Customer Reviews

Workers Playtime

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is simply one of Billy Bragg's best albums -- one that I can hardly keep myself from listening to again and again, and each time I do I hear something I missed before or a lyric will have a new level of meaning for me. This is also one of Billy's smoothest albums: the arrangements are lush and richer than his usual "scratchy voice and a jangly guitar" thing (a perfect counterpoint to the also brilliant "Back to Basics"), and the tunes are catchy beyond belief. You'll feel at times like a hopeless romantic as you listen to these lovelorn tales of woe and survival, but you'll enjoy every blessed moment. 'Life with the Lions' and 'The Short Answer' will soothe the wounds that remain from every past relationship gone awry; 'Waiting for the Great Leap Forward' will make you want to go out and start a ruckus in spite of your better intentions. In its complexity and scope, this album reveals Bragg to be an absolutely brilliant poet and composer. This album is as vital to any collection as the Clash's "London Calling" and the Beastie Boys' "Paul's Boutique".

What to say about Workers Playtime? Listening to it is like going back to college and reliving your youth. I'm sure Mr. Bragg feels the same way about it. It's only 11 songs long but it's impossible to think that the music could be much better.

On this album, the master of urban folk created melodies concerning politics and love that are as outstanding as anything found in his oeuvre. "Waiting For The Great Leap Forward" needs little explanation but the tune includes lyrical nuggets like "the revolution is just a t-shirt away." Honestly, there's not a bad song on the CD even though I didn't like the a cappella, "Tender Comrade," at first. Now it goes down like Chimay Ale.

Even though I bought my copy about 15 years ago, I still sing along to the tracks when they play. Workers Playtime is an inspired mix of rock, folk, and late eighties pop. What a combination. It begins with the earnest joy of "She's got a New Spell," which is the perfect tune with which to introduce friends to Billy Bragg. Its lyrics are original and you cannot sit still while listening to it. "Must I Paint You a Picture" and "The Price I Pay" are both intense and passionate. They also showcase his complexity as a lyricist. Personally, I spent years laughing about the line, "I hate the a--hole I become when I'm with you," in "Life with the Lions." The sentiment is quite accurate about many a relationship.

As for the album's zenieth, I would have to say that "The Only One" is right up there with "St. Swithins Day," as Billy's most beautiful love song ever. It'll haunt you for life; just like the rest of this release.

Folk-Punk Socicalist Billy Bragg's fourth album finds him in a contemplative mood. Dispite the politically charged cover and "Capitalism is Killing Music" logo, this is his more lovelorn and sad album. Starkly produced and powerful, this album waxes and wains with piano flourishes, jangly guitars and understated vocal harmonies. Songs like "She's Got a New Spell", "Little Time Bomb", "The Short Answer" and "The Price I Pay" display the lyrical theme of rocky relationships and the simple but melodic musical approach. "Rotting on Remand" adds steel guitar to one of his three political songs, along with the moving a cappella "Tender Comrade", and climactic and booming "Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards". The other notable break from the folky silence of the album is the peppy country beat of "Life With the Lions", with repetition of the lyric "I hate the arsehole I become", which runs contrary to the smile you might develop from the music. Great album, but how can I compare it to John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band? How not? Billy Bragg gives a stirring, uncluttered, introspective epic, which gives the listener a window into the soul of the artist. And that, of course, is the true goal of the singer-songwriter.

My favorite thing about this album was that they sent out a "Capitalism is Killing Music" promotional coffee mug to the music director at my college radio station...I would kill for that mug today.

I would never have thought politics and love could go so well together. On this album, every song is political, yet every song is a love song, and the politics and love seem completely inseperable. The words are always great--Billy Bragg's best--and the music always serves to make the words even more powerful. You can hate Billy Bragg's politics, but if you've ever been in love or wanted to be, you still find something for yourself here. "Worker's Playtime" was recorded in the 1980s, yet it still sounds fresh and timeless. It's better than anything Billy Bragg's done in the last ten years (though that's not saying that much) and possibly better than any of his other albums.
"She's Got A New Spell" rocks out jangling, with citar, even. "Must I Paint You A Picture?" uses a female vocalist to tell about a decaying relationship, and then declares, "This would never happen, if we lived by the sea." "The Price I Pay" is one of the best piano love songs ever, full of regret and sad hope. And "Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards" is about as good as songs get, building into an anthem, a collectivist anthem embraceable by anyone who's ever hoped for change. "Here comes the future / And you can't run from it / If you've got a blacklist / I want to be on it!"
This is a great album. It will always remind me of my older brother who first introduced me to (good) popular music, and it will always remind me of what Billy Bragg is capable of. (Now if someone would just remind Billy....)

Long before I hunkered down in a small Chicago club to hear Billy's cockney crooning "Ingrid Bergman" through a fine Wilco cheesecloth, I was won over by THIS album. (Yeah, they're still albums to me.) It's just ... it's one of 5 I'd take to a deserted island. There's no dross in the mix; it's all shiny. And strong. And witty like Elvis Costello. Romance and politics in an eminently charming salad, fresh from the Garden, good AND good for you. Just try to resist it.

This CD is absolutely flawless. Every song is passionate, beautiful and truthful. I never ever get tired of listening to it. Definitely one of the very best CDs I have evr owned. Billy Bragg is unique and outstanding. This is by far my favorite album of his.

This is the first Billy Bragg CD that I owned and have proceed to purchase almost all of his discs. By far my favorite as it stays away (mostly) from his political rants and deals with Billy's broken romances. But even his political tunes on this collection have redeeming qualities especially "Waiting For the Great Leap Forward" which is light and less than serious about itself. Favorite tunes include "The Only One" and "The Short Answer". Great stuff to learn on the guitar too. Buy this disc as you will find it enjoyable and intriguing at the same time.

This isn't my favourite Bragg album, but it's still very good. It is the least political of his albums and most of the songs are about a failed relationship Billy himself had (with a girl named Mary, perhaps?). "Worker's Playtime" is also the first album Bragg recorded with a full band, including his best mate Wiggy on guitar, Danny Thompson on double bass and Cara Tivey on keyboards. The mellow, folksy sound of this album is largely due to it being produced by veteran folk producer Joe Boyd, who previously worked with the likes of Nick Drake and Fairport Convention. There is only one word for the love songs on this record: heartbreaking. If you have just suffered a break-up, I would not recommend listening to this CD, for you'll be in tears by the end of track 2. That is not to say that these songs aren't good - far from it. "Must I Paint You A Picture", "The Short Answer" and my fave song on the album "The Only One" are among Bragg's best love songs. The few political songs aren't that bad either, such as the a capella "Tender Comrade" and one of Billy's most popular tunes "Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards".

This is quite an accessible album and I would recommend it to anyone new to Bragg, or anyone who enjoys mellow, 70's style folk-rock.

When I first heard this album I got something of a shock. Where were those sparse, stripped down songs? On 'Playtime' Bragg gets the production to extract the emotion from the songs while you're listening to them, instead of afterward when you're thinking about the lyrics.

'She's Got A New Spell' may be one of the most beautiful songs he has ever written. 'This would never happen if we lived by the sea' is one of the lines, and perfectly illustrates the oblique, personal detail that illuminates the characters in his songs.

A decade on, this remains one of my favourite albums.