Customer Reviews

Volume 4

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

So I always knew that Joe Jackson existed. I've heard the name dropped many a time when referring to original and spunky singer/songwriters of present day. I even knew of his biggest hit - "Is She Really Going Out With Him" [you know, that song Goldfinger covered]. Most frequently, I heard his name associated with that of one Mr. Elvis Costello, and that's some pretty heady company to be compared to. So when "Volume 4" arrived in my mailbox, I figured that, while the man certainly has some history and credibility behind him, it would probably be another disappointing record from an aging rocker [i.e. Nick Cave's newest album], allowing me to wax nostalgic about the "good old days" [even though I wasn't even alive then], and wishing for a return to greatness for said artist so I could revel in their ability to write good music.

Basically, I figured this would be mediocre at best and I was dead wrong.

Coming 25 years after Jackson's debut, "Look Sharp," the man has reassembled the original band who played on his first three records [Graham Maby, Gary Sanford, and Dave Houghton], and it doesn't sound like they've missed a beat. Right off the bat, the album jumps into the rock foray with "Take It Like A Man," a drum-driven piece with stacatto piano riffs peppered throughout. The song really gets your blood pumping. The next two tracks, "Stay Alive" and the single "Awkward Age" showcase Jackson's uncanny ability to write a damn good pop song. The former will remind you of the Beatles, while the latter will make you think of the aforementioned Mr. Costello.

Joe brings the band down for "Chrome" and "Love At First Light," showcasing the quiet side of his songwriting abilities. Musically, it sounds a bit like a more somber Ben Folds Five.

The album continues to jump back into "rock" mode, though, so don't fret if ballads aren't your thing. "Fairy Dust," with it's wah-wah guitar and 5/4 time signature sounds a bit like modern jazz, but there's too much edge here to dare let you lump it in those quarters. Album closer "Bright Grey" is one of the punkest songs I've heard this year - this new crop of nu-pop-punk bands could take a lesson from this master.

And let's not forget what could be the comedy hit of the year - Jackson's hilarious sendup of hip hop poseurs in the song "Thugz 'R' Us." A wonderfully funny three-and-a-half minute ska tune, the song contains lyrics like "We got beer but we want some.../ we look white but we wanna be black." Joe's telling it like it is, and I for one won't get in his way.

All in all, this is a fantastically solid album, and it will surely please anyone who was ever a fan of his older work from the late 70s/early 80s [before he started doing swing albums and orchestral charts {sounds eeriely similar to Mr. Costello again, doesn't it?}]. There's not one song on here that I really dislike. Sure, they're not all impeccable, but considering if you total up the ages of all the guys in this band it would be over 200, this is pretty impressive stuff. I highly recommend picking this up.

Also, as a sidenote, the first pressing of the album comes with a bonus disc containing 6 Joe Jackson classics being performed live last fall, so if you're really into him you might want to get this ASAP.

I bought this CD after seeing the resurrected Joe Jackson Band play the House of Blues a couple of nights ago. It was a terrific show, both the old favorites and the new material.

The new songs show the same edge, wit, and musical talents that I remember from "Look Sharp" and "I'm the Man".

"Volume 4" opens with "Take it Like a Man", which features a catchy piano bit. Other tunes that stick out in my mind are "Awkward Age", "Thugz 'R' Us", "Love at First Light", and "Dirty Martini".

Another way that this album reminds me of the early work are how even the quality of the songs are. There are just no dogs here.

The bonus CD contains six early hits recorded live in London and Portsmouth last September. Very fun.

I recommend it highly.

Praise: Joe Jackson and his trusty companions reunite to make a fairly solid recording. The cd flows, is mercifully short and to the point, with pretty catchy melodies and memorable songs like: Take It Like A Man, Chrome, Fairy Dust, Little Bit Stupid, Dirty Martini and Thugs 'r' Us. Joe's voice sounds great, the band sounds vibrant and alive. The noodlings of Symphony No.1, Heaven & Hell and Night Music are absent. This sounds like a return to Look Sharp, I'm The Man, Beat Crazy, and to a lesser extent, Night & Day and Blaze Of Glory.

Criticism: Joe and the band, though they play well, sound like they're forcing youthful angst from every chord and lyric. It doesn't quite come across the way Look Sharp does and that's because these guys are all about 50. 50 trying to be 25 again, and it doesn't quite add up. Joe also seems to be recreating the past lately with this and with Night and Day II. That, plus the past three classical outings have lead me to believe that the well of creativity has been depleted. So this cd is well executed but not as original as Joe's previous work. The live cd, also played very well, was not recorded that great. To me it sounds rather muffled and poorly microphoned on the vocals.

Conclusion: Worth buying if you're a Joe Jackson fan like myself. If you're a beginner, start with Look Sharp and work your way up.

This is, very simply, the fourth album by the Joe Jackson Band. "Volume 4" is about as good as the first three albums from this groupe, and sounds very much like them.
True, JJ has grown older, but contrary to most rock musicians, that doesn't seem to keep him from wrinting simple and beautiful songs. Between "Beat Crazy" and "Volume 4", JJ didn't do complicated and sophisticated things because he had just learned how to do it. In fact, he had the technical skills to write a symphony when he recorded "Look Sharp". This time, he just decided to record a "Look Sharp"-like album, and he did it beautifully. This album sounds a bit like Costello's "Brutal Youth": nothing is really new, but everything is original. It's just a good new wave album, with a bass/guitar/drums set and some keyboards, quietly recorded in two weeks. The musicians are sober and JJ believes in what he does. Brilliant.

Joe Jackson offers up a stylistic overview of his pop career here. Reunited with the Joe Jackson Band (Graham Maby, Gary Stanford and Dave Houghton) for the first time since 1980's Beat Crazy, Jackson delivers some knockouts. Half the album sounds like it could have come from the band's first three albums with their cynical edges and rich driving rock. The rest of the album sounds like a sampling of his later albums with mature ballads and hints of jazz/pop showing the variety that has defined his music over the years.
For those fans who only know Joe Jackson from his early work (Is She Really Going Out With Him?, Different For Girls, Sunday Papers, Beat Crazy), Volume 4 may seem half full. For those who have followed his career across the many musical paths he has explored, this album overflows with riches.
And, the bonus CD serves up the 2003 edition doing six of their early hits (One More Time, Got the Time, Is She Really Going..., On the Radio, Different for Girls and I'm the Man). The band sounds as vital and energetic as they did when they were together the first time. And Jackson, who is notorious for being a bit of a sourpuss on stage, actually seems to be having fun.

I've always liked Joe Jackson's music. I thought that "Night And Day" was genius... to put out an album with NO guitars that rocked as much as it did... just keys, percussion, and bass... like acid-jazz-rock.

That kind of creativity has always been a part of Joe Jackson's music. But, listening to his music, it's obvious to see that his true heart lies in the post-punk jazzy rock that he and his three-piece backing band created in the late 70's and early 80's. The spirit of this music has been present in everything he has done... from the horn sections to the jazz piano... you can always here the rock.

And the band is back together, and they sound better then ever. I cannot stop listening to this album. The whole thing sound like it was recorded live, and it probably was. There isn't an overdubbed guitar or anything else that would lead me to believe that this was recorded in more than one take.

Jackson is the obvious star of this band (after all, it's called the Joe Jackson Band), and his voice seems to never get old or worn out. Not every song features his keyboard talent, but the ones that do really benifit from it. On that same note, the ones that do not feature the keyboards do not sound any worse for lack of them. The 11 tracks on this album were also penned by Mr. Jackson, and each one is a gem. The live feel of this album is also credited to him, as he is the producer.

Also here is Mr. Jackson's long-time bassist, Graham Maby, and he holds down the bottom end perfectly. His bass is present in the mix, not to a point where it's over-powering, but enough to be able to hear his immense talent on the instrument. Need proof? Just listen to him coming in on the beginning of the lead track, "Take It Like A Man," or skip to "Fairy Dust," and let yourself be amazed.

The other half of Mr. Jackson's rhythm section, drummer Dave Houghton, pulls his own weight as well. His drumming is precise with a "jazzy" (that word seems to come up a lot when describing Joe Jackson), but it has almost a fun feel to it. He can kick it fast when he needs to, like on "Fairy Dust," but can also slow it down, and play to a slow number, as heard on "Love At First Light."

The fourth member of the band is guitarist Gary Sanford. His guitar sound carries a power pop feel to it... not very distorted or heavy, but he can rock when he needs to. He also has the ability to utilize a very clean tone on some of these ballads, like on "Chrome." But his personal highlight is the wah-wah pedal induced intro to "Fairy Dust."

The stand-out tracks on this are "Take It Like A Man," "Chrome," "Fairy Dust," an ode to the morining after a one-night stand: "Love At First Light," and a humorous tune about a bunch of upper-class white boys trying to act like gangstas: "Thugz 'R' Us."

An added bomus is the extra disc of six live tunes the band recorded after reuniting, and before recording this album. The highlights on that disc include "One More Time," "Is She Really Going Out With Him" where the crowd sings half of the song for Joe, and "Got The Time" which features a bitchin' bass solo from Mr. Maby.

This is one of the most original albums I've ever heard and another testament of the creativity of one of the most underrated muscians and songwriters of the last 25 years. I only hope there's going to be more where this came from.

BUY IT!!

Combine the New Wave musical energy of "Look Sharp" and "I'm the Man" with the lyrical maturity that living another 20 or so years provides and... Voila! A new Joe Jackson classic!

Reuniting with old mates Gary Sanford (guitar, vocals), Graham Maby (bass, vocals) and Dave Hougton (drums, vocals), Jackson has produced an album that will stand as one of the best rock offerings of 2003, and one his best ever. I hear his early sound in this work, as well as a bit of late-80's/early-90's "Blaze of Glory"/"Laughter & Lust." I enjoy "Night Music," "Heaven and Hell" and "Symphony No. 1," but don't hear them here.

I eagerly look forward to the live performance. Listen to the bonus live CD included in this well-packaged offering, and I dare say you will too.

While it may disappoint those fans expecting another helping of "Look Sharp!" or "I'm the Man," the Joe Jackson Band's "Volume 4" is a solid album worth picking up for fans of Jackson's broader pop library. Except for jaded gems like "Little Bit Stupid," "Fairy Dust" and (arguably) "Awkward Age," most of the songs here would be more at home on later Jackson albums (whether "Night and Day" or "Blaze of Glory") than on "Look Sharp!" That said, the trio of "Chrome," "Love at First Light" and "Blue Flame" is a rewarding combination of balladry that longtime fans will appreciate, especially with repeated listens. Many of the other songs - "Take it Like a Man," "Still Alive," "Dirty Martini" - are merely passable in comparison with Jackson's other work. Nevertheless, this fan finds "Volume 4" a welcome return to rock and pop for a consistently solid songwriter and performer. The six-song live bonus CD is definitely a nice addition, although there is nothing revelatory here.

This is easily Joe's best work since 1986's Big World. Starting with 3 good pop songs, this album then delves into the smooth sound of the Steely Dan-like "Chrome" and the subtle humour of the ballad "Love at First Light". It's then on Track 6, "Fairy Dust", with its killer piano/guitar/drum solos in 5/4, that the album starts to explore all manner of musical styles. From the swinging "Little Bit Stupid", to the southern rock in "Dirty Martini", to the ska in "Thugs R Us", makes this CD a thoroughly enjoyable listen. The closing track "Bright Grey" is brilliant speed punk that Greenday would be proud of.

Can't wait to see the show in Sydney Sept 15!

It only took 27 seconds. 27 seconds. That's when Joe strikes up the piano and that familiar old sound comes roaring back. If you listen to as much Joe as I do, there's something about the sound that comes from Joe's keys that is quite unique, and instantly recognisable. The sound is sure to bring a smile to the face of any Joe Jackson fan - especially those who may have put him in a box for the better part of the past 15 years.
I'll spare you the history lesson, but Joe's music has touched on many, many genre's during his career, and while he's excelled at most, it's the new wave/rock/pop slice of his career that still sits best with many a Joe fan. It's been years since Joe had anything like a "hit" (unless you count a Grammy), and he surely - and most unfairly - won't race to Number 1 with this one. Although in a perfect world, just maybe he would.
Loyalists like me have everything Joe has ever released, and no matter what style he embraces it's always possible to extract, at the very least, spurts of greatness on every single thing he's ever worked on. Finding greatness in Volume 4 however, is really quite effortless.
Great arrangements, superb musicianship, and sharp and introspective lyrics combine to make a collection of songs that are new and fresh, yet resonate 1979. Each song has it's own charm, and even within the confines of rock/pop Joe and the band (the original Joe Jackson Band) manage to cross effortlessly across rock songs, pop songs, ballads and light ska without missing a beat. It really is a great set, and while it isn't likely to win over millions of new fans, surely it will rekindle relationships with the many of you out there who forgot about Joe long ago. He never really went away, but boy is he back!! And he's touring with the band....