Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Excellent stuff
Niet heel pakkend de eerste keer, maar na nog een keer doorheen bladeren is dit misschien wel iets om nog eens te luisteren.
Kinda washed over me
A good alternative album overall, though the tracks are pretty hit or miss.
Very pleasantly surprised here. Mostly good stuff, with a few really really GREAT songs too. The jam is a jam! Even better than the other record we got here.
I think this was a fun album, and quick. Those are green flags for me.
I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would've. This album already had two strikes against it for being British and 80s. So I wasn't expecting much. But there's enough here to enjoy. Good baselines like on Start! and layers on Pretty Green. That's Entertainment, is a song I've heard before, I always thought it was Paul McCartney singing because all British people sound the same, but I really liked that one. I think I'd listen to this again for fun.
Classic British 70s punk vibes. That’s Entertainment my favourite track.
Punk rock
All in all, its pretty strong
That's entertainment!
Nice!
A quick note on this album, but I've been enjoying this a lot. And album filled with smart lyrics, great bass and just all-round good musc. That's Entertainment might be one of the best pop songs ever written and the rest of the album is filled with great jams (pun not intended) It seems after the first 200 or so albums in this endeavor I've learned that I'm a bigger fan of New Wave and post-punk than I imagined.
is there a reason the jam wanted so desperately to have an album title with a glaring grammar error? i guess they are indeed punk! i am incredibly relieved to discover that the jam considered the beatles' revolver as a huge inspiration for this album. in my notes for this album, i wrote "beatles if they released an album together in 1980". it's got some definite beatles vibes combined with punk and new wave. the end result is quite good. something unique about this album is that i found every song to have a killer intro!
I think it probably sounded better in 1980 than it does in 2022. Some good tracks on it though, and it did take me back to the 80’s. One of the other reviewers suggested that The Jam were a better singles band than an album band, I wouldn’t disagree with that. Paul Weller is a talent isn’t he (not to take anything away from the other members of the band of course).
I love the era of British punk rock in the 70s/80s and this is a band that I’ve never heard of. ‘Sound Affects’ is my favorite album Ive discovered from this list so far. I love everything about it.
great tunes. it would be amazing to see these played live. favorite tunes: monday, but i'm different now, that's entertainment, dream time, boy about town, scrape away
La primera reinvenció de Weller, i la millor de totes elles. Que després de fer un dels millors discos de postpunk, 'All Mod Cons', i un disc de transició excel.lent, 'Setting Sons', fos capaç d'evolucionar a noves sensibilitats pop i donar un canvi d'aires tan refescant a The Jam només està a l'alçada de genis. El començament, amb 'Pretty Green' i 'Monday', és insuperable. Però és que apart hi conviuen 'Boy About Town', 'That's Entertainment', 'Set the House Ablaze', 'Start!'... Fregant les cinc estrelles
"Days of speed and slow time Monday's Pissing down with rain on a boring Wednesday Watching the news and not eating your tea A freezing cold flat and damp on the walls I say that's entertainment, that's entertainment" One of the greatest songs from one of the greatest and sadly neglected bands. It's quintessential post-punk Britain with a nod to the Kinks. I grew up with this so I'm kinda biased. It encapsulates Britain late 70s-early 80s so it may not be your cup of tea but for me it's happy days. (btw: All Mod Cons is even better imo)
This one grew on me. I really appreciated recognizing some of the bands The Jam has influenced (Bloc Party), and were influenced by (The Beatles). Would return.
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Monday, Set the house ablaze
Nice...
Listened to on 7/31/22 4/5 Favorite song: That’s Entertainment Great 80s rock vibes
Really good. I had never heard of them before
Sound affects? Haven't really come across any on this album. But what was evident was the fact that The Jam were riding a wave that nobody knew was coming to a stop, and it is particularly noticeable to hear them fire on all cylinders on what was to be their penultimate record. Dreaming of Monday, dreaming of Monday.... Favorites: Pretty Green, Monday, Set the House Ablaze, Start!, That's Entertainment, Man in the Corner Shop, Scrape Away.
I have so many questions. Where does this album fit between punk and The Kinks? Is this New Wave? Are these guys working class (Oasis) or not quite (Blur)? The album exhibits top notch production; the recording sounds great and highlights how tight the band is. Set the House Ablaze is a standout track. The album verges on earning a 5-star mark but the lyrics leave me wanting just a little more.
"Pretty Green," "Monday," "Start", and "That's Entertainment" are probably my faves from this album--- also my first release I've ever heard from The Jam.
So surprisingly bouncy. Bass-driven tracks on top of punk rock. Yes, please, I’d like more.
Out of anything Paul Weller has touched the jam is the only project which he’s worked on that doesn’t make me want to fall asleep… Pretty green has a good bass line and this amazing chorus but while it is mostly a good tune the vocals feel ever so slightly too low in the mix. Monday is a slower rather poppy song for the jam with these nice, subtle piano workings and great lyrics. But i’am different now is much more punk a short little burst of energy with crunchy arse guitars only slowing down slightly towards the end. Next is the song set the house ablaze probably the most epic sounding jam song out there and the one with the best guitars and an amazing instrumental/ spoken bridge in the middle great surprise! Start! Isn’t my favourite jam single ( actually it’s one of my least favourites) but it’s well written and has an iconic bass line and great guitars that should’ve made it the albums opener as it feels odd at this point on the album. Ending side one is one of my favourite jam hits thats entertainment an aggressive acoustic mix with a heavenly chorus hard to fault! Dream this is an odd start so side two with the first minute being warped noises then this heavy drum based track comes in it’s not my favourite but still really cool. Man in the corner shop is a slower sometimes has some great lyrics about essentially being your own man it’s one of the least interesting instrumentally but I still like it. Music for the last couple is a useless mostly instrumental track, which fine does sound good but what a shame shame that they didn’t just throw going underground at this point in the album as I think that song would’ve made it a great. The penultimate track boy about town is very good, I love the way he sings the verses on this one and those horns amazing! The album closes with scrape away it’s great the slightly echoey vocals work perfectly on this one, it’s an odd track for sure but nice to throw in this as the album’s closer. [ As a bonus I decided to listen to the going underground single plus its b side dreams of children ( as they were on the us version apparently) to see if they would work on the album then I’ll give an alt track list] Going underground= well this should’ve just been on this album by default. Amazing single! The dreams of children= it’s an alright song but I gets why it’s not on any album. Alt tracklist 1 Start! 2 Monday 3 Pretty green 4 But i’am different now 5 Set the house ablaze 6 That’s entertainment 7 Dream time 8 Going underground 9 Man in the corner shop 10 Boy about town 11 Scrape away Other than the slight track list faults brilliant album!
Pretty excellent punky new wave, I enjoyed this a lot.
Good album. Reminded me of something like Gang of Four.
Took a few songs to click for me but then But I'm Different Now came in and it rules. Really cool punk with some massive atmosphere, enjoyed a lot.
Yeah, I should try to get into The Jam some more. I have Setting Suns and dig that, and this is also pretty cool. It’s that perfect blend where it sounds of its time and timeless. I think indie fiends will totally dig this, too. B
Classic
early punk rock vibes. All songs are 3ish minutes. British. I get Clash vibes
Paul Weller thinks this is The Jam's best album and he's probably right. It's certainly the last good thing any of them did.
Very good album - quite adventurous for the time.
Yeeahh! One of the best by the Jam, with the classic mod era song That’s entertainment as a high light
Yes it does
Not sure I've actually listened to The Jam before 😮 oh hi Taxman. Can see where Bloc Party got their inspiration from.
Pretty nice
Love that bass tone. Set The House Ablaze kicks ass. Music For The Last Couple starts way in left field. The back half of the album sort of loses its way but that was excellent!
Upbeat rock, pretty good listen. Lives up to the band name!
Maybe a little calmer then their early stuff. Still a great listen.
Enjoyed my time with this one!
That's entertainment. Enjoyable albeit slightly same and safe at times
Fantastic
pleasantly surprised by how different each song was
Crema dessa bandinha inglesa tão esquecida.
Roque
A necessary artifact of its time.
pretty fun 80s rock, 8/10
Soort van uptempo new wave met wat punk invloeden. Enkel de single 'that's entertainment' kende ik. Voor de rest wel een leuk album
imagine il y a un effet "mouche qui vole près de ton oreille" sur la meilleure track de l'album
I've never listened to The Jam before but I really dig this! I can see the influence it had on other albums I enjoy. The songs here hit a great mix of catchy and punk.
Pow!
Good, but not great. They were such a good singles band, and so prolific at making new albums, that it's not a huge surprise that there's a fair bit of filler at points. Start! and Monday were my favourites favourites
Hard to believe this is 40 years old!
Not groundbreaking but some decent tunes. Pretty Green is a great little bop to end the album
Muy bien. Un 4.
The Wellerphant man in full force with some jems here, but a couple of duds steal a star.
The stand-outs are the stand-outs, the rest are a bit relentlessly shouty
As much as I find Paul Weller fucking insufferable, when he's good he's great.
Really enjoyed the bass lines in this one
Classic early 80's British sound. I always liked thier other album 'The Gift' which I am more familiar with
Cosas interesantes (aunque no por eso lo vuelven algo que quiera agregar a mi biblioteca). El sonido está ahí, con ondas desde Pixies, Joey Division e incluso momentos en los que la voz me recuerda a Bowie. Me gustaron el evidente homenaje a los Beatles en 'Start!', cachar que el riff de entrada de 'Set The House Ablaze' lo usa también Bloc Party, y 'That's Entertainment' que me da la impresión que la había oído antes.
Departing from Who-like mod revival theme, this album has them embrace New Wave and 60s psychedelia, taking clear inspirations from many artists. The minimalism of Wire, the vocal delivery of Gang of Four, the sitar and psychedelic sounds of not just 60s rock and folk, but also synth effects of their contemporary neo-psychedelia movement (e.g. the reverse record sounds is very much like Teardrop Explosion). It's very easy to like this album, and they're able to hold their own identity, with vocals still faithful to who they used to be. It's just a little hard to still label this as mod revivalist considering they sound even less like the Kinks or the Who. Songs themselves are pretty decent. "Start" is very obvious to anyone that it's "Taxman," but I really really like the vocals. I swear I've heard something like them before, not sure whether it's a song from All Mod Cons or some other New Wave track. The star track, "That's Entertainment" is one of the most prominent neo-psychedelic songs (other examples include "Monday" and "Dream Time"). It's simple in both melody and lyrical subject, easy to slip into. The rest are pretty great. Nothing awful, most have something I like about them. Perfect length, easy listening, this album will pleasantly pass you by if you just close your eyes. Will definitely come back to this.
Always loved the Jam. Anger but with a softness of touch. Another album on their impressive cannon!
Fav songs: - Monday - That's Entertainment - Dream Time
Closer to 3.5 stars than a full 4. I like the Bowie-adjacent vocals! Both The Jam albums so far have been pleasant.
Love the bass. Good 70s UK vibe.
Super solid album from start to finish. Really interesting sounds going on in the instrumentals, and I liked the inclusion of the bassline from "Taxman" by the Beatles. Favorite Tracks: Start!, Man In The Corner Shop, Dream Time, Boy About Town
I like it 🤘
I knew a couple of their songs - Start and That's Entertainment from this album and a Town Called Malice (different album, my favorite of theirs) - which I thought were pretty good. The album is more of the same. The sequence from Set the House Ablaze to Boy About Town (7 songs) was great. I also really liked Pretty Green. The whole backstory of the band is fascinating - they were icons of a niche (and sometimes violent) culture in the UK. This album feels like the perfect fit between 70's punk and 80's indie rock (like the Smiths). Not quite punk, not quite post-punk. Bass was a prominent feature in a lot of the songs and I enjoyed it. Guitar work wasn't overly complex but fit well. Catchy songs. Definitely going to listen to more of their stuff.
A fun album. I can see this totally making an impact when it came out. You can hear a Beatles influence here which is mostly subtle except for the obvious nod to Taxman on the track Start. Even as a prog rock fan I can admire a band that can write a good song that's under 2 minutes long. This album has 2. The first is followed by the 5 minute Set the House Ablaze, which might be my favorite on the album. Enjoyed the harmonies on That's Entertainment. This is definitely a band that I want to check out more of.
Love it. That's Entertainment is my favorite one by far, but the whole album is a banger.
Despite enjoying The Jam through various best of compilations, I’m not as up on the actual studio albums. Good to learn the album tracks don’t dip in quality from the well known hits. Will be rectifying this in future.
I could see myself putting this on during a road trip and enjoying it, for sure.
Bass and drums lead the way here, driving forceful rhythms with precision and uniqueness. Top tracks: Start!, But I’m different now
it got me jamming
Great one
I really like this album, especially "Boy About Town"! It's got a perfect new-wave sound.
Really enjoyed this!
I thought this album was pretty cool overall. Listening to it went fast, but I enjoyed the post-punk influence that influenced much of the album 4/5
Proper enjoyable
Start, that's entertainment - great tracks
Muy bien. Un 4.
Never heard of this band but I really dug it.
sounds like a grittier bowie...i have to admit i didn't know the jam, much to lane's disappointment i particularly like music for the last couple random "and your bird can sing" cover way down among the demo versions
Great Album
The Jelly
it takes a wee bit to get into, but the singles are fantastic and i love the stretch towards a more 'soul' sound. Tight playing too. 4
better than I thought it would be
Cool early 80s punk/skate riffs OpIvy Ramones ish
Liked it!
Banger's
Some absolute bangers on this, although not quite their best
I liked it! Some songs were forgettable but I really liked Start! and Boy About Town. I also really liked the album cover haha
Sí me dio toda la vibra punk rock new wave de los 70-80, no es muy mi vibra pero está ok
Fun and catchy, has some very obvious influences but makes it work in a not so derivative way
Bass player is great. Seems to be a huge influence on Bloc Party. Big influence on indie mid-00’s bands. Good angular guitar lines and bass takes front stage, solid post-punk
Only knew the hits previously, but great album which will have me dig through.
Decent, enjoyable, new to me so all good.
Chido, un sonido muy de los 80. (Post-punk?). Buenas gutarras, energía movita y sobre todo partes de bajo muy disfrutables. en esta misma nota creo que mis dos favoritas fueron Start! y Scrape Away porque son canciones donde el bajo es protagoníco y me parecen que tiene un ritmito como para bailar dando saltitos sin dirección ni sentido. Mood: No me genero afectos a los sonidos de su disco, a pesar del juego de palabras del título, pero me la pasé bien.
Good album, pop punk with great lyrics Representative the era. Some songs I knew already also. Very enjoyable
nice
Highly enjoyed this. Glad this project has exposed me to The Jam, another band that I’ve heard of and I know is a big influence to a lot of the artists I love but just haven’t really checked out yet.
En una primera escucha, no me convencía casi nada, pero ya después sí le agarré gusto y se me quedaron como ciertas repeticiones muy pegadas (leitmotivs, quizá??). En fin, me pareció un buen disco, con un par de canciones medio flojas, pero también con momentos muy rockeros como "Music for the Last Couple". Otras que me gustaron mucho fueron "Set the House Ablaze", "Start!" y "Scrape Away". No conocía a The Jam, pero sí podría escucharlos más. 8/10
Good 70s jam rock
Not the best Jam album I've listed to, but not too bad either.
Not familiar with, but good.
Not my favourite genre
A blend of ska, blues, 2 tone and 60s pop for all the songwriting. Not too many memorable tracks flaunt their way but still a good example of 2 tone/ska of the era. I'd wager that this bears repeated listening. 6.5/10
The Jam seems like a very deep take on the Pop Idiom. Astute variety and very smart lyrics.
Familiarity: 1/10 Notes: The Jam is not a jam band. They do not make flavored fruit preserves. However, they do fuck. They fuck hard. Driving bass lines, new wave sound mixed with some proto punk. North England punk kid just looking to play. This sound will not be for everyone, but as a man starving for more new wave in my life, this album hits it all, I am pleased with this. Favorite Tracks: - Monday - Set The House Ablaze - Start! - Dream Time - Boy About Town True Rating: 7.5/10
I really liked the sound of this band and was surprised that I have never heard of The Jam. They were similar to the Beatles but more modern.
Punk is fun. Not too angry, not too revolutionary, but fun.
Very punk rock meets funk and rock. Simple, yet effective.
More my taste. Raw, punchy, and definitely more punk. Much catchier songs and more to my liking.
Some brilliant tracks on this album. Love Paul Weller.
Really enjoyed this album - you could definitely hear the post-punk influences of the time. There was an element of Joy Division, but with a stronger emphasis on melody and catchiness and the dreariness removed.
Close to peak Jam.
Standard, enjoyable dancey post-punk album
Muito bom! Rockzinho bem tocado, baixo rítmico, bateria seca, mas marcante... separação legal de instrumentos e vocal coerente. E umas sonoplastias legaizinhas que "diferenciam" as músicas de outras similares. Gostei!
Nifty record! I didn't make the connection with Paul Weller and feel incredibly stupid, but good album overall.
2/5 Fun and whacky. Standout Tracks: Monday, That’s Entertainment, Dream Time, Man In The Corner Shop, Music For The Last Couple
4
This is a good album and the Jam is a good band. However, I think the book could have just had this album and not All Mod Cons. This is the better album and the Jam is not so good, or so important, that it needed to have two albums included in the 1001 albums you must hear before you die. Still, good album.
This was perfectly fine. Sounded a bit like Dad punk, if that’s a thing. The songs had plenty of energy, but a lot of it was pretty generic and blended together by the end.
Decent 80’s rock. Heavy on the drums in most songs and very upbeat throughout the album. The songs could use some help lyrically but this was an interesting listen overall.
Clam jam son
enjoyed but also can’t differentiate this from a lot of the other rock albums i’ve got
Pretty good
Kul allt som allt!
Jovars!
This was a mostly fun, easy listen. Liked House Ablaze and Last Couple best.
Good album, good songs.
Best Song: Man in the Corner Shop This was not enjoyable and has zero relistenability for me. But, like most of these types of things I'm not going to yuck on someone else's yum, maybe there are Jam-heads out there that love this album. So I will be kind with a 3/5 for my Jam-head friends.
Pretty good
Good album
I liked this album for this particular genre. It has a thin line to cross to be trite. But I liked Start and a couple of other cuts.
Whole lotta UK 70’s / 80’s rock & punk on this list.
"That's Entertainment" is a fantastic new wave track- esp. that cool reversed guitar that pops up sparingly in the background (and on a few others). The rest of the album? S'okay. No bad songs. I do really like Paul Weller as a singer and the instrumentation is good, but paling in comparison to the Police who they are often compared with.
Perfectly fine but was very background music and didn’t really make that much of an impression.
Was never a big fan of The Jam and this didn't convert me. Pretty good though - would have been a 3.5 probably if we did those.
Found it a little bland. Start! and That's Entertainment stood out. It was interesting that a couple of tracks really made me think of 70's Bowie
Yeah this was ur list creator loving UK rock, but hey, it’s not half bad.
Greetings, Paul Weller, While I personally prefer your later work on the Style Council, this more British punk sound is not bad to listen to at all. It's not a groundbreaking album, but it seems to come from your heart and your creative, fun side, which I appreciate a lot. Thanks, Some guy from Australia in his 20s.
Favorite Track: Man in the Corner Shop Least Favorite Track: But I’m Different Now
Not bad but I feel like there's better examples of this style on the list
Enjoyable melodic rock with several highlights (That’s Entertainment and Start!). For a relatively short album I would have happily foregone Scrape Away as it didn’t match the relatively strong standard of the rest of the album
I liked this. Obviously “Start!” and “That’s Entertainment” were the standouts, but I also liked “Set the House Ablaze”, which sounded familiar - like a more recent band sampled it, or ripped off the riff, but I can’t think who it is. The rest of the tracks were fine, if not quite as exciting as the aforementioned, and the whole album was tight and concise.
This was alright. Obviously some stand out singles, but away from those, I liked the reggae-tinged Music For The Last Couple, and I really enjoyed Man In The Corner Shop too (when it got going). Ultimately though, this was just fine - I'd happily listen to it if I heard it, but wouldn't seek it out. A classic 2.5 for me, but I'm rounding up. 3/5
é um puxadinho de pós punk, e tá tudo bem não é ruim, mas achei bem mais do mesmo na lista parábens banda the jam!!
The Jam feel like a band I should like, but, apart from the odd song, they never really do it for me.
noises and sounds... yes. why so many Britt albums on here???
Ihan mukavan kuuloinen levy. Ei kuitenkaan mitään niin speciaalia että nousisi nelkkuseen
Kivoja ralleja plus ohan se viihettä on kova.
helicopter is a straight lift of the fourth track here
Good because The Jam, but didn't tickle my joy bone too much.
6/10
Solid 3 but the album kind of fizzled out at the end. It's really remarkable how much it sounds like modern indie spiky guitar music, obviously a massive influence 20 to 30 years after its release. Always been a fan of Paul Wellers solo work so nice to revisit the Jam every now and again.
Well okay!
I sure love generic UK rock bands
Upon hearing it again, I have heard the song That's Entertainment. I like it. This whole album is just a new wavey post punk moshposh of songs. Nothing of it is really grabbing me.
80's pop punk maybe? Alright. Not my style, nor will it stick with me, but nothing to hate on
Prior to this, my experience with The Jam started and ended with that Paul Weller solo album, which I unfortunately hated. I am pleased to report that Sound Affects is *much* better. However, I would like to rib the band a little for their listed influences on this album. They claim to be influenced by Revolver (by The Beatles), which is funny because that's like saying you are influenced by the electric guitar; it's true, but it's completely unhelpful. They also claim to be influenced by Off The Wall by Michael Jackson, which is funny because I don't hear it on this album *at all*, but I certainly do hear it on Paul Weller's *much* worse solo album. Honestly, Sound Affects sounds most like a kind of pop-grounded, polished post punk album. It wears the simplicity, and angularity, and chunky basslines well. I wouldn't say this is a radical transformation on the sound, but it is a really solid collection of songs. It's a thoroughly enjoyable listen, and it *does* make post punk work really well as pop music without sacrificing the genre's identity. A lot of these songs are really good, but Set The House Ablaze and Scrape Away are probably the best. They really lean into the slight darkness and quirkiness that can come with post punk, and it makes for a really cool palette when combined with the rest of what this has going on. Anyways, in short, this is really good. Call it a high 3.
Sounds like something I would like but what’s up with the guy sounding off-key half the time?! Not bad but I’d rather just listen to the clash
fine
No lo he acabado de escuchar
Fast and fun. High 3
5/10
Not bad, but pretty generic Brit pop for the era. Maybe this stood out more in 1980.
This album didn't blow my hair back but at least it didn't blow it forward either.
Good
Аффекты по ушам
It was fine but not super memorable for me
Decent rock album. It’s got a sharp, punchy sound and enough energy to keep things moving, but I wasn’t blown away by it either. “Start!” was the one that jumped out right away, mostly because that bass line sounds like it’s lifted straight from “Taxman” by the Beatles.
Au da: Cha mir guet lose aber nix bsonders guets.
One of the more inventive and interesting Brit post-punkish groups! Made me question why I hadn't heard of them before this album.
Good album! Classic rock enjoyed it!
Bon album! Le début un peu compliqué, mais au fil de l’album, les bons morceaux arrivent : Boy About Town, That’s Entertainement, Music for the last couple. Cool! 3.5/5
Not familiar with the short lived Jam, but I like ‘em. Also never heard of anyone wishing it was Monday, but oh well. Musically the Jam is solid, all songs well composed. Impressive threefer with Set The House Ablaze, Start!, and That’s Entertainment. (3.1*s) Using the Beatles’ Taxman riff was a clever idea to boost sales in the eighties. Got a little bit of The Cure sound on That’s Entertainment. Clever album title - Sound Affects.
Apparently this Paul Weller guy has his fingerprints on a lot more music than I was ever aware of. Pretty cool to see his name keep popping up on this list through a variety of bands and musical styles. While I've enjoyed some of his other work that has been featured, The Jam's Sound Affects is probably the best so far. This album was a pretty solid listen with a handful of enjoyable tracks. Seems like they were ahead of their time as I was surprised to see this was released in 1980. It it felt like a preliminary to the popular 90's britpop sound with something Bowie-esque about it. I liked a lot of the pieces they were working with and might check out some more from The Jam. Good stuff. 3.04 stars
One thing that I have to keep reminding myself when I get albums like this is that it's not 1001 amazing albums, but 1001 albums you need to listen to. This is a perfectly fine bridge between punk and new wave as an example of that it makes sense to be on the list.
Pretty green - 4 Monday - 3 But i'm different now - 3 Set the house ablaze - 4 Start! - 4 That's entertainment - 4 Dream time - 4 Man in the corner shop - 3 Music for the last couple - 2 Boy about town - 3 Scrape away - 3
i've heard worse
I’ve heard that the jam are very influential but I don’t know who was influenced by them. I did notice in the first three songs on this album they stole riffs from the Sex Pistols and the Beatles. I liked Music for the Last Couple and Scrape Away, the rest was kind of forgettable but not bad.
Solid, down the middle dad music (complimentary)
Better than I remembered.
great energy post punk, mad bass driven tunes, not the most diverse pallete but the sound they go for is immaculate, kind of ambient kind of weird ear candies, the vocalist sometimes reminds me of damon albarn is that... is that taxman??
The Jam have never moved my needles, but "Sound Affects" was pretty good overall. Definitely an album I can see myself putting on again - forceful, with a mix of the Who, the Beatles, and Elvis Costello. Good stuff. THREE STARS
Just another generic album with an aggressively British vocalist The album does sound quite good at times; I thought the drumming was particularly great and there’s some pretty catchy bass lines in there (though they definitely ripped off the Taxman base lines for Start lol). The album was pretty short and I think there’s just enough variety to keep me invested all the way through Not a fan of the vocals as previously mentioned, I do think there’s such a thing as “too British” for my tastes. Even though there’s some solid instrumentation, the sound as a whole just feels so damn generic. I don’t think there’s any catchy melodies or any individual moment that made me stop and say “damn that’s cool.” It’s gonna be one of those albums where you ask me about it in about a month and I’ll have no idea who you’re talking about. Better forgettable than bad at least
British tilt strikes again. But kinda interesting album I guess.
Englischer 80er Rock. Ich kenne keines der Lieder, aber ist angenehm zu hören. 3/5
On the day I was listening to this album, I felt out of body and lost, just drifting about my job. I anticipated Sound Affects maintaining a much higher level of energy across its runtime, but it ended up being more low-key than I would have though. The sounds of the album run across the spectrum of English rock sounds, with some songs sounding ahead of their time in terms of musical ideas and production techniques. However,ni did struggle to click with the work; the we're sometimes mixed frustratingly low in these songs, and there were more than a few songs which broke into some tangential musical movements which lost me. There's an interesting fuzziness to the vocals which makes them stand out, and I love the unique songwriting and production choices made throughout, such as the strange diner and buzzing fly intro on Music For The Last Couple. Still, the font half doesn't interest me as much much as the higher energy back half, which is able to pull away from the weirdly lo-fi and muddy sound of the earlier tracks. Highlights: Start!, That's Entertainment, Music For The Last Couple, Boy About Town, Scrape Away
Started out as hot garbage, but then got a lot better Listenable enough
I never got The Jam. Sure, it’s fine but it’s not very exciting - I know the singles but literally everything else I could live without, though. Have to say that this may be the most bass-forward album I’ve ever heard - it’s the anti-…And Justice For All!
3.5
Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: Start!, Man In The Corner Shop Has a couple of good/playlist-worthy songs on it. Start! sounds very very similar in song structure to a famous Beatles song - maybe you've heard of it before - Taxman. I actually went back to listen to Taxman to hear just how similar it is. Obviously its not a literal cover, nor is it a sample (I think) but its definitely the same drum beat and very similar guitar riff? It's almost bizarro world-esque. Anyway, that's not necessarily a dig, imitation being the highest form of flattery and all that. It's just amusing to watch people in the YTM comments argue over it. Beyond this amusing tangent, the album is fine. I guess it's refreshing to listen to a band that I've never heard or heard of, and know none of their songs. That's always nice, to hear and discovery truly new music. What else is there to say? It was not groundbreaking. It was not revolutionary. It also wasn't mundane or boring.
oh wow i dig it
first listen not that interesting to me
I like how it sounds
meh
a chill listen
80’s soft punk, never heard and was glad to listen !
Like a discount XTC. I certainly didn't dislike it, but it didn't really do that much for me. Melodies a little forced, the mixing a little off.
This album is a product of its time with authentic sound and beat
some cool stuff going on here. diverse range from pop to punk to ska-adjacent. i was worried this would be a dud based on the year and album cover but it’s pretty solid
Another old friend. Though I admit I don’t feel as strongly about it today as I used to.
6.56/10
there were sounds
nice
I liked this, but didn’t love it. I’m sure it was an intentional choice, but the vocals often got lost in the mix. There are some really cool basslines on this album.
- This is hit or miss for me - I like a bunch of the songs (including, of course, "That's Entertainment"), but it can feel very knock-off versions of other music like the Clash, PiL/Sex Pistols, and Bowie (and the Taxman Beatles tune). I hear some Blur in there, too, but of course this came first. - I like Paul's voice and the instrumentals throughout, especially the drum and bass (though the tone of the bass was a little too horn-like) and the random effects that show up. The guitar isn't really as enjoyable to me because I don't really like the thin tone of it. - The albums has good flow and is a good length - none of the songs go on too long except Set The House Ablaze.
Vilken inspiration för typ all britpop. Som en brygga mellan Beatles och Blir. Weller är en fantastisk låtsmed, men insatserna och produktionen gör att det känns gammalt. Jämför med The Police! En trea
Nice little whimsy English rock album. Good for the work flow in the background. I appreciate the constant drive of the album. The bass is loud in the mix, but totally not an issue as it adds to the overall vibe. 3.6/5.0
*1980. British rock. *Sounds similar to David Bowie style. *Not memorable at all, but was a pleasant and quick 35 minute listen. RATING - 6.5/10
Ok album, one it two decent the rest a bit forgettable
Pretty cool!
I nice little Brit rock gem that I was not familiar with. Tight guitar rock songs with good melodies and an occasional hook. The production is uneven in spots, but overall a solid album.
When the album began, I was like, “Hell yeah, some more post punk new wave whatever!” But I grew bored with the album quickly. It’s not bad, just too samey for me. It’s a little better than a 2.
Keek hier erg naar uit na toch wel een vrij lange reeks aan platen buiten mijn vertrouwelijke sferen. Deze plaat ziet de van origine punk band steeds meer verwijderd raken van die roots, en het zet flinke stappen naar de powerpop en new wave sound van de opvolger van twee jaar later, 'The Gift'. Daarmee zinspeelt het ook wel een beetje op een onvermijdelijk einde van The Jam, waar de scheurtjes toch wel bij veel punk bands bestonden rond het jaar 80 toen hun moedergenre in populariteit inleverde. Daarmee wil ik niet perse zeggen dat dit album een ongemakkelijk transitiealbum is van een band waarvan de sjeu er bijna af is. Sterker nog, ik denk dat ze best comfortabel klinken en geen moeite hebben om na 'Setting Sons' nog meer meer de post-punk golf mee te surfen. Het is eigenzinnig genoeg om op te vallen (zie de psychedelische sounds) én tegelijkertijd typisch Brits, wat toch wel belangrijk was om een sterke identiteit te vormen rond 1980, te midden van een wijdverspreide identiteitscrisis in de rock wereld. De plaat blinkt niet uit in individuele hoogtepunten, los van stonecold britpop classic 'That's Entertainment', maar de liedjes vormen een solide geheel. Het voelt soms aan als The Kinks als ze waren opgegroeid in de 70s. Tegelijkertijd had ik gehoopt op iets meer punch, zeker na Gang Of Four-ish dance punk opener 'Pretty Green'. Zeker geen hoogvlieger vergeleken met veel andere albums van dit genre, maar wel een project die laat zien dat de turbulente periode niet voor elke band onoverkomelijk was. 7/10 Highlights: Pretty Green That's Entertainment
A perfect 3-star record. Nice to listen to while it's on, completely forgotten when it's not. New band for me - would be happy to listen again, if I ever remember to think of them.
I didn't enjoy this as much as the other Jam record I previously had. Vocals reminded me heavy of Dead Kennedys
It was ok, nothing really remarkable for me besides the last song on this album, which I heard before, and I kind of liked more than the rest.
nice jam album with a couple good strong songs
Decent. 3 stars
Didn't notice it start, didn't notice it end. Not necessarily that average, but not memorable either
unremarkable 80s
Good album. To be listened again.
This was cool. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it. I did listen to it twice though. Three stars.
After listening to this I went back to All Mod Cons before coming back here. This is not as good as that one. This doesn’t have the same dynamism that that one had. There is no English Rose here to balance out the more energetic songs. There are definitely highlights here and there is definitely a clear path between this and bands like Blur. The bass is good throughout. Favorites were But I’m Different Now, That’s Entertainment, Man In The Corner Shop.
3.5- fun experience.
This is a very decent listen, but I’m struggling to understand why it is classed as a “standout” British album of the 80s. It peaks in the middle section, the bass & guitar work is fantastic, and overall it has a coherent flow to it. It just doesn’t leave that much of a mark on me, and I know that in a few days time I won’t remember 90% of it.
I liked this album. There are a couple of good obscure (to me) songs that I really liked (But I'm Different Now, Boy About Town), but a lot of the songs are decent and could get multiple spins in the future. There's a lot of threads in this album, I'm not versed enough in the time to know if it's before or after this band, but they cover a ton of prototypical punk sounds. Proto, pop, post all the P's are in there. 3.5/5
dug it. Punk with some dexterity and style,
Crazy we got this the day after we got Paul Weller. Yet another British band-artist I’ve never heard of. On second listen I didn’t mind it
When to listen: feeling hipster “I know British rock bands better than you.” I bopped. I jammed. It was catchy. It feels like the prototype. Good but by today’s standards fine.
love that one
This was a fun album to listen to.
fine
Udmærket album med god energi.
It's Ok. Not groundbreaking, but not annoying. I'd rather listen to Squeeze. It all sounds about the same throughout. The production could be better. Something to make it a little fuller sounding. Another plus would be if the singer, Paul, could add a bit of emotion to it. He sings the various things in the same tone. Give us some juice, bro! This is what a 3 was invented for.
Feels unremarkable but I guess they do have 1,001 albums to fill
I think they have some decent tunes but I've never particularly been a fan of The Jam, or Paul Weller's material. I'm fine listening to this and I even knew a couple of songs from it (I think one from one of the FIFA versions) but I'm never going to willingly come back to it. Despite its title it just doesn't do much for me.
Very cool rock album. When the songs are high on musicality I'm really into them. Most of them on here aren't that musical, though. 3.5, rounding down.
Usually not a big fan of post punk, but this was short, sweet and fun. Some tracks didn't do it for me, but songs like Music for the Last Couple were just excellent. Wish I could give it a 3.5, but 3 is fair.
Some interesting instrumental and sound work but not sure I heard things here I haven't heard earlier and better by other bands. It's fine to listen to and has some merit.
they should've called the book 1001 Studio Albums From English Rock Bands You Must Hear Before You Die i guess the music's good but like, yeah, toss it in the pile of all the other 3 outta 5 star albums on this list that sound exactly like this
On a encore un cas de "c'est sympa, mais qu'est-ce que ça fait dans une liste d'albums à écouter absolument dans sa vie" ? Il n'y a rien de mauvais dans cet album. Il y a même de grosses qualités qui lui font échapper au deux, à commencer par une bonne basse le plus souvent bien audible, des passages qui titillent l'oreille, mais sinon, ça me semble un peu classique. Peut-être qu'avec une explication et du contexte, je comprendrais mieux, mais c'est pas la fiche Wikipédia qui aide. On a toujours le même problème, le créateur de la liste semble obsédé par le rock et décide de bourrer sa liste d'albums qui sont bons mais qui pourraient sûrement céder leur place à d'autres albums importants de genres moins connus. Et Sound Affects fait partie de cette catégorie.
63/100. A decent post-punk record with a nice, consistent sound throughout, the album flows well from track to track. It also sounds really good for something released in 1980.
Ei jäänyt mitään mieleen levystä. Ei hyvässä, eikä pahassa.
Beyond "That's Entertainment" I was really quite indifferent to this. 3/5
3.4?
It was okay, but I can't say anything really stood out.
Favorite Track: Set The House Ablaze
This was ok, pretty good
Ziemlich vielfältig!
British rock bands try not to sound the same challenge. Difficulty: IMPOSSIBLE
Hadn’t heard this album previously, not bad.
It was alright, nice punk album. The cover looks really cool, the music was alright. 6/10
Good but I prefer some of their earlier albums more.
6.5/10 Musically its just not that interesting, but I enjoyed it regardless. Extra points for the social commentary, especially on the final track. Highlights: Pretty Green Set the House Ablaze Scrape Away That's Entertainment
Fine - wouldn’t necessarily rush back to listen to whole album
I find myself torn between admiring its punchy, mod revival energy and acknowledging its blatant derivativeness. It is impossible to miss the heavy Beatles influence, particularly on "Start!", where the bassline is lifted so directly from "Taxman" that it feels like shameless theft. At its best, it is a tight, catchy collection that showcases Paul Weller’s maturing songwriting and the band's cohesive power, but there are moments where the production feels compressed and the style feels borrowed. Ultimately, it is a fascinating snapshot of a band evolving from punk to something more sophisticated.
Jangle rock with very nice bass, driving rhythm section.Took a while to get going but enjoyed some more of the ska bits at the end
This is a solid, well-made record that I’m glad I spent time with, even if it doesn’t stick with me in a lasting way. There’s a lot to respect here: tight playing, purposeful bass lines, clipped guitar work, and a clear sense that the band is pushing beyond straightforward punk into something more textured and thoughtful. That said, it never quite connects with me on a deeper level. I can hear the craft and intention, but emotionally it stays a bit at arm’s length. Nothing feels bad or misjudged, and there are moments that catch my ear, but very little that makes me want to come back once the record ends. This feels like one of those albums that earns its reputation through discipline and precision rather than sheer magnetism. For me, that puts it squarely in the “good to know” category: respectable, historically interesting, and competently executed, but not something I’ll reach for again when there are so many other records that resonate more deeply.
Declare the pennies on your eyes
I listened to this album twice and I can’t say I remember a single song from it either time. Several of the songs felt like The Clash-lite. I have no complaints against it but I am not sure that I can offer anything truly grabbed my attention as legendary. Pretty Green and Music for the Last Couple had some good bass work. This album was…
Random thoughts: * How many times were The Jam mis-identified as The Clash? I'm not crazy to think these bands and sounds are similar * Also "Dream Time" even repeats "supermarket" which make me think of The Clash's "Lost in the Supermarket" * I did enjoy that The Jam wasn't always political. There were a few songs that were on topics of a more frivolous nature than revolution or bringing down capitalism. The first two tracks-"Pretty Green" and "Monday" fit this bill for me and were the songs I liked best on the album. * Dude! Did they get sued by the Beatles for stealing the bass from Taxman for the song "Start!"?!?! * Anyway, I enjoyed this album and would listen again once I run out of Clash albums to listen to.
Ça va
It was fine, and I enjoyed my listening experience, but it didn’t feel like anything special. Just another British band from the 80s… good, but not great.
Creative sound and style. Not bad!
++: But I'm Different Now, Start!, That's Entertainment, Music for the Last Couple, Scrape Away +: Monday, Set the House Ablaze, Dream Time, Man in the Cornershop +-: Pretty Green, Boy About Town 7,0/10
For me, “Sound Affects” by The Jam is an album that delivers exactly what the cover promises: a collage of different musical approaches of the time, connected by extensive jamming and... well, sonic escapades. The whole thing isn't badly produced, it's easy to listen to, but none of the eleven songs really stick in your mind. I can well imagine that The Jam were great fun live, but on record it's... OK.
Actually more experimental than the original post punk sound had me think
High-end three. Actually enjoyable, better than one of those 3 stars that are totally forgettable. But 3 stars nonetheless.
Sounds like a band in transition. Lacks the anger and drive of going underground eton rifles and it’s not the beauty of town called malice or some style council yet. So for me it doesn’t add up to much.
Although this list is skewed sometimes too British because of the author I am thankful to be able to discover albums like this. I think it has an interesting sound, a blend of some sort of pop and rock with shades of new wave and garage. This description really doesn’t do it justice though owing to the unique style of this band. It’s their fifth album so I’ll definitely have to put some work into listening to where they came from and where they went. Another one of those bands I’ve heard of but never got to hear and this one did not disappoint!
Mostly Harmless.... With Great Bass. 3
plutot cool
La basse est bien sinon c’est ok tier. Petit plus sur la cover
I like their sound. 3.5
Un belle chanson : monday … mais pas trop fan sinon
Overall: 6/10 The music isn't bad, but they don't hide the fact that they deliberately wanted to sound like every other british artist out there, and I find that kind of lame. I actually enjoyed the other album I got from these guys so it's baffling to me that they'd make something so lame after that. The bass is still absolutely ripping throughout this thing though, and the vocals aren't bad. Fav Song: Music for the Last Couple
Another mid British rock album that definitely isn’t necessary. Prime to get removed in later editions if it didn’t already. What did this album do not covered by other better albums on the list?
Ritimler güzeldi
I remember spending a month tracking down the BBC Sound Effects Volume 1 record, and now I get to hear a record that references that record's cover. On top of that, the title uses that as a play on words. The guy who did all of the album art needs to be paid more. The music itself is fine, this list has a lot of New Wave and Post-Punk on it, so a lot of it is bound not to stick out as much as others. This would be wild if it referenced the BBC Sound Effects in more than just the art, though.
It's fine, nothing outstanding or terrible.
This was pretty up and down. A few songs were really good. I liked the punk elements and some of those songs sounded good and modern. The psychedelic pop aspects were very prevalent in some songs, and those weren't my jam.
So fun.
There are moments here that really snap. Energy spikes, and for a second, it all makes sense. But then it wanders when it should run. It feels like eating un-(vegan)buttered toast between bites of actual jam. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - But I'm Different Now - Start! - That's Entertainment
I mean, I guess this might have been pretty amazing in 1980, but there’s lots of bands that have a similar but better sound nowadays. Some of the songs felt a little flat, but I liked it. That’s Entertainment slaps.
Pretty approachable post-punk, if that's what it is....still nothing knocking my socks off.
Did Blur and even Morrissey look this way for inspiration? The Jam have been very underrated by me up until this listening project. This is pretty good
Yeah, it's ok ...
The bass throughout the album is great. That isn't an instrument I usually pick up on so I was happy to hear it be so prominent. The themes on this album felt like they widely varied - going from grunge to psychedelic - which I found enjoyable. As I listed, The Beatles' influence became very obvious to me too!
That's Entertainment! 1001 Albums Generator 182 (12/16/2025) Sound Affects is the fifth album by The Jam, who are far and away the most popular band in the Mod Revival movement of the late 70's/early 80's. Sound Affects is also very new wave-y, sounding almost like Elvis Costello at times. The rhythm section here is really great, with the bass and drums providing a consistently strong base for the songs to build on. This album has a lot of eclecticism, jumping from the pure punk rock But I'm Different Now to the dance-y punk of Set The House Ablaze. After the (really good) Beatles imitation in Start!, we have the most popular song by The Jam sitting right in the middle, the largely acoustic That's Entertainment, which I didn't love as much as I was expecting to. I also think that the album from this point on is not very interesting. There are some experiments, notably in Dream Time and Music For The Last Couple that just really don't work. I also find the songwriting in the second half to not be as interesting, but overall, Sound Affects was a pretty cool album by a band that I haven't heard of before. 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3. Favs: Pretty Green Start! Man In The Corner Shop Least Fav: Music For The Last Couple
Easier 70’s/80’s punk-rock instrumentation w/ Bowie-esque vocals