Jeffrey Boakye once again proves himself to be a critical authority on the chronicling of British cultural history. I found some of the language and explanations in Musical Truth a little simplistic at times, and therefore I would say the book is perfect for 12-16 year olds. Sonny’s Lettah by Linton Kwesi Johnson could be used in a range of lessons – from literacy in KS3, KS4 poetry studies or PSHE.

The book, when accompanied with the Spotify playlist is a snippet in time, with the text providing the context and history of the period in which each track was released. What’s more, there was encouragement for Caribbeans to journey to Britain to take up post WWII jobs!

Comparison for creative writing could be made with the inertia of lockdown, post-Brexit, climate-changing and inward-looking England of today. Jeffrey Boakye has created a truly unique and delightful book which he has paired with a matching playlist on Spotify meaning you can listen to the songs he details whilst reading about the context at the same time. Ngadi Smart is an award-winning Sierra Leonean visual artist based between London (UK) and Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), who specialises in illustration and photography.

Beneath the glossy veneer, however, lies the devastating truth of who really controls these institutions, and the deeply malevolent agendas for which they're being used.

In the same vein as Ghost Town, UB40’s One in Ten looks at similar urban problems in Birmingham, which would neatly segue into Pass the Dutchie by Musical Youth – an interesting song to explore in the way that it made its child bandmates TV, radio and magazine stars overnight with a sudden and ubiquitous exposure that is very comparable to viral YouTube sensations today. Alongside a playlist that echoes in our heads as we read, learn, remember and feel angered and inspired, are Ngadi Smart’s haunting graphics. The artist’s greatest innovation – his unorthodox and revolutionary technique is explored in relation to the styles of certain of his most celebrated contemporaries both in Spain and beyond, including Titian and Rubens. From national emblems to corporate logos and emojis, our day-to-day lives abound with icons with roots in the distant past. on youth; it is today’s children who will inherit our mistakes but from reading and thinking about this book, they will have been expertly guided in putting these mistakes right.

His powers of persuasion clearly exceeded those of Colonel Baker, who seemed the personification of Victorian solidity until that embarrassing incident in the sealed railway compartment, where he failed to entice Miss Dickinson to join in his bit of fun, and afterwards had to try and explain his conduct to the High Court, with the whole nation hanging on his every word. It pulsates with urgent relevance to Britain’s reflection of its past and its purpose in moving forward.Topics such as racism, structural oppression, and sexism are addressed through the lens of work by artists such as Musical Youth, Sade, Dave, and even Ed Sheeran, and each musician is stylishly characterised in a pop-art monochrome print by visual artist and designer Ngadi Smart. Nowhere is the reader patronised or dictated to, and this nuance will lead to refreshing and genuine discourse in KS4 books clubs, PSHE or English lessons. One of the best things about Olusoga’s book is its cool clarity – it takes its reader by the hand and in a magnificent feat of storytelling relays an authentic truth to those keen to listen. Marks book should be essential reading for anyone wishing to understand not only the involvement of music throughout the ages to shape public thought but the people that control that narrative from the very top which includes mega billionaire's, millionaires and big business, government think tanks and the security services to name but a few.