The Jam "The Jam at the BBC" (2002)

The Jam at the BBC (compilation)
release date: May 21, 2002
format: digital (3 cd) (LTD.)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Malcolm Brown; Jeff Griffin; Tony Wilson
label: Polydor / Universal - nationality: England, UK

An original 2 cd compilation album by The Jam with (almost) all tracks from BBC Radio sessions (including three John Peel sessions) recorded from May 1977 - Dec. 1981. The Limited Edition includes a bonus disc with a concert held at the Rainbow Theatre in London, Dec. 4, 1979. This is a fine album both showing what a great live band The Jam was. At the same time many of the tracks are mere studio recordings, alternate versions of the original tracks, but the album also contains two short interviews with the band, and two full radio concerts, including 10 tracks from a concert at the Paris Theatre, Jun. 1978, and a 12 tracks concert at The Hippodrome, Golders Green, Dec. 1981, both recorded, presented and broadcast by BBC Radio 1. Needles to say, the compilation is a collector's item but as such also quite interesting.

The Jam "Live EP!" (1983) (ep) (live)

Live EP!, 7'' ep (live)
release date: Sep. 7, 1983
format: vinyl (LTD. - SNAPL 45)
[single rate: 4 / 5] [4,18]
producer: Peter Wilson
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Move on Up" - 2. "Get Yourself Together" - - B) 1. "The Great Depression" - 2. "But I'm Different Now"
[all tracks recorded Live at Wembley Arena, Dec. 2 & 3, 1982]

A 7'' 4-track ep by The Jam only distributed with a limited number of the 2 lp compilation album Snap! (1983), which is where I got the ep. The four tracks were all recorded during the band's farewell tour in '82, and they are just great live tracks.

[ collectors' item ]

The Jam "Snap!" (1983)

Snap! (compilation)
release date: Sep. 7, 1983
format: 2 lp vinyl (LTD., gatefold - SNAP 1)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: C. Parry; V. Smith; The Jam; P. Wilson
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

The first best of compilation album by The Jam released on Polydor. The album was released approx. one year after the disbandment. I remember ordering the album in England, and my surprise of having an additional 4-track ep Live EP included in the package when I opened it - beacuse they had sent me the Limited Edition of the album. I also remember my initial luke-warm feelings about the album, as there was nothing new to the songs. Naturally, I knew them all so well by heart that it simply failed to attract my attention.
From wikipedia: Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic called it "one of the greatest greatest-hits albums of all time". And yes, that may very well be so. It's a great album with a bunch of essential tracks. My only problem with it, are not just the omitted tracks but really the oddness upon hearing tracks from different times just after each other. The band came out of punk rock with an energy that other band's envied them, found their own version of mod revival in a unique combination of new wave and post-punk, and ended with a sound that incorporated soul and r&b in that mod revival outfit they represented more than anything.
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5 stars ]

[ collectors' item - Ltd. Edition with 1 x 7'' ep in near perfect condition ]

The Jam "Dig the New Breed" (1982) (live)

Dig the New Breed (live)
release date: Dec. 10, 1982
format: vinyl (2383 658) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,16]
producer: Peter Wilson
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "In the City" - 2. "All Mod Cons" - 3. "To Be Someone (Didn't We Have a Nice Time)" - 4. "It's Too Bad" - 5. "Start!" - 6. "Big Bird" - 7. "Set the House Ablaze" - 8. "Ghosts" - 9. "Standards" - 10. "In the Crowd" - 11. "Going Underground" - 12. "Dreams of Children" - 13. "That's Entertainment" - 14. "Private Hell"

First live album by The Jam released on Polydor and produced by Peter Wilson was announced the final album release by The Jam after the disbandment in early December. Several later albums have been issued but this was planned before their split. The live takes are various recordings spanning most of their career from 1977-82.
The album is a great live album showing what the band were capable of. Just three guys playing and sounding like 5 or more. My favourite track from this album has always been "It's Too Bad" in this electrifying live version.

The Jam "Beat Surrender" (1982) (single)

Beat Surrender, 7'' single
release date: Nov. 26, 1982
format: vinyl (2059 575)
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]
producer: Peter Wilson
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) "Beat Surrender" (4 / 5) - - B) "Shopping"

Final single release by The Jam released on Polydor. Both title and cover art are symbolic insofar as the band's undisputed leader Paul Weller had decided to stop the band.
The title track went straight to number #1 on the UK singles chart but the decision had been made. Foxton and Buckler were sad to end it there, but the lead vocalist and songwriter felt trapped and wanted room to take his music in another direction. The Gift already proved where he was going with the strong neo-soul and r&b inclusion. Paul Weller soon initiated a new band, the collaboration work The Style Council together with keyboardist Mick Talbot, which basically was a continued journey into pop soul, and returning to the cover art to this single is actually much in the tradition of the new band.

The Jam "The Gift" (1982)

The Gift
release date: Mar. 12, 1982
format: vinyl (2383 636) / 2 cd (Deluxe) (2012 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,08]
producer: Peter Wilson
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Happy Together" (4 / 5) - 2. "Ghosts" (4 / 5) - 3. "Precious" (4 / 5) - 4. "Just Who Is the 5 O'Clock Hero?" (4 / 5) - 5. "Trans-Global Express" - - B) 1. "Running on the Spot" (4 / 5) (live) - 2. "Circus" - 3. "The Planner's Dream Goes Wrong" (4 / 5) - 5. "Town Called Malice" (4 / 5)

6th and final studio album by The Jam released on Polydor and produced by Peter Wilson. The album shows a new style of more soul-oriented music with horn sections, jazz pop, and acoustic guitar. It's still mod revival and new wave but with tons of soul.
The album was a mere disappointment when it was released. The Jam was associated with fast, punk rock-driven 3-chords music and an easy but strong chorus, and then this!? An album with neo-soul r&b funk and blue-eyed pop soul!?
"Town Called Malice" was the hit single of the album topping the singles chart list in the UK, and also "Running on the Spot" was a major success. Despite being the first and only album by the band to reach number #1 on the UK albums chart list, The Gift wasn't reviewed as their strongest. In retrospect, I think, the album is much stronger, and I rate it almost on par with the predecessor Sound Affects (1981).

The Jam "Sound Affects" (1980)

Sound Affects
release date: Nov. 28, 1980
format: vinyl (2442 183) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,48]
producer: Vic Coppersmith-Heaven, Chris Parry
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1."Pretty Green" (4 / 5) - 2. "Monday" (4 / 5) - 3. "But I'm Different Now" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Set the House Ablaze" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Start!" (4 / 5) - 6. "That's Entertainment" (5 / 5) - - B) 1. "Dream Time" (4 / 5) - 2. "Man in the Corner Shop" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Music for the Last Couple" (4 / 5) - 4. "Boy About Town" (4 / 5) - 5. "Scrape Away" (4 / 5)

5th studio album by The Jam released on Polydor and produced by Vic Coppersmith-Heaven and Chris Parry shows a more mature band playing with new styles and various influences. The album contains many tracks with horn sections and more soul-inspired new wave and mod revival but it also contains post-punk influences. The power pop element seems somewhat gone, although, there's still lots of energy present.
Sound Affects is another great album by The Jam, which took me some time to really appreciate after it was released. The album made it to number #2 on the UK album charts and the single "Start!" was the band's second single release to top the singles chart list. Prior to the album release, The Jam released the single "Going Underground" (Mar. '80), a track that wasn't included on any of the studio albums, and it became the first number #1 single for The Jam. The album is the second of two studio albums by The Jam to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Classic Rock 4,5 / 5 ]

1980 Favourite releases: 1. Joy Division Closer - 2. Kliché Supertanker - 3. The Jam Sound Affects

The Jam "Setting Sons" (1979)

Setting Sons
release date: Nov. 16, 1979
format: vinyl (2383 559) / cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,72]
producer: Vic Coppersmith-Heaven
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1."Girl on the Phone" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Thick as Thieves" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Private Hell" (4 / 5) - 4. "Little Boy Soldiers" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Wasteland" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Burning Sky" (5 / 5) - 2. "Smithers-Jones" (4 / 5) - 3. "Saturday's Kids" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "The Eton Rifles" (4 / 5) - 5. "Heat Wave" (4 / 5)

4th studio album by The Jam released on Polydor and produced by Vic Coppersmith-Heaven. The album continues the style and the same high level of quality from All Mod Cons (1978). This was the first album I bought with the band and I must have played it more than 1.000 times. Also, like the predecessor most tracks are written by Paul Weller, and it contains a cover. This time it's the Holland-Dozier soul track composition, "Heat wave" (made famous by Martha and the Vandellas), here in an upbeat new wave version, sounding more inspired by The Who's cover of the song found on its second album A Quick One (Dec. 1966) than the Vandellas' version.
Setting Sons is another classic album by The Jam without one single weak track, and throughout time, I've had various favourite tracks from this release. Back then, my initial favourites were "Saturday Kids" and "Thick as Thieves". Five to ten years after, I think it was "Burning Sky" and "Girl on the Phone". Nowadays, I would be tempted to choose "Little Boy Soldiers".
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Smash Hits 4,5 / 5 ]

1979 Favourite releases: 1. Joy Division Unknown Pleasures - 2. The Jam Setting Sons - 3. The Clash London Calling

The Jam "All Mod Cons" (1978)

All Mod Cons
release date: Nov. 3, 1978
format: cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,56]
producer: Vic Coppersmith-Heaven, Chris Parry
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "All Mod Cons" - 2. "To Be Someone (Didn't We Have a Nice Time)" (4 / 5) - 3. "Mr. Clean" (4 / 5) - 4. "David Watts" (4,5 / 5) (live) - 5. "English Rose" (5 / 5) - 6. "In the Crowd" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Billy Hunt" (4 / 5) - 2. "It's Too Bad" (5 / 5) (live) - 3. "Fly" (4 / 5) - 4. "The Place I Love" (5 / 5) - 5. "'A' Bomb in Wardour Street" (4 / 5) - 6. "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight" (5 / 5)
[ full album playlist ]

3rd album by The Jam was released on Polydor Records and like the two first studio albums it was produced by Vic Coppersmith-Heaven and Chris Parry. After the great debut album In the City (1977), the band released This Is the Modern World (Nov. '77) only six months later, and that album is by many considered the weakest album by The Jam [I think it's much better today than then], but then they went on and made this near masterpiece. The album doesn't contain a single weak track. All songs except "David Watts" (by Ray Davies, org. performed by 'The Kinks') are written by Paul Weller who had already established himself as one of the best regarded English songwriters, and the album went as high as to number #6 on the UK albums chart list and it was the first The Jam album to sell Gold. The style has transformed from what took its starting point in the aggressiveness of punk rock on the debut to a more unique mod revival sound which loans from new wave and power pop. The album is deservedly enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5 stars ]

1978 Favourite releases: 1. The Clash Give 'Em Enough Rope - 2. The Jam All Mod Cons - 3. Bruce Springsteen Darkness on the Edge of Town

The Jam "This Is the Modern World" (1977)

This Is the Modern World
release date: Nov. 18, 1977
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: Vic Coppersmith-Heaven, Chris Parry
label Polydor - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "The Modern World" - 3. "Standards" (4,5 / 5) (live) - 4. "Life From a Window" - 7. "In the Street, Today" (4 / 5) (live) - 10. "Here Comes the Weekend" - 12. "In the Midnight Hour"

2nd album by The Jam released through Polydor Records and like the debut produced by produced by Vic Coppersmith-Heaven and Chris Parry. After the great debut album In the City (1977) filled with mod songs wrapped up in angry punk rock, this is a progression to a change of sound only some six months later. The album was and still is a disappointing release. A few great tracks like "Standards", and "In the Street, Today" cannot save the overall impression of a weak release. Bruce Foxton wrote "London Traffic" and the cover song "In the Midnight Hour" (by Wilson Pickett) is fine but not really as great as some live versions suggest it could have been, and Paul Weller wrote the remaining songs. The style is a mix of influences - it's perhaps the album where the trio sounds the most like The Who) and mostly reflects the band's progression towards a more unique new wave and mod revival sound.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]

The Jam "In the City" (1977)

In the City [debut]
release date: May 20, 1977
format: vinyl (2383 447) / cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,28]
producer: Vic Smith and Chris Parry
label: Polydor Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Art School" (5 / 5) - 2. "I've Changed My Address" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "Slow Down" - 4. "I Got by in Time" - 5. "Away From the Numbers" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "In the City" (5 / 5) (live) - 2. "Sounds From the Street" (4 / 5) - 3. "Non Stop Dancing" - 4. "Time for Truth" - 5. "Takin' My Love" - 6. "Bricks and Mortar" (4 / 5)

Studio debut album by The Jam released on Polydor Records and produced by Vic Smith [Vic Coppersmith-Heaven] and Chris Parry. Primary songwriter Paul Weller on lead vocals & guitar, Bruce Foxton on bass & additional vocals, and Rick Buckler on drums constitute the blasting trio who was leading the mod revival movement with strong influence from The Kinks, The Who, and Small Faces back in a punk rock disguise. The album contains two covers - "Slow Down" written by Larry Williams and first issued as B-side to his single "Dizzy, Miss Lizzy" in 1958, and (the) "Batman Theme" by Neal Hefti for the 1966 TV-series . This was already covered by The Who in '66 and that version is found on the EP Ready Steady Who (Nov. 1966), which could be the place where The Jam found its inspiration. Pete Townshend (The Who) and many others praised the band as the biggest thing since The Fab Four, and I was hooked from this and onward, although, my first actual listen may have been All Mod Cons (1978).
The band was always in my top 5 of favourite artists from scratch and until Paul Weller left and put an end to the band in 1982.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

1977 Favourite releases: 1. Ramones Rocket to Russia - 2. The Clash The Clash - 3. The Jam In the City