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More than a few must add the experience of thinning hair, raising children, and the horrible realisation they secretly agree with their local Tory councillor, to an earlier ideal the songs emboddied for them, of anarchy and free expression.

Writers on the other hand rarely get a chance to revisit their work once they are out in the public domain even though their attitudes and politics may change radically over time. A notable exception is Wordsworth, who revisited his epic Prelude later on in life to temper his youthful revolutionary exuberance of the earlier version. That’s not necessarily a recommendation though, as the later revision had all the spark taken out of it, all the hot headed impulsiveness of youth dried away to a more conservative world view (much like the afor-mentioned punks perhaps).

Martyn Joseph suggests songs are different, that when a song is recorded it’s usually in its infancy, untried and not given the chance to grow over time. And in Evolve Joseph hasn’t mellowed or found a more sedentary pace (a la Wordsworth or the punks). Nor does he revise the brash sentiments of his protest songs. If anything he’s gruffer and readier to go against the majority view 30 recordings into his career.

For all his albums Joseph is a musician to be appreciated live, and it stands to reason songs change over time along with the singer. The tracks on ‘Evolved’ are stripped back and intense, more like his current live versions than how the many of the songs were originally recorded. And while it is mostly made up of his most popular tracks, ‘Please Sir’, ‘Proud Valley Boy’, ‘Turn Me Tender’ it’s far more interesting than your run of the mill ‘greatest hits’, not least for the fact time has not dimmed the ideas behind Joseph’s songs, but instead has fanned the flames.

Evolved is released on Pipe Records.