The Jam : Classic or, wait for it................

Thanks

In which I do my part to help The Jam and Style Council in America.

Very noice!

I listened to Sound Affects last night for the first time in nearly forever and was reminded, for the umpteenth time, that their run from All Mod Cons through The Gift was pretty unparalleled for the era. Weller's lyrics can come across sometimes as overstuffed, but that shortcoming is more than overcome by the sheer energy of the band. IMHO, their music has survived better than that of most of their contemporaries.

And props for rating "Ghosts" so highly. Amazing song.

"Ghosts" is great, but The Gift is frustrating. I understand that protocol in the UK was, to varying degrees, to not put singles on albums, but jeez, replace a couple of the meh tracks on The Gift with their 1981 singles, or "The Bitterest Pill," or "Beat Surrender," or "Shopping," or etc. etc. and you'd have possibly their greatest album. And why are the vocals buried in the mix on "Trans-Global Express"?

Agreed on the production of "Trans-Global Express," which is the song I would swap out for "Shopping." Not sure which other tracks I'd drop.

I’d definitely drop “Circus” (which sounds more like a b-side than their actual b-sides, but at least points in an intriguing new direction), and “The Planner’s Dream Gone Wrong.” “Beat Surrender” couldn’t have been included, since it was recorded after The Gift was released, and after they’d announced their split. But Weller was obviously able to come up with better songs than “Planner’s,” so why didn’t he? (He said something in the liner notes to Dig The New Breed like “wanted The Gift to be our best ever, ended up just OK. Oh well!”)

I remember that quote, along with his amusement at writing "That's Entertainment" after coming home "pissed from the pub" and its being hailed as his best yet.

Weller's voals are buried on "Trans-Global Express" but then again, So Is The Sun...