The Jukebox Rebel

features in: Album Chart of 1980 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1980s ● 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die

The Jam’s superb form continues into the new decade with this well-crafted affair, full of nuggets, especially on side one which includes “Pretty Green”, “But I’m Different Now”, “Set The House Ablaze” and the two tracks chosen as singles; “Start!” (appearing here on slightly extended form) and “That’s Entertainment”, the latter of which is truly the songwriters song of songs, wonderfully evocative of urban mundanity and completely unforgettable. The bare, strummed track is completely at odds with rest of the album, which has a sharper dance sound, characterized by Foxton’s funk-punk basslines, Weller’s ever-thoughtful, no-nonsense lyrical delivery, and the subtle introduction of trumpets to Jam sound. The blaze doesn’t rage quite so intensely on side two, but the flip is home to the fantastic “Man In The Cornershop”, a song longing for the ‘freedom’ of the greener grass which looks so appealing on the other side. They are Premier League class in every way.

The Jukebox Rebel
09–Jul–2006

A1	[02:36] The Jam - Pretty Green (Paul Weller) New Wave
A2	[03:00] The Jam - Monday (Paul Weller) Cerebral Pop
A3	[01:50] The Jam - But I’m Different Now (Paul Weller) New Wave
A4	[05:02] The Jam - Set The House Ablaze (Paul Weller) Post-Punk
A5	[02:29] The Jam - Start! (Paul Weller) New Wave
A6	[03:38] The Jam - That’s Entertainment (Paul Weller) New Wave
B1	[03:50] The Jam - Dream Time (Paul Weller) New Wave
B2	[03:12] The Jam - Man In The Cornershop (Paul Weller) New Wave
B3	[03:43] The Jam - Music For The Last Couple (Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton, Rick Buckler) New Wave
B4	[01:59] The Jam - Boy About Town (Paul Weller) New Wave
B5	[03:59] The Jam - Scrape Away (Paul Weller) New Wave

ratings by TJR