Joe Jackson Albums (20)
What The Critics Say
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 new 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. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
While Joe Jackson's evolution into a "serious" composer of contemporary art music hasn't been especially smooth (at least for his audience), you've got to give the guy credit -- he's a thorough professional, and when he reunited with the original Joe Jackson Band for 2003's Volume 4 and a subsequent world tour, he didn't sound like a guy sucking up to his old fan base as one might have feared, but a sharp pop songwriter who still had plenty to say and was having fun saying it, even if he had been pursuing other angles. That feeling carries through on Afterlife, recorded during four California dates on the Volume 4 tour during the fall of 2003. While the set list features three songs from the reunion album and two from after he parted ways with the band, it's the material from Jackson's first three albums that dominates this album, and after more than two decades apart, this group sounds plenty fresh and enthusiastic even on the oldest numbers. The foursome is in absolutely superb form -- Jackson's keyboard lines are at once sophisticated and concise, and guitarist Gary Sanford, bassist Graham Maby, and drummer Dave Houghton are a peerless rhythm section, with boundless energy and an equal share of imagination and smarts. While Jackson and his cohorts have adjusted their old arrangements a bit, they've managed to maintain the feel of the original versions of these tunes, and the result seems less like a stroll down memory lane than a band tackling their back catalog with a combination of fresh ears and seasoned expertise. In short, Afterlife is just the kind of live album that makes you hope that Jackson will go back on his word and take this band out on the road one more time. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
It only took two albums before Joe Jackson got restless, pushing away from the nervy, high-octane, well-crafted punk-pop of Look Sharp! and I'm the Man toward the ska leanings of Beat Crazy, before abandoning the Joe Jackson Band altogether. Without them, he roamed wild, laying the groundwork for neo-swing with Jumpin' Jive and etching out sophisti-pop on his Cole Porter/George Gershwin-flavored Night and Day, before expanding into symphonic compositions and other increasingly esoteric stylistic exercises, whittling his audience down to just the dedicated in the process. Even among those dedicated fans, the first two Jackson albums were cherished, and Jackson acknowledged that on occasion by appropriating the sound, as on 1991's Laughter & Lust. Still, it took him a full 23 years to reunite his original band, an event celebrated by the release of Volume 4 (the title indicating that this is the fourth go-round for this band, kind of like how Van Halen III kicked off the third incarnation of the band). It would be inaccurate to say that this captures the bristling energy or spitting vitriol of the first two records, though Volume 4 certainly follows a similar template and often feels similar in form, if not in substance, to that pair. It also recalls Night and Day in parts (ironically, moreso than the explicit 2000 sequel Night and Day II), which means it winds up being a revival of the classic Joe Jackson sound instead of the Joe Jackson Band. Frankly, that's not a problem; if this is going to be a nostalgia exercise, at least in part, it should be about the overarching idea of Jackson as much as the particulars. Plus, it's a good record -- his best pure pop in at least a decade. It's a little front-loaded and, at times, it may seem a little labored or self-conscious, but usually it sounds relaxed and tuneful, as if Jackson is relieved to just be cutting a record of pop tunes instead of worrying about a grand concept or symphonic movements. And while the band certainly has mellowed with age, they still bring his music to life better than any other outfit he's worked with, giving it definition and muscle. It may be true that Volume 4 isn't as lively or vital as his first five albums, but it's also more satisfying as a pop record than anything he's done since Body & Soul, which is more than enough to make it a worthy comeback. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The first Night and Day album by Joe Jackson is an absolute pop music masterpiece. The "sequel," appropriately entitled Night and Day II, like the first, is an homage to New York City. The sequel musically quotes the lilting keyboard lines from Jackson's biggest hit, "Steppin' Out," several times, making one long to hear the original on Night and Day. Highlights included "Glamour and Pain" and "Happyland." Marianne Faithfull makes an interesting guest vocal appearance on "Love Got Lost." Jackson is still angry, but he's no longer a young man and as always his anger is tempered by a wry sense of humor. The songs on Night and Day II are not as easily accessible or memorable as the original, but this is still a great album and Joe Jackson is still the man. ~ Tim Griggs, All Music Guide
'Summer in the City: Live in New York'
Release Date 5/6/2000
Tracks 13
Label Sony Classical
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The chameleonic Jackson is reunited with longtime bandmates Graham Maby (bass and vocals) and Gary Burke (drums) for this trio date, recorded live in August 1999. The opening "Summer in the City" promises much, and the album delivers. While the three don't always play to a song's strengths ("You Can't Get What You Want," for one, misses the full-band treatment), this release does showcase Jackson's piano and the group's interplay. The trio bounces through several Jackson originals, including "Fools in Love," "Down to London," and a medley including "Be My Number Two" and "You Can't Get What You Want," as well as classics like "Mood Indigo," "Eleanor Rigby," and the title track. On this album, Jackson proves not only that he has not abandoned classic pop songs or his own pop hits, but that he is performing them better than ever. ~ Ross Boissoneau, All Music Guide
'Symphony No. 1'
Release Date 10/19/1999
Tracks 4
Label Sony Classical
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
No one who has been following Joe Jackson's more recent career will be surprised that he has produced Symphony No. 1, nor will they be surprised at its contents, especially if they have heard his previous instrumental works. In his liner notes, Jackson immediately defends himself against the charge that this cannot be a symphony since it is not being played by a symphony orchestra, but rather by a ten-piece ensemble featuring jazz trumpeter Terence Blanchard and rock guitarist Steve Vai. Certainly, the symphony form has been altered structurally in the 20th century, but one of the defining characteristics has remained that it is a work for a large group, and in that sense, Jackson's composition does not qualify, even though he multiplies the number of sounds through the use of electronic keyboards and computers. By "symphonic in structure," he seems to mean that it is a work in four parts in which various musical ideas are explored. Fair enough, and, in fact, in this sense Symphony No. 1 is somewhat traditional, with its second, fast movement and its third, slow movement, which develop several themes, culminating in a last movement that draws them together. Jackson is unusual largely in the kinds of sounds he employs, sounds more familiar in rock and jazz. But leaving aside the question of whether or not Symphony No. 1 is a real symphony, it does function, as Jackson says he intends it to, as program music, tracing a life from childhood to old age. One may or may not think of that narrative while listening, but one feels it, from the way the music slowly emerges in the first movement to the simplicity and confidence of the final one. In this sense, Jackson is both an optimist and a still-young composer; an older one might not have so hopeful a view of old age. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Joe Jackson continues his flirtation with "serious" music, which began with Will Power, released in 1987. However, Jackson has not lost all of his pop sensibilities. There are a few moments on Heaven & Hell when the listener gets a hint of Jackson's pop expertise. This album utilizes both pop and classical musicians, including Suzanne Vega, Jane Siberry, Brad Roberts, Joe Askew, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Kenny Aronoff, and Dawn Upshaw. The theme of this album is the "seven deadly sins," with a composition dedicated to each. For diehard Jackson fans, this release may be heaven; but to casual fans, it will feel more like purgatory. ~ Tim Griggs, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After the inappropriately bombastic arena rock of Blaze of Glory, Joe Jackson returned (somewhat) to his roots to deliver the most straightforward pop album in his career in Laughter & Lust. While Jackson's late-'80s output is composed of intelligent, if often forgettable, adult pop/rock, Laughter & Lust feels almost like a snotty declaration of Jackson's pop skills. He's "been there, done that" with pop music, and with Laughter & Lust he shows off just how effortlessly he can construct a commercially viable pop album. Nowhere is this more present than on the bitter "Hit Single," a tirade about the disposability of pop music and the public's inability to digest more than "just the hit single." But Jackson saves this inscrutable slap in the face of his fans by setting it to -- surprise -- a massive pop hook. And it's that paradox that exists all over Laughter & Lust; songs like "Stranger Than Fiction" and "When You're Not Around" sound so effortless, so catchy, so made for radio -- and yet you know that Joe Jackson constructed these songs just because he could, not necessarily because he wanted to. It's a testament as much to Jackson's abilities as it is to his ego, and Laughter & Lust became his not-so-subtle goodbye to pop music, as he would continuously foray into "serious" music from here on out. Still, for a fan who can see past the attitude, Laughter & Lust does deliver more bang for the buck than any Jackson album since Night and Day, simply because Jackson really does know how to construct a good pop song, even if he's condescending while doing it. ~ Jason Damas, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
A loose concept album about a second-generation rock & roller struggling to come to terms with maturity, Blaze of Glory holds together fairly well, as the story takes a backseat to individual songs. While that does mean that the concept is never fleshed out, the approach results in a handful of brisk, stylish pop songs -- including "Nineteen Forever" and "Down to London" -- that are more compelling than the story itself. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
