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ROBB JOHNSON - Songs From The Last Seven Years

ROBB JOHNSON - Songs From The Last Seven Years
Irregular Records IRR108

It was at the Hartlepool Folk Festival in 2016 that, arriving early for an event, I caught the end of the previous performer and realised I’d made the wrong choice an hour ago. The voice I heard was instantly recognisable as that of Robb Johnson, even though it was many years since I’d seen him.

Robb is one of the most committed performers around; you don’t have to agree with every point he is making but he never fails to make you think - and this CD does exactly that. These 15 songs tell the story of events during the last seven years - all written at the time of the events but never recorded before on officially released CDs.

Most are in chronological order but starting with In The Memory And The Name Of Grenfell Tower, which is obviously the keynote song. Songs cover topics such as UKIP, the bankers, Brexit and the current political situation. My favourite is The Ballad Of The NHS, simply stated but powerful in its message, as is Glue Factory Strike.

Robb is not afraid to be controversial and to stand up for what he believes, performing Hitler outside the US embassy, for instance. He bucks the trend by producing an album of protest songs which do not date. Certainly this is an album to make you think - something we need to do every now and again.

www.robbjohnson.co.uk

Dave Beeby


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This album was reviewed in Issue 122 of The Living Tradition magazine.