Volume 4 [LIMITED EDITION]

Joe Jackson

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 11, 2003)
• Original Release Date: March 11, 2003
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Limited Edition
• Label: Rykodisc
• ASIN: B00008J2F7
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #120,317 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

What could have been a colossal self-indulgence proves a startlingly vital album. Volume IV is faithful to the ethos of early Joe Jackson hits like "One More Time" and "Is She Really Going Out with Him?" Built around clattering drums, jarring guitar, hyperactive keyboards, snarling vocals, and lyrics riddled with puns and double-entendres, it harkens back to the early 1970s and late ‘80s, when Jackson peddled a wordy and venomous strain of new wave pop. But Jackson is too clever to get suckered by nostalgia. Here he wryly contemplates his middle-aged present from inside his old clothes. The best of the resulting songs, "Blue Flame" and "Still Alive," are as good as anything he’s done. Volume IV is where Jackson completes his circuit, reuniting with his original band and reacquainting himself with his original live-to-tape recording methods. --Andrew Mueller

Product Description

Limited edition bonus cd includes live versions of "One More Time", "Is She Really Going Out With Him", "On Your Radio", "Got the Time", "It's Different for Girls", "I'm the Man" from the 2002 UK tour.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, May 17, 2003

By	Scott Heisel (Cleveland, OH) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars He's still got it., March 16, 2003

By	Erik Hymel "ehymel" (Roswell, GA 30076) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One More Time., March 26, 2003

By	Jason Stein (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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.