Night & Day 2

Joe Jackson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 24, 2000)
• Original Release Date: October 24, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00004ZDPM
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #26,320 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Prelude

2. Hell of a Town

3. Stranger Than You

4. Why

5. Glamour and Pain

6. Dear Mom

7. Love Got Lost

8. Just Because

9. Happyland

10. Stay

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Like a less hefty Meatloaf, Joe Jackson goes the Bat Out of Hell II route with this sequel to his most commercially successful album, 1982's Night and Day. Fans of Jackson's earlier ode to New York City are afforded moments of déjà vu. Pop hooks and programmed Latin rhythms abound, and the signature chords from "Steppin' Out" find their way into "Glamour and Pain" and "Stay." But Jackson has new tricks up his sleeve, including a potent string quartet and character-driven songs with vocals from Marianne Faithfull (on the darkly operatic "Love Got Lost"), Iranian singer Sussan Deyhim (on the no less elegiac "Why"), and transvestite protégée Dale DeVere (on the Pet Shop Boys-like "Glamour and Pain"). Still, it's Jackson who delivers the sucker punch with his bittersweet delivery on "Hell of a Town," "Stranger Than You," and the particularly barbed "Dear Mom." The sequel gimmick may not get Jackson another hit, but it should reintroduce people to an artist whose skills as a songwriter, composer, and performer are as sharp as ever. --Bill Forman

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A sequal, but not a sequal, May 26, 2001

By 

James Simon (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Night & Day 2 (Audio CD)

What makes this album ineteresting is how Joe Jackson has revisisted the themes of Night And Day, scenes of New York City as if it was compiled into a series of short stories. While the album doesn't have the romantic qualities of "Stepping Out" or "Slow Song", it has a painful but beautiful side to it. Especially worth noting is the guest appearance of Marianne Faithfull on "Love Got Lost", a song of a wealthy but lonely woman. Joe follows the pain on "Dear Mom" about a runaway daughter and "Happyland", loosely based on the tragic social club fire in the 90's. He does pick up his amusement of NYC in "Stranger Than You" about the odd people that make NY so interesting. It's not an album to listen to at parties. It's more like reading a book or walking through a museum of fine art. Put headphones on, sit comfortably, and let Joe Jackson take you through his visions of such an interesting place.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FABULOUS!, September 18, 2005

By 

Richard W. Brizendine - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Night & Day 2 (Audio CD)

Amazed at some of these reviews here on Amazon. If anyone expects Joe to do the same thing over and over, don't buy this cd! People that expected this release to be "Just like Night and Day" are fools. "Foolish songwriting"? How so? Makes you feel like you're walking right down the streets of New York!

Borderline masterpiece.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Almost Perfect......Sans One Song, December 29, 2002

By 

Frank Simone (Nashua, NH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Night & Day 2 (Audio CD)

This is a great effort by Joe Jackson, but the title is somewhat misleading. Although it has that New York City feel from this born again New Yorker, Night and Day II is no sequel. It's obvious that JJ didn't want to duplicate the original classic, which was his most commercial success -- though not his best in my opinion (listen to Big World and Blaze of Glory to understand why)

What disappointed me about this CD is the reason I didn't give it 5 stars. The best written track here is Love Got Lost, one of the most touching and powerful songs of Joe's illustrious career. Unfortunately, the song is butchered by Marianne Faithfull, who doesn't do justice to this wonderful prose. I recently downloaded an MP3 of JJ singing this song in a live performance, and his version blows hers away. Switch Joe's vocals for hers, and you have a 5 star CD here.

Hell Of A Town and Glamour and Pain are standouts and overall the CD is quite enjoyable. You'll have to wait for the next live album to hear Joe singing one of his greatest songs -- but for now, I'd recommend this one for the casual listener or die hard Joe Jackson fan.