Reliving A Great Band
Ahhhh now this album takes me back. I originally bought this album on vinyl in 1983 with my pocket money from the local record shop (yes there used to be lots of independent record shops). Played it to hell on my old record player, if I tried to play it to day it is full of crackles and scratches.
The album takes me back to very happy times as a teenager in the early 80's, the only downside was that Thatcher was running the country, but thank god she couldn't control the music. U2 were in their early days, we were bouncing around to The Specials, Dexys Midnight Runners were banging out decent tunes and then there was The Jam. What more need I say other than The Jam?
The Jam were an absolutely massive band in the late 70s and early 80s, but split in 1983, bringing out this album, stuffed full of hits, and fans favourites. With interest once again in the Modfather himself, Polydor have taken the opportunity to re-release the album. If you are lucky enough you can get it as a triple album otherwise it is as a double cd.
The second cd is home to all the massive hits that many will know and need little introduction. Opening with "The Eton Rifles" and moving swiftly into "Going Underground" all the memories come flooding back, what I was doing, how the summers always seemed to be long and sunny and the music was just pure class. The second cd is like a box of Milk Tray, you know what you are getting but it is just pure class all the way.
It is an amazing sound from the three piece band, guitar riffs, accentuated bass guitar, keyboards. The sound these days may sound simplistic but it sounds so brilliant still. The quick beats in "Town Called Malice", has you standing up and clapping in time and stomping in time with the music, oh god and the bass is orgasmic.
The first cd is full of selected b-sides (when you used to have to flip the vinyl 7 inch over on the record player), fans favourites and rare cuts. The bonus disc features four tracks that were recorded live at their last gig at the Wembley Arena, in December 1982.
For all fans of decent music this is one album that you need in your collection, a reminder when music was just simply brilliant. And this album certainly got me up from my zimmer frame and dancing like it was 1982 all over again.