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Days Like These
Singer-Songwriter · 1985

Days Like These

Billy Bragg

Solo electric guitar anthems for the Thatcher era. Raspy Essex vocals deliver a mix of sharp-edged political critique and vulnerable, spoken-word romantic confessions.

1985 · Go! Discs

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Days Like These captures Billy Bragg at a pivotal moment in the mid-1980s, bridging the gap between his early busking energy and a more refined songwriting craft. It sounds like a cold evening in a British council estate where the only warmth comes from a cheap amplifier and a fierce sense of justice. The record is dominated by the 'one-man-clash' aesthetic: a single electric guitar played with the rhythmic intensity of a full band, providing a jagged backdrop for Bragg's unmistakable Essex burr.

Moments Worth Listening For
The transition from the melodic strumming of the title track to the raw, unpolished vocal delivery of the B-sides.
The moment in Walk Away Renee where the music settles into a steady groove while Bragg delivers his iconic, self-deprecating monologue about teenage heartbreak.
The sharp, percussive attack of the guitar strings against the frets during the more aggressive political verses.
Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does Days Like These sound next to the rest of Billy Bragg's catalogue?

Solitude+1.3σ

Solitude saturates this record notably more than the artist's norm.

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