Joe Jackson's 2003 album, Volume 4, found the songwriter reunited with his original backing band for the first time since 1980, and it was his best and best-received effort in years, with Jackson stepping away from the grander conceits of his work as a "serious" composer and turning back to the pithy but literate pop tunes that had long been his forte. Jackson promised that the reunion with his original band would be a one-off, and technically he's kept his word on Rain -- this album was cut as a trio, with Jackson backed by bassist Graham Maby and drummer Dave Houghton from the original Joe Jackson Band, but without the presence of guitarist Gary Sanford. Minus Sanford, Rain is a bit smoother and more refined than Volume 4, and it's a far cry from the scrappy /p>
ew wave-inspired rock of Look Sharp! and I'm the Man, but it does show that Jackson learned something from his experience with Volume 4 -- he's better with clever pop songs than trying to write orchestral pieces, and Rain balances sophistication and edgy smarts with a winning mixture of grace and confidence. Jackson's melodies recall the polish and imagination of his work on Night and Day, and his piano work is exceptional here, but the compact arrangements keep the music from getting too florid for its own good, while Maby and Houghton add just the right amount of color and keep the songs moving at a brisk but comfortable pace. Jackson also supplies much of his usual tart wit as a lyricist, pondering his own retreat from A-list stardom in "Invisible Man," taking on photogenic "non-conformists" with "Good Bad Boy," and examining the ups and downs of hedonism in "King Pleasure Time," but Jackson also allows his romantic side to surface here, and "Wasted Time," "Rush Across the Road," and "Too Tough" contemplate love and relationships with a perspective that's mature and honestly heartfelt at the same time. There's less of an air of willful nostalgia about Rain than Volume 4 and the live set Afterlife, but it's still a potent reminder of Joe Jackson's lasting strengths as songwriter and bandleader, proving he hasn't run short on ideas nearly 30 years after releasing his debut.
I’ve always thought of Joe Jackson as a fascinating contradiction: geeky but cool, abrasive yet tender, punky and jazzy…you get the idea, and if you have heard any of JJ’s repertoire, now reaching back about 30 years. you know what I am talking about. I’ve had several years being out of touch with this artist’s work, so it was a pleasant surprise when I was able to attend his concert in
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*Joe Jackson releases his first studio album for five years, Rain, in late January. Here's a sneak preview, plus a few words from the man himself...*From new wave firebrand to globe-hopping metropolitan renaissance man, Jackson's career path has seen him stop off at several intriguing points. Jump jive big band projects, modern film noir soundtracks, fiction writing, idiosyncratic theatre commi...
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If you're not a connoisseur of Joe Jackson's LOOOONG career, get up to speed. He starts out with the early pop/punk stuff of Elvis Costello. He continues with forays into jazz, world music, and straight pop.'Big World' formed the soundtrack for my later college years amidst the dearth of Van Halen, Madonna, and Night Ranger favored by my less-discerning classmates. Joe's new album is GREAT. I'...
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I’ve always thought of Joe Jackson as a fascinating contradiction: geeky but cool, abrasive yet tender, punky and jazzy…you get the idea, and if you have heard any of JJ’s repertoire, now reaching back about 30 years. you know what I am talking about. I’ve had several years being out of touch with this artist’s work, so it was a pleasant surprise when I was able to attend his concert in
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Just got this from Ticketshafter. If you're interested in going to see Joe Jackson touring in support of his new album, the presale code is "DAVIDIAN".
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