My favorite Joe Jackson album
This album is wonderful. I agree with the guy who wrote that Joe Jackson does not get his due. I owned Joe Jackson studio albums when I was in college and loved them, so I am a fan. I went away from the power pop/punk genre -- I had not listened to Joe Jackson for several decades -- and now I listen mostly to jazz/classical recordings. Hey, I'm old now. Last week I downloaded this album just for old time's sake, not really expecting much more than a trip down memory lane. THESE RECORDINGS ARE GREAT. The arrangements of the old songs are original and interesting, the musicianship is excellent (this guy can really play and his sidemen are just amazing), and the performances are . . . well, I wish I had been there. .
Essential Joe!
It contains all your favorite numbers live. Quite simply this album is a "must have" for Joe Jackson fans (or for anyone who has yet to discover this unique talent who has never been given his due). The sound quality is superb and it gets me rockin' while I work.
Critics love to slam live albums for some reason but there's nothing to hate on here. Many people who have never even heard of Joe Jackson hear it playing in my office or in my car and always ask "Man, who's that, that's way cool!"
If I have one complaint it's the somnambulant version of "Steppin' Out". It's a bit of a disappointment for those of us who wanted to end the CD with a real rockin' flourish.
Unique Approach To A Live Album Will Appeal To True Fans
P. "Live 1980-1986" is assembled like 4 separate live E. s rather than a traditional live album. Each of the two discs presents two different tours, so four are represented in total. Each tour gets 5 or 6 songs. The bands are different for each tour so it's easy to trace the evolution in Jackson's approach to music making. Casual fans may be put off by the fact that the versions of his two biggest hits are all quite different from their original studio incarnations. He gives three different takes on "Is She Really Going Out With Him", and frankly, none of the three appeal to me nearly as much as the original. On his other big hit, "Steppin' Out", he slows the song down dramatically, and the result is hypnotic - it's my second favorite cut on the album. My favorite is "Fools In Love", which is played at a slow tempo similar to the original, but is fleshed out and stretched out to over 7 minutes. Most of the other tracks stick closer to their original arrangements, but with some interesting variations, such as the punchy horns added to "Sunday Papers". I think this collection is a great souvenir for the true believers, but I think those with only a casual interest in Jackson's music will find it unessential.
He makes the old stuff sound new
He might "jazz up" and rock tune, speed up a slow song, or at least make the orchestrations more lush and "big" sounding. With this 2-disc set Jackson has taken many of his old classics and lesser-known tunes and given them new arrangements. Some highlights are a version of "You Can't Get What You Want (Til You Know What You Want)" that is peppier than the original, a bouncy horn section added to "Sunday Papers", and a general spirit of fun that comes across best with live peformance, no matter what song. He has one of the tightest touring bands you'll ever hear, perfectly at home playing big-band jazz, rock, ballads, or a blend of all three. Just because Jackson stopped charting singles in the early 1980's doesn't mean that he should be forgotten by us. It's a fun record to listen to, and with around 90 minutes of material there's plenty to please just about anyone.
Which Joe Jackson do you like?
Jackson can do any music style he wants, and do it good. One of the best rock musicians, and one of the most underestimated. Listen to the 3 versions of "Is she really going out with him" - there's a good demonstration to that. This dbl. CD album takes us to his best years, 1980-86, from the beginning in England to the breakthrough in America. From his days of punk rock to the acoustic-jazz oriented music. This album is better than "Summer in the city" (although Summer is a-5 star album too), and much more richer, and I wish I could have more of JJ live, cause the man doesn't stop to surprise me. Anyway, this is the time to mention 2 more great albums of his, besides the well known "Night and Day" and "Look sharp!": try "Big world" and the soundtrack of "Tucker" (don't try the soundtrack of "Mike's murder" that sounds like the weakest side of "Night and Day"). If you are bored by the uninspired musicians today, try JJ. You won't be sorry.
You can see a complete list of all Joe Jackson discography, or go back to the Joe Jackson tabs
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