Forty quid buys you: Workers Playtime (1988); Don’t Try This At Home (1989); William Bloke (1996); ...
...grown up Bragg fans that once owned the albums in their original tape or record format, but would now like them in CD version, this is ideal. In addition to the technological upgrade you get a bonus CD with each album and a live DVD of two shows from 1991 and 2006.
The Bonus CDs comprise mainly of demos, the occasional live track and songs from other albums

. The William Bloke bonus disk has five of the seven tracks from the ... more

Billy Bragg is a dedicated socialist. He’s been committed to those values for over twenty years. Combined with his unique Essex voice this has made him an enduring presence in British music.

Now experiencing resurgence in popularity due to the growing folk scene, four of his best albums are available in very neat and well-designed box set. Forty quid buys you: Workers Playtime (1988); Don’t Try This At Home (1989); William Bloke (1996); and England, Half English (2004).

For grown up Bragg fans that once owned the albums in their original tape or record format, but would now like them in CD version, this is ideal. In addition to the technological upgrade you get a bonus CD with each album and a live DVD of two shows from 1991 and 2006.
The Bonus CDs comprise mainly of demos, the occasional live track and songs from other albums

. The William Bloke bonus disk has five of the seven tracks from the album Bloke on Bloke. ‘Thatcherites’ is a sneering, hate filled anthem that calls for revolution. It is one of several that explicitly identify with working class radicalism. On ‘Qualifications’ Bragg sings in first person as an undervalued checkout assistant: “ I got a first in physics so I ought to know, if your fries are for here or to go.”

Bragg’s ability to identify with the downtrodden worker is present throughout his career, and indeed, this box set. ‘Rotting on Remand’ tells the plight of an unlucky prisoner. The moral of the story – that education and rehabilitation are better than punishment- is just as relevant today, if not more so, than it was nearly twenty years ago.

As well as incendiary political tracks, Bragg has written some beautiful love songs too. Most recently ‘Jamie T’, a trendy young pop star, covered Bragg’s New England. Unfortunately that is not here, but you do get, ‘Sexuality’, ‘ You woke up my neighbourhood’, ‘Sugardaddy’ and She’s got a new spell.’ These switch between optimism and melancholy. It’s been a winning formula in Bragg’s career, including his latest release, ‘England, Half English.’ In this album he grapples with patriotism and the idea of multi cultural England, whilst retaining his anti-corporate angst with songs like ‘NPWA.’

As well as the music, a lyrics book in the box set, is a nice addition for people who want to sing along. Bragg fans will really enjoy this package. 

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