Danbert Nobacon And The Pine Valley Cosmonauts: The Library Book Of The World

When Danbert Nobacon fronted Chumbawamba, the band declared the success of its 1997 hit "Tubthumping" an act of anarchist subversion. While that's still a hard line to swallow, Nobacon's commitment to radical activism remains strong, even at the expense of his songwriting. The Library Book Of The World is his first solo album in 20 years, and while raucous backing from kindred spirits Jon Langford and his Pine Valley Cosmonauts fleshes out Nobacon's sloshed country-folk nicely, it barely outweighs the songs' slim stabs at satire, which are rife with sub-Michael Moore-isms like "son of a Bush" and "neocon-bin Laden symbiosis." Still, Nobacon's crotchety approximation of Nick Cave and Tom Waits infuses the project with prankish, rickety glee, even as Library Book's political commentary feels more avuncular than revolutionary.