Billy Bragg Releases 2 Versions Of New Album In April

Billy Bragg is ready to release his first album under his own name in six years, titled Mr. Love & Justice. Fans have been buzzing about it since late last year, but today we have a tracklist and release date. The album will feature 12 songs of new material with guest appearances from Ian McLagan (Faces) on Hammond and piano and Robert Wyatt on vocals. I'm not sure if the Wyatt/Bragg track that opens the album is new or not however. I found an mp3 for "I Keep Faith" in the audio section of Bragg's website, but it may be an older version. Either way, there is a very sweet story (from Bragg's website) about how Bragg and Wyatt hooked up for the song:

The collaboration came about when Bragg, in search of fresh rhubarb for a crumble, was in nearby Louth where he met Wyatt who lives in the town."I hadn't seen him since Red Wedge (the 1986 Labour Party youth vote initiative)," says Bragg. "He found me some rhubarb and then came along to the recording session and sang beautiful vocals to the chorus of 'I Keep Faith' – it was like angels singing!"

If you'd like to download the mp3 directly from Billy Bragg, just click on the song title in the tracklist:Tracklist:"I Keep Faith""I Almost Killed You""M for Me""The Beach Is Free""Sing Their Souls Back Home""You Make Me Brave""Something Happened""Mr. Love & Justice""If You Ever Leave""O Freedom""The Johnny Carcinogenic Show""Farm Boy"If you go to SXSW this year, you can hear some of these songs before anyone else when Bragg performs at ANTI-'s showcase on March 13th.News from BillboardAccording to Bragg's own website, the album will be released as 2 different versions:

The album is being released in two versions: one features Billy Bragg and The Blokes; the second is a 2 CD deluxe version featuring the band version and the same songs performed by Billy solo.

It goes on to say that the full tracklist is the same for both the band and solo discs.http://www.billybragg.co.uk/