Search - Billy Bragg and The Blokes :: England, Half English

A few gems

John C Washburne | St. Louis, Missouri USA | 03/21/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"To put my cards on the table, I'm a huge Billy Bragg fan. However the moments of genius are getting fewer and further between. This record is solid but unspectacular, with a few exceptions. "Distant Shore" is classic, heartfelt Billy Bragg, and the acoustic guitar work is gorgeous. "Another Kind of Judy" is this record's "Sexuality", and "Jane Allen" is a lot of fun. "Baby Faroukh" is a standout as well. Other than than that it's pretty average. "NPWA" is just awful musically. The lyrics are cool, but to me it's unlistenable. Bragg's live shows are still a killer, though, and I'm planning on being front and center when he comes to the States."

Important and Will Inevitably Grow On You

lhowitt | Long Beach, CA | 06/18/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

""England Half-English" is the latest plot point on Billy Bragg's biographical music chart. I think it's essential to understand where he's coming from when reviewing a Bragg Album. In listening to Billy's work over the years, I've felt like I've almost been participating in his life, such is the honesty and depth of feeling that goes into his music. That doesn't mean that all of the songs are equally good, of course. But the man has clearly, and publicly, evolved, from angry, caustic punk bard on his first 2 or 3 albums, through the relationship vicissitudes of "Worker's Playtime", the experimentation of "Don't Try This At Home", and the clearly maturer husband and father of "William Bloke". On this album he is once more looking outward, not so much at broad political theory, but at the state of the nation (England, natch). "Distant Shore" is a beautiful plangent song about asylum-seekers, one of the most turbulent (and overheated) issues in the UK right now, from the simple perspective of a man wishing to have some kind of decent existence. "England Half-English" is thematically-linked, being a decisive refutation of white nationalist claims to being the sole owners of "English" identity. It's also got a great beat and cool instrumentation. In "Take Down the Union Jack", Billy revisits the issue of empire once more, this time urging some sort of redefinition of what it means to be English in this age. And it's another gorgeous melody. The final song in this vein is "Baby Farouk". It's not a direct comment on England, but I think it can easily be understood as an appeal to inclusion and tolerance in English society. For me the above four songs alone are well worth the price of admission. But you also get "Some Days I See The Point", which I first found too somnambulent, but now adore for its lush rhythm section and elegantly-punning lyrics, and the bouncy pub-rock numbers "St. Monday", "Jane Allen", and "Another Kind of Judy". (BTW: maybe I've been out of England too long, but I don't know what the first kind of Judy is, let alone the other kind . . . ). Billy's soft American-style vocals on "He'll Go Down" class it as a sequel to "Sugar Daddy" and "Wish You Were Her" on previous albums. I'm not particularly enamoured of "Tears of My Tracks" or "NPWA", the latter being a wee too thudding for my taste. The mystery pick of the bunch is "Dreadbelly" - either Billy is weaving an elaborate metaphor or he'd had a few too many when he wrote the lyrics, cos I can't understand a bleeding word of it. Jaunty, though. In sum, "England Half-English", like all Bragg albums, repays many listens. It has wonderful tunes, powerful and fun lyrics alike, and meaningful songs. It's not his previous work, but then, don't expect Billy Bragg to stand still - he evolves; hopefully, his audience does too."