The Bard of Barking is celebrating his 20 years of making music with three packed CDs - a full fifty tracks - encompassing his entire career to date. The first disc consists of older works, starting with what is probably his most well known song A New England and taking in classic Bragg tracks like Levi Stubb’s Tears and Between The Wars. This is Billy at his rawest and (al)most angry as he performs. He is mostly alone with his guitar and his gruff edged tenderness that makes so many of these songs so strong. By the time we reach The Warmest Room and Must I Paint You A Picture? his style evolves gaining flavours of northern soul and blues.

The second CD kicks off with the more pop-rock sounds of the amusingly bizarre Sexuality, updated but still undeniably Billy. There are more diverse influences all through this CD as styles from 80’s synth and country folk are blended into the mix. What is also very noticeable is the subtle change in his voice that makes tracks like Accident Waiting To Happen, which could have been quite gravelly from an earlier Billy, rendered in tuneful eloquence. For Ingrid Bergman, Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key and My Flying Saucer Wilco add a richness to the mix that makes yet another highlight in this collection. Finally, The Blokes create a looser sound taking in some ska and rock and roll along with a little jazz to create the current but surely not the last incarnation of Billy Bragg.

The last CD consists of rarities like the reworking of Get Your Kicks On Route 66 and A13, Trunk Road To The Sea along with covers and collaborations. It further shows how versatile Billy is and has been over the years. It is a great way to top off a brilliant collection.

Label: Cooking Vinyl
Release date: 6th October 2003

Tracklist:

Disc 1:
1. New England
2. The Man In The Iron Mask
3. Milkman Of Human Kindness
4. To Have And Have Not
5. A Lover Sings
6. St. Swithins Day
7. The Saturday Boy
8. Between The Wars
9. The World Turned Upside Down
10. Levi Stubbs Tears
11. Walk Away Renee
12. Greetings To The New Brunette
13. There Is Power In A Union
14. Help Save The Youth Of America
15. The Warmest Room
16. Must I Paint You A Picture
17. She’s Got A New Spell
18. The Price I Pay
19. Valentines Day Is Over
20. Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards

Disc 2:
1. Sexuality
2. Cindy Of 1000 Lives
3. Moving The Goalposts
4. Tank Park Salute
5. You Woke Up My Neighbourhood
6. Accident Waiting To Happen
7. Sulk
8. Upfield
9. The Fourteenth Of February
10. Brickbat
11. The Space Race Is Over
12. The Boy Done Good
13. Ingrid Bergman
14. Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key
15. My Flying Saucer
16. All You Fascists Bound To Lose
17. NPWA
18. St. Monday
19. Somedays I See The Point
20. Take Down The Union Jack

Disc 3:
1. A13, Trunk Road To The Sea
2. Fear Is A Man’s Best Friend
3. Cold And Bitter Tears
4. Seven And Seven Is
5. When Will I See You Again?
6. Rule Nor Reason
7. Debris
8. Dry Bed
9. She Smiled Sweetly
10. Take Down The Union Jack