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| From | "David H. Adler" <dha@panix.com> |
| Subject | Re: New Joe Jackson |
| Date | Wed, 26 Mar 2003 00:48:26 -0500 |
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On Wed, Mar 26, 2003 at 12:16:01AM -0000, audities@yahoogroups.com wrote:
> Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 11:06:46 EST
> From: DanAbnrml9@aol.com
> Subject: New Joe Jackson
>
> So out of curiosity, does anyone else that the new Joe Jackson disc is a huge
> disappointment? I mean, I didn't expect much since most of his output since
> "Night and Day" has been indulgent and often frankly awful (the two
> exceptions, I believe, are the pretty-good, not-great "Big World" and
> "Laughter and Lust" albums), but with the reunited lineup and the renewed
> interest in making pop music, well, I was expecting something at least
> listenable.
Frankly, expecting Joe Jackson to do anything more than once is foolish.
I personally don't think any of his stuff is "awful", just different
(and, yes, there's some of it I don't like, but that's pretty much
exclusively because he's gone in a direction I don't care to follow,
which I see as a very different thing than it being bad).
> But if this is a return to any old Joe Jackson sound, IMO, it's the sound of
> "Blaze of Glory"--yes, it's "pop" music, but the songs have uniformly bland
> and undeveloped hooks, plus the band seems to lack even the hint of a spark.
> Yes, it sounds like they're trying to sound like a cross between "Night and
> Day" and "Look Sharp"--and they're trying way too hard.
No offence, but I suspect they're just doing what they want to do (or at
least what Joe wants to do) and you're just feeling compelled to make it
fit into what you think they should be doing.
Again, JJ simply does not stand still. Beat Crazy is quite different,
IMO, from the first two albums, but from there he took off at a major
angle - a cover album of jazz music. From there he went into the
N&D/B&S period (more in the realm of jazz - although that perception may
just be influenced by the fact that the cover of Body & Soul is clearly
inspired by an old Blue Note album... :-) - but again far from Jumping
Jive. Then he did (if I recall the order correctly) a *classical*
album. I would never expect him to do somthing quite like his first
albums again, regardless of the band used. A comparison of Elvis
Costello's My Aim Is True and Brutal Youth comes to mind.
I am, perhaps, reading you wrong, but I've heard enough people call
music that doesn't fit their particular preconceptions "bad" that I've
become cynical.
> On a semi-related note, does anyone know why "Beat Crazy" is like, impossible
> to find? I would've rather had a reissue of that.
I've wondered the same thing myself, although I finally managed to find
a used cd copy of it recently. I would be thrilled if that were
available, regardless.
Also...
> Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 11:16:22 -0500
> From: "Harris, Will" <wharris1@bcharrispub.com>
> Subject: Re: New Joe Jackson
>
> I haven't heard the new album, but, wow, I'm certainly hearing incredibly
> diverse opinions. Either people think it's a full-on return to his "Look
> Sharp!" era and the best thing he's done in a decade or two, or, like both
> Jason and whoever reviewed it for Entertainment Weekly, they think it's a
> tremendous disappointment.
Well, I'm happy to provide a middle ground. :-) I rather like it, but
it's far from my favorite album of his - although it's growing on me.
As far as it being a "return" or "disappointing", you can probably tell
from my comments above that I don't find either assessment terribly
relevant. :-)
In any case, I'm kind of annoyed that I won't get to see them here in
nyc, since it's sold out. :-/ I've always wanted to see this particular
line up, regardless of what material they're playing.
dha
--
David H. Adler - <dha@panix.com> - http://www.panix.com/~dha/
I've tried subtlely - Game Theory
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