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Up to the minute notes on the current state of free thinking and free living: Kentucky moonshine - original analysis and reporting from MoreThings, and all round pop culture museum of sight and sound - photo galleries, mp3 and video downloads.
Al Barger and MoreThings - getting people's goats since 1998.
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August 11, 2003
Joe Jackson's birthday
Born August 11, 1955, Joe Jackson turns 48 today. Happy birthday!!
It seems that ol' Joe has never gotten quite the recognition that he deserves for his artistic achievements. Some of that may be because Elvis Costello sucked all the air out of the room for new wave singer-songwriters from England in the late '70s. I'm afraid that for some people Joe Jackson has always been that guy who's kind of like Elvis, only not quite as good. You can be a notch or two below Elvis, though, and still have a heller career.
Actually, I'd say Jackson was competitive for the first half dozen albums or so. His more recent work hasn't been as strong, but you're missing out if you don't have at least several of his early albums. Look Sharp! just kicks ass song for song. It's really not that much like Elvis Costello anyway, but more like your classic power pop, such as Get the Knack or early Beatlemania era hits. I'm the Man is just as consistent song for song. The apparently out of print Beat Crazy completes that early power pop trilogy in good form.
Whereas Elvis made a tribute album of country songs that just absolutely didn't work, Joe Jackson made a tribute album of jazz and jump blues, Joe Jackson's Jumpin' Jive, which may now be recognized as a classic equal to the originals, with a competitive level of musical skill and interesting new arrangements and emotional tones from the Louis Jordan and other originals.
Night and Day gave Jackson his greatest commercial success. You couldn't argue against this. Each and every song is outstanding. If anybody wanted to pick a new wave Cole Porter, this record would be Exhibit A for Mr. Jackson.
After that, he hasn't been able to keep quite up to those high early standards, but he's always worth a listen. Body and Soul certainly still rated pretty high, and he's usually got something to justify giving his new work a listen.
However, even if he never made another record, he's already made
I'm the Man
It's Different for Girls
Breaking Us in Two
One More Time
Geraldine and John
Is She Really Going Out with Him?
Sunday Papers
On Your Radio
Instant Mash
Pretty Boys
TV Age
Beat Crazy
Cha Cha Loco
You Can't Get What You Want
Fools in Love
Not Here, Not Now
Jack, You're Dead
You Run Your Mouth (and I'll Run My Business)
A Slow Song
Throw It Away
Kinda Kute
Steppin' Out
Another World
What's The Use Of Getting Sober (When You're Just Gonna Get Drunk Again)
Baby Stick Around
Real Men
Cancer
Hell of a Town
Chinatown
Target
Got the Time
posted by Al at 8/11/2003 03:03:00 AM
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