The Jam

About

Every casual fan must decide how deeply to immerse themselves into a band’s catalog. For those looking for a concise, chronological set that doesn’t overstay its welcome, <i>The Sound of The Jam</i> is a worthy consideration. Serious fans will insist on further time spent with albums such as <i>All Mod Cons</i>, <i>Setting Sons</i>, and <i>Sound Affects</i>, but why argue with an album that includes the brash mod shudder of “In the City” and “The Modern World,” the magic of The Kinks’ “David Watts” (as big an influence as The Who), and such literary marvels as “To Be Someone,” “Mr. Clean,” “The Butterfly Collector," and “The Eton Rifles”? The band’s catchiest songs—“Going Underground” and “That’s Entertainment”—are bona fide classics in the U.K. and worthy of more attention in the U.S. By the end of their career, The Jam were flirting more boldly with R&B; songs such as “Town Called Malice” and “Beat Surrender” were also a clue as to where Paul Weller would take his next group, The Style Council.

via Apple Music

The Clerk says

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