Sound Affects

Pretty good stuff though A Boy About Town feels wildly out of place. Opening baseline of opening track was the highlight

I was all prepared to give this only one star because every song was kind of boring. And then I got to the last four tracks. All four of them were fire and I am obligated to add two more stars.

It's good enough. But it's hard to be excited The Jam nowadays when there have been so many bads that followed clearly influenced by them. Deserves at least 2 stars for influence

I may be Pretty Green, but this album will Scrape Away your Monday.

Kadett, Heidenheim - Ulm, Deutschland. Super Album!

Very much following The Clash's lead, The Jam were another first-wave punk act looking to diversify their sound and audience at the turn of the 1980s. But where The Clash were focusing on revolution, politics and worldly temperament, The Jam were keeping themes strictly British and speaking for the average working class Brit, and 1980s 'Sound Affects' effectively completes The Jam's transition from punk flagwavers to observant social commentators. The first line of opening track 'Pretty Green' says all you need to know about The Jam: "I've got a pocket full of pretty green, I'm gonna put it in the fruit machine". Basically British code for chucking a lobby on the pokies. The Jam were easily the most British of the British punk bands, and were able to speak to the average working-to-middle class condition better than their contemporaries. Chief songwriter and frontman Paul Weller is all about relateability and observation in his lyrics, from blind followers ('Set the House Ablaze') and dissections of class systems ('Man in the Corner Shop') to simple observations from a brief cab ride ('That's Entertainment'). Weller paints pictures of the world he lives in, and in such a sincere way that its almost like he's in the room with you describing the average lives of ordinary citizens. The Jam are perhaps the most underappreciated band of the first-wave British punk scene. They're not as controversial as the Sex Pistols nor as politically charged as The Clash, but The Jam is the punk band that best spoke to the average British citizen. Their songs are everyday life in three-minute segues and their sheer consistency as a band is showcased the best on Sound Affects. They might be hard to gauge for non-British listeners, but Paul Weller's songwriting is hard not to respect: someone who speaks plainly and relatably to the masses without shock or awe. The Jam don't need it. Best songs: That's Entertainment, Man in the Corner Shop, Boy About Town, Start! 4.5/5

Toast.

Really good range of styles from a tight trio. Paul Weller is a great song writer.

Wow what a surprise! This album is incredible. The Jam have moved away from their earlier punk rock sound into the post-punk, power pop era. And it's fantastic. Their Beatles/Kinks/Who/Small Faces influences shine through but with a heavier funk element. Those basslines! Best tracks after 1.5 listens: Monday Start! That's Entertainment Boy About Town

Forgot about this lol so it was good to hear tracks I’ve not heard for yonks. Fantastic drumming as always.

- rockin! seems to be a theme of really celebrated british rock bands making no impact on america since they’re so thoroughly british. I like man at the corner shop. didn’t like the fly in ‘music for the last couple’, but i suppose that’s just it living up to the title of the album. killer guitar in all of this obviously. generally ambivalent about this one!

Good album but The Gift is better

Man in the Corner Shop = highlight of the non-famous songs. That's Entertainment obviously good.

Shite

I always had a problem with Paul Weller’s aggressive confrontational delivery. He sounds like he’s one 'are you looking at his pint' away from kicking your head in. Even after he softened up a bit with the Style Council and is now an old man he still sounds like he wants to glass you.
 This wasn’t totally what I expected musically. There’s a fair amount of variety on here. The bass is exceptional and it’s sad that Weller did the dirty on Bruce Foxton when he broke up The Jam. Of the singles, I’d say That’s Entertainment is their very best and Start! Is one of their worst. The rest is somewhere in between. 3½

01) Pretty Green - 7,5 02) Monday - 7,0 03) But I'm Different Now - 6,5 04) Set the House Ablaze - 7,0 05) Start! - 7,5 06) That's Entertainment - 7,5 07) Dream Time - 7,0 08) Man in the Corner Shop - 7,0 09) Music for the Last Couple - 7,0 10) Boy About Town - 6,5 11) Scrape Away - 6,5 TOTAL: 7,00 (70/100) Current ranking: 389/668

It's interesting, it's fun and it's got variety, it got kinda boring to me but I can see enough of the redeeming value to give it a 3, just not in love with it

Inte speciellt offensive men enformigt

I actually thought this was a 60s-70s psychedelic band. Relative to a Grateful Dead. Way-off! 80s pop band. Never heard of this band. These guys are cool. Very poppy.

This album didn't quite do it for me, but it wasn't bad. "That's Entertainment" was the big hit and that fell a little flat for me. I liked "Dream Time", and "Boy About Town" the most. 5/10

Fine

Fun. 3.4.

Finding bands like this is why I keep doing this project. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 3/5

That's Entertainment is a good song. The rest basically all sound the same. Which you would think is good overall, but none of them hit that well and it causes the album to drag.

Blind album and artist. Was just not my thing like something was off in every song. Maybe the vocalist?

One good song doesn't make an album

Grunge rock throwback vibe

Aikasta hyvä. En huomannu että loppu kun oli niin lyhyt joten se oli hyvä koska en siis tylsistynyt. Kuitenkaan en muista enää miten ykskään biisi meni joten ei kaiheen mieleenpainuva.

I liked it! An interesting sound

Oh boy, another Brit Bias pick that is middling at best. Wild to see how high the average score is considering how lackluster this album was. Just dull and uninteresting British rock

Much better than I expected. The Jam got some jams. Will return to this one. 4/5

heard some Bloc Party in this

Album No. 0025 on my list. I am aware of the influence that Paul Weller and the Jam had on Britpop and how important the legacy of this album is. "Sound Affects" however seemed rather boring and redundant to me; most songs seemed rather bland. "Pretty Green" and "That's Entertainment" stood out for me and I will certainly listen to them again; the rest of the album did not have any lasting impact on me. Not that they are bad or that this is a terrible album overall, I'm just a bit bored by it (again, especially in comparison to the importance of this album for British music). 2/5 stars.

An album that perfectly bridges the transition from the punk and alt rock of the 60s and early 70s and the new wave and post-punk that would come to dominate the alternative music scene in the 80s. As someone who was part of this transition in my teens I've got a soft spot for albums like this and this one is among the best examples. Another one that sort of slipped throught the cracks for me. I hadn't listened to the album in decades and am glad that the project reminded me to revisit this classic.

Ja. gwn wel een erg leuk jaren 80 brits rock album. Wel veel van hetzelfde, maar ik houd er wel van. 4 sterren.

I've never listened to this album (7). A few good tracks, but a bit too messy for my taste.

Some good songs like “that’s entertainment” but some songs are no bueno

honestly................. this sucked so bad

Had only ever heard Thats Entertainment before, but the rest of the album is pretty good too. Has some sounds like The Clash and a little bit of The Kinks, and you can even hear how Morrissey was influenced by this.

Start! and That's entertainment are classics, no doubt about it, but the rest of the album doesn't quite match the quality of those tracks. The deluxe version bonus tracks and demos are way more interesting than most of the album versions.

Brit pop of the old is strong with this one. I don't hear the alleged post-punk in there tho. It's not all that bad, but doesn't really do a thing for me. At this point I don't care if the familiarities in the music are because of this band or not, I'm so not impressed with the music.

This is another good album. I enjoyed it. The Jam are a band that I didn't know much about at all until today. I really only knew that they were Paul Weller's band. Paul Weller is a man that I've only heard one album from for this project thus far, that being the Style Council album I got a few weeks back. While I did have a few problems with that album, the best parts of it were actually really great, so I kind of knew that I would like the Jam to some degree. Fortunately, I was right! The style here is quite different though, but in a good way. This definitely takes more of a post-punk-esque direction than the sophisti-pop of the Style Council, which I'm okay with. It's done well here. Unlike the Style Council album, which had a few weak experimental tracks, I don't think there are any super weak tracks on Sound Affects. I don't think any of the songs here are as good as Cafe Bleu's best songs (though "That's Entertainment" comes close), but nothing here's as bad as "A Gospel" so that's good. Weller's singing is alright. The instruments sound nice. The lyrics are interesting. This is just a solid early-80s UK rock album. I like it. Light 4/5.

Meh, nothing crazy here but some nice musical nods/quotes. Low 3

Dipped a bit towards the end for me but still an enjoyable listen.

A bit of a Clash/Big Country mixup in a surprisingly good way.

Ще один класичний гурт, який я так і не полюбив. Мені здається що навіть сольніки Веллера мені заходили більше. Сподобалась остання пісня, Scrape Away. А так пройшло фоново більш.

Probably a 4 rather than a 5 but I have to give it for old time's sake. I bought this when it came out and it was my favorite Jam album for a long time. If you asked me now, I would probably say All Mod Cons. You can see in this album why Weller felt the need to dismantle the Jam. At this point, they had done all they could have done as the Jam. They were exhausting the possibilities of making young, angry, punchy music. Some great songs on this album - Different Now and Scrape Away come to mind.

One of those albums where I'm not even sure why the singles were considered to be better than the rest of it--why isn't Set the House Ablaze a keeper? 5 stars, no question. It's amazing how the brain retains every note of an album you haven't heard in full in 40 years, if you listen to it enough when you're young. Should probably have done that with Shakespeare's sonnets or the periodic table or something.

Good

The Jam are probably the definition of underrated for their era. This is just a solid album that serves as a nice alternative to when you’re in the mood for The Clash or Elvis Costello but want something different.

This was a mid- album. One song I knew from the movie the Gentlemen

Fun pop record. Interesting instrumentation. Lyrics aren’t great all the time, but the hooks make you forget that. 4/5

I like The Jam, I can appreciate this kind of music. In and out. "That's Entertainment" is the highlight, but I also liked "Monday". This isn't something I'm going to be spreading often, but it's tastes good!

Just okay

Solid

I know the band by name and a couple of songs. The write up says they "were the most popular band to emerge from the initial wave of Brit punk in 1977". A bit before my time but I was excited to give it a try. I would definitely not call this punk. It's the start of new wave and that Brit invasion that would capture MTV's attention just a few years later. The songs were good, maybe a little raw and missing that true 80's vibe. The only song I knew was "That's Entertainment", which still gets a decent amount of airplay. "Start!" felt familiar. I didn't mind it from top to bottom but I don't see how it made the Top1001. Not sure if it's influence on the New Wave movement in the 80's or what but with 1 hit song it's not entirely worthy in my book. 3 stars.

Fun riffs and fun songs. Series of bangers. 8/10 fav songs : Set the house ablaze & Start!

I really enjoyed this album. Good stuff coming at you regularly. And "That's Entertainment" as a bonus.

A fun short album. Seems very British (in a good way). Pub drinking music.

Another punk-leaning rock album from a (to me) unknown band. Extremely forgettable record that failed to make any sort of positive impression on me. All songs sounded quite similar and boring, and it wasn't my thing at all. Only reason not giving this a 1 star is it didn't sound bad enough technically.

Not too long ago we had another "The Jam" album and I noted that I really have a soft spot for them and punky new wave in general. I have the same feeling about this album as I did about the last. I really enjoy the energy and vibe of the album. "That's entertainment" is clearly the stand-out single on the album. On the same good level as "Madness" and "The Shadow” and “DEVO”. Not too many banger hits but still deserves a strong 3

Not entirely my style but good

like it

It's a fun short album. Nothing more, nothing less. Good listen!

Cool early Brit punk. That’s entertainment

Incredibly choppy, as reflected by some songs having tens of millions of Spotify listens and others having under a million. And interestingly, these numbers almost perfectly reflect which songs are better than others. Start!, although imitating other earlier basslines (Taxman, hmm), is a solid track with a nice glimmery guitar tone and fun vocal harmonies in the (pre)chorus. And there's a strange playful falsetto breakdown that happens several times. That's Entertainment is also memorable, both for the almost psychedelic singing and the dynamic, biting instrumental (which lacks percussion but has a bright, assertive rhythm guitar to make up for it). The two opening tracks are also fairly strong, especially Monday for having perhaps the best hook in the album. I could see this being covered by artists like Bowie or T-Rex – though that comparison does highlight The Jam's slightly behind-the-times songwriting (given that this was released in 1980). To offset the positives, there are a ton of weak tracks that I can't even begin to understand the significance of. Why are the vocals so horribly mixed in Set The House Ablaze? Was Dream Time just devised as one good bassline, before the other instruments and singers tried to improvise over it in a single take? What the fresh heck is the singer drunkenly bellowing about in Scrape Away? I guess the genre is meant to be new-wave/punk, but with the band members especially unskilled at playing their instruments and at songwriting. Sound Affects is such a weirdly produced and composed collection of half-decency-half-nonsense that I can't see the justification for including it in this list. 2/5 Key tracks: Pretty Green, Monday, Start!

could i write poetry to this? y

The Jam definitely deserves one spot on this list. Paul Weller says that this is the best of their albums, so I guess we'll just go with that. I probably would have chosen one of their first three albums, but this will do. I still don't see how that Paul Weller solo album also made the list. It just doesn't hold up against anything The Jam did.

3.5

"Start!" maakt het album bijna op zichzelf al de moeite waard, maar eerlijk gezegd ... de afmix van de andere nummers bevalt me niet echt, met die vocalen zo ver weg in een bak galm. Het beklijft verder allemaal niet echt. Ik kan er niet meer van maken dan drie sterren.

very good

Enjoyable. I’d listen to this again.

Some of these albums leave me shaking my head. What makes this album stand out? I don’t hear anything special or unique about it. These guys must be friends of the author.

## In-Depth Review: The Jam's *Sound Affects* (1980) **Introduction** Released in November 1980, *Sound Affects* stands as The Jam’s fifth studio album and a pivotal moment in their career. Bridging their mod-punk roots and Paul Weller’s burgeoning interest in psychedelic funk, the album peaked at #2 in the UK (blocked by ABBA’s *Super Trouper*) and spawned two #1 singles (“Going Underground” and “Start!”). Critics and fans often debate whether it or 1978’s *All Mod Cons* represents the band’s zenith . Below, we dissect its lyrical depth, musical innovation, production choices, thematic coherence, and enduring influence. --- ### **Lyrics: Social Snapshot and Introspection** **Pros**: - **Working-Class Realism**: Tracks like “That’s Entertainment” (written in 10 minutes post-pub) masterfully catalog British mundanity: *“A police car and a screaming siren / Pneumatic drill and ripped-up concrete”* . Its minimalist imagery became an anthem for suburban disillusionment. - **Political Fury**: “Set the House Ablaze” attacks National Front fascism and political manipulation, referencing the Reichstag fire , while “Pretty Green” critiques capitalism’s soul-crushing hierarchy: *“Power is measured by the pound or the fist”* . - **Vulnerability**: “Monday” explores male insecurity and workplace longing, showcasing Weller’s growth beyond punk bravado . **Cons**: - **Didacticism**: “Man in the Corner Shop” simplifies class analysis with a *“too formulaic”* parable of envy between shopkeepers . - **Ambiguity**: “But I’m Different Now” hints at redemption but echoes vague, unconvincing apologies . --- ### **Music: Psychedelic Punk-Funk Fusion** **Pros**: - **Beatles Homage**: “Start!” famously lifts George Harrison’s “Taxman” bassline (no lawsuit ensued) but transforms it into a funk-punk anthem about communication . - **Genre Blending**: Tracks like “Pretty Green” (driving bass) and “Boy About Town” (trumpet-driven mod) merge Motown grooves with Kinks-inspired melodies . The instrumental “Music for the Last Couple” foreshadows Britpop’s dance-rock hybridity . - **Dynamic Range**: Contrast the acoustic bleakness of “That’s Entertainment” with the frenetic thrash of “Scrape Away,” highlighting the band’s versatility . **Cons**: - **Derivative Moments**: Beyond “Start!,” “But I’m Different Now” echoes The Beatles’ “Doctor Robert” , risking pastiche. - **Filler Tracks**: “Dream Time” and “Scrape Away” lack melodic focus, disrupting momentum . --- ### **Production: Minimalist Clarity vs. Experimental Flaws** **Pros**: - **Post-Punk Aesthetics**: Sparse arrangements emphasize Bruce Foxton’s melodic basslines and Rick Buckler’s punchy drums. The reverb-heavy, “steely” production (inspired by Joy Division/Gang of Four) creates a cold, urgent atmosphere . - **Psychedelic Touches**: Backward guitars on “Dream Time” and sitar-like effects on “Pretty Green” nod to *Revolver*’s innovation . **Cons**: - **Mixing Issues**: Weller’s vocals drown in distortion on “Set the House Ablaze,” obscuring its anti-fascist message . - **Dated Choices**: The stripped-back low-end on Foxton’s bass sacrifices warmth for “new wave” crispness, aging poorly . --- ### **Themes: Alienation in Thatcher’s Britain** The album dissects late-70s UK societal fractures: - **Class Struggle**: “Man in the Corner Shop” and “Pretty Green” expose capitalism’s illusions of mobility . - **Urban Isolation**: “That’s Entertainment” finds bleak poetry in concrete decay, while “Monday” captures lonely commuter angst . - **Political Cynicism**: “Scrape Away” rails against *“twisted cynicism”* in leadership , reflecting Weller’s disillusionment with Tory rule. --- ### **Influence: Blueprint for Britpop and Beyond** - **Britpop’s Foundation**: Blur and Oasis cited Weller’s fusion of social realism with melodic hooks. “Start!” directly inspired The Smiths’ jangle-pop . - **Post-Punk Evolution**: Gang of Four’s angular funk and Joy Division’s austerity reverberate here, influencing bands like Franz Ferdinand . - **Unexpected Legacies**: The Strokes borrowed “Man in the Corner Shop” melodies for “You Only Live Once” , while the album’s DIY studio experimentation prefigured indie lo-fi movements. --- ### **Pros and Cons Summary** | **Aspect** | **Pros** | **Cons** | |-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | **Lyrics** | Sharp social commentary; evocative imagery; emotional depth | Occasional preachiness; ambiguous redemption arcs | | **Music** | Innovative genre blends; Foxton’s bass work; dynamic song structures | Over-reliance on Beatles pastiche; weak filler tracks | | **Production** | Clean, modern post-punk aesthetic; effective psychedelic touches | Buried vocals; thin bass mix; inconsistent balancing | | **Thematic Cohesion** | Unified critique of capitalism/alienation; introspective maturity | Jarring tonal shifts between songs | | **Legacy** | Seminal for Britpop; enduring cultural relevance | Overshadowed by *All Mod Cons* in critical retrospectives | --- **Verdict** *Sound Affects* remains a triumph of ambition over execution. Its highs (“That’s Entertainment,” “Start!”) are among The Jam’s greatest work, marrying Weller’s incisive lyrics to audacious musical fusion. However, inconsistent tracks and production missteps prevent it from unseating *All Mod Cons* as their definitive masterpiece. Despite this, its influence on UK rock is undeniable—a bridge from punk’s rubble to Britpop’s ascent. As Weller himself declared, it captures The Jam at their “absolute peak” .

Fun album and a quick listen (35 min). Reminds me of The Strokes, The Proclaimers, etc. Some punk/rock but mostly pop. The top song ("That's Entertainment") has 73M plays but I've never heard it before, nor any other song on the album.

Consistently good, without ever rising to greatness, outside of (possibly) "That's Entertainment" which was a regularly played song at the 3B's 80s Night.

Hints of The Clash on a few of the better songs, but mostly felt like a Costello/Kinks mish mash that was largely unremarkable.

This album manages to be an enjoyable record with some funk elements that are intriguing, but it feels like it struggles to stand out or maintain a palpable identity

3.5

Up there with their best. Start and Thats Entertainment pure gold. Nearly 5 but not every song stellar

Pretty good but also kinda forgettable for the genre

Probably their best album and that’s entertainment is a all time classic

Alright, let's talk about The Jam's Sound Affects. This album? Man, it's just a solid 4.5 stars in my book. This record has got that awesome, classic Beatles vibe mixed with their signature mod sound, and it just works. It's a genuinely great album from front to back, no skips required. The Jam, well, they truly JAM on this one. My only real complaint is that it's too short! Seriously, I could listen to more of this. I don't have it on vinyl yet, but it's definitely high up on the wish list. Keep bringing the heat, baby! This is the good stuff.

Compared to the other albums I've heard like this. It was generic and boring. Not terrible though

One of the better UK albums, but not particularly compelling. Good instrumentals and decent vocal work.

This was a good listen. Solid 80's music with the feels and sounds of The Psychedelic Furs, The Smiths, and a little Cheap Trick. I enjoyed this and will add The Jam into my music rotation.

I was a big Jam fan in the early 80s in my early teens. Then seemingly gave them a miss, following their split, and never got on with the musical style of the Style Council or Paul Weller’s solo material. Listening to this after an absence of forty odd years it does sound pretty good.

Interesting album, would not see myself listening to it again

boring. plain.

Fair play, this was a lot better than I expected. I'm nearly, but not quite, ready to admit that Weller is alright really. The centrepiece of this album is the back to back of Start! and That's Entertainment - two great songs, the latter of which has a real emotional gut punch. It really reminds me of This Is How It Feels, which presumably won't make it on here, in the way it nails the smallness of town life better than (for instance) the Arctic Monkeys. Anyway, I digress, this was not bad at all. For Weller.

1,3/5

Great classic 80s punk album. Has a punk on a hot day vibe. Love the vocal style, just bring joy to listen to. Never listen to a full jam album but glad this was the first one I started with. It really makes you want to get up and move from beginning to end. Definitely one I’ll go back too. Dream time and but boy about town are going on my playlist.

So nice, listened to it twice (by mistake).

Love Paul Weller, early stuff is great.

Some all time classics on here with Start and That’s Entertainment. One of the better Jam albums for sure

This was a lot of fun, nearly hit the 5

Stood out a bit from the typical “British band from the 70-80s I’ve never heard of”. Highlights for me were Monday and That’s Entertainment, but would happily listen to the whole album again.

If you told me I was getting two albums by The Jam in a row, I'd be mildly disappointed that I didn't have something inbetween that would've made an appropriate Jam sandwich. As it is, I've drawn The Jam immediately after Traffic. So I'm stuck summoning up visions of frustrating hours spent in the car rather than sweet, sticky bread. This album has really grown on me; I've kept it on rotation for the better part of two weeks since generating it. I'd never have called New Wave one of my favourite genres and I had a 3 in mind after the first listen but the songwriting is just so damn good. I've had multiple different songs stuck in my head and been reminded of various 90s-00s Britpop and Indie acts that were clearly influenced by this record. From Supergrass to Ocean Colour Scene and I was constantly picturing Blur listening to these vocals and basslines while writing Modern Life is Rubbish and Parklife. I'm convinced that Set The House Ablaze is the blueprint for parts of Bloc Party's Silent Alarm album. It's tight, punchy, very consistent and a lot of fun.

I liked it.

As I listened to "Sound Affects," I thought, "If they were looking for more British new wave, they should've added Gene's "Olympian" instead." In my opinion, The Jam wasn't significant enough to warrant the inclusion of one album, let alone two. Actually, I don’t even recall the sound of their debut album, and I had to give it another listen for reference.

I only needed 2 songs to appreciate this band. It's not bad, It's also just below mid.

Sharing two things with the Who, an association with Mods and a belief in the bass guitar as a lead instrument; that's my Jam

These rocking Brit Boys 4.5

Was great to drum along to on my steering wheel while stuck in traffic

Not a lot of jam on this one. The sound doesn't affect either.

It was okay, but I wouldnt necessarily think to turn it on again

it wasn't awful but it also wasn't memorable

Liked it. Good stuff.

Poor man’s Bowie?

Loved the stylish sound and great bass throughout. The sharp, groovy post-punk vibe really worked for me.

Wow this was a great album to return to after a long hiatus, maybe a 9/10 for me! I liked the energy and how fitting that I am listening to this on a Monday :D The bass line in That’s Entertainment is very catchy and the slow start of Music For The Last Couple surprised me! Remarkably the messages of Man In The Corner Shop and Scrape Away remain just as relevant 45 years later, which I find very impressive, although I am not thoroughly informed about the historical context of this album. Even today optimism is a rare sight which I find simultaneously understandable and a shame. Nonetheless I liked it a lot and found almost every track enjoyable, the latter half I would consider excellent! :) I would also like to hijack this review to hopefully reach some people that have rated my submitted album Stories by Avicii. Having read every review I am filled by a deep gratitude for everyone who took the time to listen and review it, no matter if it is a 1 or a 5! <3 The reviews range vastly in length and rating but I found them all quite fair, so I hope to explain my choice a bit. :) If I am not mistaken the 2010s and onwards are underrepresented in this superb collection of albums, so I figured this album might be a good snapshot of one of the most prominent artists for one of the biggest genres (pop/EDM) of the time. While nostalgia is definitely a factor and commercial EDM had (a) few other albums that might’ve fit better, I’ve seen the sentiment often that something shifted around the time that Avicii stopped touring, at the latest around the time of his tragic death. In addition I figured that almost everyone has (perhaps involuntarily haha) heard his 5 biggest hits and this album shows a wish to branch off from the typical sound with dirty drops at the time. Hopefully there is some enjoyment to be had with this unique balance even if I agree that it can sound a tad generic at times. In addition one of the reviews seemed genuinely concerned for my wellbeing so I just wanted to let them know and that their kind thoughts for an internet stranger mean a lot! I had indeed been going through a rough patch during the beginning of the year (it’s going better now thankfully!) and I find it hard to juggle writing reviews to the extent that I am satisfied with, while staying up to date with other music and responsibilities as well… This might be a long journey but I hope to continue it piece by piece ;). Much love to everyone who has read this far, left a comment and Alexander for the project! Have a great day or night! <3

OK punk.

Una mezcla de new wave y post-punk muy interesante, me ha encantado. El bajo destaca de forma particular, con un sonido muy crudo que marca una atmósfera algo opresiva pero muy enérgica, acompañada por una guitarra distorsionada claramente influenciada por la experimentación contemporánea de los Beatles (de hecho, hasta copian una línea de bajo del tema Taxman, y se escucha algún sitar). La batería también es una pasada, marcando un ritmo rápido y casi militar, aunque a veces la cosa se calma y se acerca más al pop-punk. Un discazo totalmente dentro de mis gustos personales. Tengo que prestarle más atención a este grupo. Pero no le doy más nota porque tampoco creo que merezca estar en la lista: no es innovador y tampoco quiero premiar la presencia de tantos discos de new wave británico.

So up my alley - recognized several songs from my teens that brought back lots of memories. Good one

First album I heard by the Jam, I got a second hand copy on CD back in the 90s because it was cheap and had That's Entertainment on there. Anyway, I was surprised at the time by how good the rest of the songs were and how different they were to what I was expecting. I love how the Jam were able to update their Mod influences while sounding like nobody but themselves. Paul Weller was really developing as a songwriter at this point and his songs evoke specific feelings which still resonate and keep the songs on here sounding vital.

Bra skit. Lät bra. Rockig gammal engelsk rock.

Not necessarily an objective review, but for me personally too poppy and simple.

Decent not much to say

3.5 stars. Upbeat 80's post punk album.

Cool

Brilliant album. Surprisingly progressive considering this was around the same time the cure was talking about "killing arabs". House on fire may be a little long but was a masterpiece in my mind. You can see the direction his music is taking and definitely progresses in his next album and band. Overall a short and sweet listening experience that deserves a golden star.

Although this album was very long, I really enjoyed many of the songs on it, especially start! as I thought the bass guitar that plays throughout the song was really solid. Definitely a great album and some new songs to add to my Playlist.

After a steady tide of average albums here on the 1001 we’ve finally hit some quality again. This is The Jam at their peak, this (and Setting Son’s) has the perfect mix of hope and cynicism delivered via their special brand of mod rock. There is less of the punk sound of their earlier work and they haven’t put in the soul sound present in their final album (which is also excellent) that would make the hallmark of Weller’s next project (the Style Council). Fantastic album with a brilliant closing track.

Good album

3 stars. Pretty pleasant listen, can see how potentially a lot of 00’s rock bands were inspired by this. Couple standouts like That Entertainment.

Nice

Eddie Vedder sounded a bit different back then

So forgettable I already forgot it and I just finished it.

It was alright. It might have been great in 1980 when it came out, but now to me it's slightly better than generic punk.

This is the 145th album I’m rating. Going into this I'm assuming it's going to be shit because it's the 80's. Adding to my Playlist - Pretty Green, Monday, But I'm Different Now, Set the House Ablaze, Start!, That's Entertainment, Dream Time, Man in the Corner Shop, Music for the Last Couple, and Boy About Town Not Adding to my Playlist - Scrape Away. All in all I liked 10/11 songs. Thankfully I was wrong about The Jam but I still think the 80's suck.

I thought I didn't like The Jam until I listened to this album and realized that I do! This was a solid album that I listened to a couple of times in a row. Would definitely listen to this again.

Raw blue collar British music. I liked it. That's Entertainment is excellent. The rest of the album has some highlights and sounds a lot alike. Not something I needed to hear before I die, but still enjoyed it. 3.36/5 stars.

Good. It is, in fact, a jam.

It's ok

Never been a fan, but this wasn't bad. Couple of their well known ones and some right crap. But over all ok. I'll give it a 3

I agree with Mr Weller. This is their best work. Love the run of tracks part way through, starting with ‘Set the house ablaze’, then ‘Start!’ and ‘That’s Entertainment’.

Like the real thing I can take or leave the Jam, and every now and then it's good to have a dollop. I quite like their take on 'Taxman', the rest is of a good standard, but they will never be one of my go to artists.

𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 is clever and confidently crafted, full of sharp riffs, dry wit, and angular rhythms. It’s easy to admire but harder to fully feel. While some tracks burst with purpose and personality, others drift by, more interesting in texture than in impact. It’s a smart album, but one that sometimes keeps the listener at arm’s length.

pretty freaking good

Nice.

Cool, rocky

Very reminiscent of the time I feel, it’s not the worst thing I’ve heard, definitely not by a long shot. Would I listen to half these tracks again? No, did I hate them? No. I feel like it sounds very similar to a lot of the music from around this era. Saying all that though, I did love the opening bass line, I thought the instrumental on most of these tracks was pretty good, however the vocals and lyrics were pretty weak in my opinion. If there was a version of this album with just the instrumental I would absolutely listen to it again. Favourite track - But I’m different now Least favourite track - Monday

Thoughts before listening: Pretty sure I own this record as a totally random used bin find a few years ago. The Jam is a 70s era punk scene band that leaned more towards the power pop side. There are some really fun songs on this album. Review: This is good. There is definitely a through line of British power pop from the Kinks to the Jam to bands like the Libertines. Just simple, catchy rock n roll songs. The best track here is "That's Entertainment", but it's overall an enjoyable listen. 3-stars

Wow, so that's where 90% of indie bands from the 2000s got their inspiration from. The amount of influence that this album has clearly had on indie rock music is insane, with there being so many bands I could list off that sound like moments on this project. The album itself while still fantastic, doesn't absolutely blow my mind, definitely one of those where the influence is more so why it's considered so prolific.

4.5/5. I always go into their albums thinking I already have a rating in mind but then they go and surpass all of my expectations.

Muy muy guapo, tiene ritmo gracioso

3.0/5.0: Good

nice bass throughout, and some decent guitar work. the songs themselves were pretty boring

Nah

More atmospheric than I expected.

For 1980, this is pretty fun. You can hear they influenced a few later punk bands. It sounds good. The bass is very high in the mix, which I am not used to, but it works very well here.

Verrassende wendingen, toffe nummers!

A fine album, but it didn't wow me in any particular instance. Everything felt like an 80's brit rock group and I think that was a the sound through and through. I don't dislike it, but it did not feel seminal to me.

wow got this only like 2 or 3 days after another one of their albums. They aren't too different sounding, probably because there are so close in time. I do feel like this sounds a bit more like the Clash than the last one, could be because London Calling dropped in between them, might just be me though. I might just not have noticed, but it seems like there's more political/social commentary songs on here than the last, which are good, and quite impactful on some songs. There's also that one song which has the same bassline as Taxman, which I don't know if its intentional. Similar quality to the other one I feel like, maybe a bit worse, I still like the acoustic songs, although there might be less on here. Favourite songs: all again kinda. Overall around 7/10

For a 1980 release, The Jam’s Sound Affects bookends the first wave of British “punk”. Sonically unique, it starts off dabbling in the mod wave world of 50s/60s British invasion more than any of the other works of the “original punks”. Specifically “Monday” sounds like a middling Beatles throwaway mixed with the Kinks. It takes us on a tour of where British music had been up until now, breezing through the 60s and ending off in the psychedelic haze that followed in the early 70s. Songs like “But I’m Different Now” and “Start!” pick the energy up and start driving the album into Rolling Stones territory. It makes sense — this is the turn of the 70s after all. Songs like “Set the House Ablaze” brings with it a freshness, offering a peek at what punk might have to offer to the world in the 80s. This is the stuff of bands like Joy Division, who coincidentally released their first singles just a year prior to this album. It’s a bit like the chicken and the egg — would this album exist as it did before Joy Division? We’d have to listen to the other Jam albums to really be sure. Anyways, that isn’t the assignment of the day. The only song I’d been familiar with prior to my comprehensive listen was “That’s Entertainment”, a ska-influenced bass driven masterpiece which really ended up defining the state of punk in the 80s — a unique mixture of everything punk detested and was simultaneously influenced by. As punk “died”, folk rock, new wave, electronic and pop took its place. In a way, the song exists as a nod to the entertaining nonconformity that was punk prior. Even the band would begin to part from its Joy Division, Rolling Stoney roots and make jam band reggae after this album. The rest of the album is captivating albeit a bit unmemorable. You feel like you’ve heard it a bit in the songs before. But God, how crazy would it have been to have had this on tape when it was first fresh in the 80s — especially in England. Really, the whole album feels like being in a specific place at a specific time. Most of the albums of this era really do that for me, like London Calling by the Clash. It feels like buying your first beer for 25 cents and renting home for $5; Super8 film and calling someone through the landline. All those nostalgic things that you know but you never really knew … those things your parents were alive for but not really /there/ for. You wonder if they’d ever heard the song around on the radio in passing, or if they interacted with any of the things you would have liked in those times. Specifically “Man in The Corner Shop” and “Boy about Town” feels that way for me. All in all, the album is a classic and you can see why. Songs like “Scrape Away” seem to be co-opted and remixed by bands like The 1975, Shame or Fontaines DC in an attempt to say something. The sound and lyricism of The Jam seems to have been through many iterations by the present day. It’s no wonder — the album tells the tale of where life in the 80s, in Britain, in music and in the world was going — or where it went. It says something sonically (and at times lyrically) that songs today just don’t. Or rather, things that they just can’t yet. Out of 5, I’ll rate it a 3.8.

Good album but a bit too long and repetitive for my liking

First 3 songs bad. Rest of the album very good. Some superb baselines

Not bad, not great. Just an okay rock album. I thought I would enjoy it more, but oh well.

Thats Entertainment was on a mix tape from my brother that changed the trajectory of my music listening for the rest of my life. The standout track on a pretty solid album that is full of short sharp solid pop songs. It's not All Mod Cons, but it is great. 4 Stars

also eh. i was disinterested enough to not take any notes. nothing sounded bad or poorly made to me so i’ll give it a 3/5.

Left me feeling pretty underwhelmed. The music is bland and boring, and it just didn’t do anything for me. I was hoping for some energy, but instead, it felt like background noise. It’s not terrible, but it’s definitely not something I’d choose to listen to again!

Starts off great, love that opening bass line, and it's got a few of my favourite Jam songs. Drops off a bit towards the end.

It was alright but I probably wouldn't rush to listen to it again

Quite enjoyed jamming to the jam, 4*

Pretty decent punk album.

Snoozeville

I’ve got a pocketful of PreTty GreEn I’ve got a love and I know that It’s All Mine

Super whatever for me More of a peanut Butter guy tbh

I like this kinda music more when it pulls more from pop rather than rock but still enjoyed! Fav song: Music for the Last Couple

Couldn't like the Jam as a smelly. Thoroughly enjoyed this.

A classic

Holy Moley, Paul Weller can write a song. And there isn't a better rhythm section anywhere.

Perfect blend of white soul and social commentary

Another one of those where there were flashes of something good, but the album as a whole fell flat for me. Too generic/boring; no standout or memorable tracks. 3

2,5

..

I have good memories of this one as a foray into alternative music. Completely recognizable as The Jam. I liked it then and I liked it today.

Really enjoyed this. Familiar with the first two Jam albums and their greatest hits - so already familiar with Start/ That's Entertainment - which are great tracks. Really enjoyed Set the House Ablaze - was not aware until listening that Blocparty had taken the guitar riff. Was great to come to this off the back of some dirgy 90's US grunge as it sounded so much fresher, spikier with great chorus's.

Sound Affects I was really into The Jam around A-Levels. I loved the Greatest Hits so I bought the Direction, Creation, Reaction box set with my Christmas vouchers. It was all their albums and singles plus b sides and outtakes, but I never really listened to it much. It had two studio albums per disk so it never felt like each album was distinct, so I just used to listen to the Greatest Hits. A lot of their singles really were quite incredible - In the City, The Modern World, News of the World, Down in the Tube Station, Eton rifles, Going Underground, Start!, That’s Entertainment, Funeral Pyre, Absolute Beginners, Town Called Malice, Bitterest Pill, Beat Surrender - so I think their albums tend pale in comparison, and to me, despite this one, All Mod Cons and Setting Sons being very good, they don’t quite have that killer, go to album. Pretty Green is a banger, great bass of course, and I love the sitar in the outro, indicating the Revolver influence that would become outright homage/theft on Start! I fall on the homage side, it’s a great track, especially with the horns towards the end. Monday is great, a kind of slippery melody and structure, with very I’m Only Sleeping Macca bass. I like But I’m Different Now, a bit of classic Jam punky-angry-pop, one of the few times they hit their earlier sound. Set The House Ablaze I love, one of their best album tracks, the psychedelic influenced riff and marching bass in the verses are great and I really like how it breaks into the very Jamian chorus. I like how Dream Time starts off dreamy and backwards and psychedelic sounding before ending as a tight bass, drums and power-guitar song with a great chorus and some lovely horn embellishments. I love the 60s Kinksian feel of Man in the Corner Shop and its ruminative lyrics. Music for the Last Couple is obviously ska/2-tone influenced and I love the guitar break bass and piano refrain against the parts with the melodica. Boy About Town I remember from that box set, a great catchy melody and a great song, with lyrics that I think deliberately nod to I’m Only Sleeping. And Scrape Away has great, slightly sinister new wave-ish feel, mainly due to Foxton’s excellent bass line, and a great, righteously frustrated lyric. And of course there’s That’s Entertainment, possibly their greatest song. Fantastically bleak, evocative lyrics, you feel the greynes and the early 80s-ness, with one of my favourite lines ‘Two lovers kissing amongst the scream of midnight, two lovers missing the tranquility of solitude’. Superb. Foxton is consistently excellent on this album, the Macca/Revolver inspiration is clear, but he also adds a great urgency and ominousness to some of the songs. Even with that I think you can hear Weller chafing against the limitations of the trio format and their sound. They always had wider influences and a classic 60s pop and soul in their sound but you, and despite Rick Buckler being a very good drummer and the soul and funk influences being apparent, there is still a tinge of a punky thudiness to his drumming, and in retrospect The Style Council seems like the obvious next chapter. There’s a lot of great lines and lyrics and some interesting things happening musically, even if they are sometimes a bit buried in the mix, but I really enjoyed this, especially on repeat listens, and it has re-ignited my interest in The Jam. Started a straight ahead 4 but I think I’ll tip into 5. 🫙🫙🫙🫙🫙 Playlist submission: Obvious but That’s Entertainment

There's a lot of 60s throw back across the album. 'Monday' has a classic Kinks sound. 'Man in the Corner Shop' a descending melody and jangly guitar, that's worthy of Small Faces. And of course they 'borrow' heavily from the Macca tradition, with the Taxman bassline - 'Start!' somehow doesn't feel stolen though; it feels a genuine tribute turned into something new, and just as good. This is an album which is a borderline top marks. A number of tunes stand apart as top tier. It has all the edge of punk whilst not being punk - it's more complex than that, with Motown influences evident ('Pretty Green'). I think the feeling of it, the energy, the right arrangements and the strength of the singles plus other hidden gems just tip it.

Kasari rokkia. Vähän sellainen new wave fiilis, mutta rokimpaa. Man In The Corner Shop kuullosti jokseenkin tutulta. Parhaat: Man In The Corner Shop, Start!, Set The Place Ablaze

This album was fine? Not mind blowing or anything. Not terrible. Nothing particularly stood out, and I don’t know why it’s on this list, but it’s all right. I’d maybe revisit it.

The first song had me wondering if I’d like this sort of punk, but by “Set the House Ablaze” I was totally hooked. These guys rock!!

Solidd

Is ok

insignificant. weak. useless. these are the words that describe this album and my son.

David galea favorite album!!!

Start! That's Entertainment

Didn't really care for it.

The song that epitomizes this album is "Music for the Last Couple." It's musically interesting and took a lot of skill to put together. Also, it's just not all that fun to listen to, nor is it particularly immersive. I'm a decently big fan of The Jam - have all the albums on CD and pretty regularly listen - but "Sound Affects" is a weird one for me. On one hand, it has some of the band's best tracks - "Start" and "That's Entertainment," the latter being arguably their best song ever, at least lyrically. It also has songs that probably didn't need to see the light of day ("Pretty Green" and maybe "Set the House Ablaze"). This album was where The Jam hit the point of diminishing returns: All the albums before this were better, and "The Gift" is even less interesting. (Or maybe "Setting Sons," the album prior to "Sound Affects," is better seen as the band's artistic zenith?) It's a shame, as the band's mix of Northern Soul and Motown into its London (Woking, actually) could produce some of its best, most interesting songs, it came with a tradeoff of more clunkers.

Sounds like a British 80s band. I didn’t hate it, but it didn’t do a lot for me.

Listened to this twice and forgot to write anything down. Highlights were Start! and That’s Entertainment. 3.5/5

Really good New wave/ Punk pop album, Start! and That's Entertainment are both brilliant songs, but other album cuts like Set the House Ablaze and Man in the Corner Shop are great as well, there's not a bad song on here in my opinion. Happy to give this a 4.

British social commentary from 1980, not subtle. Some might enjoy the bass-forward mix. Gang of Four did the angularity better. Standout tracks: That's Entertainment (of course), Man in the Corner Shop

Britrock but kind of boring

Not bad

Really good album got time for The Jam

Used to listen to this back in the day, thanks Sid for teaching me about them.

Now this is my jam

Mit dem Album präsentiert die Band ihre musikalische Entwicklung. Sie kombiniert ihre charakteristische Energie des Punk mit melodischen und introspektiven Elementen, die an den Stil von The Smiths erinnern. Besonders bemerkenswert ist die atmosphärische Dichte der Produktion, die sowohl kantig als auch feinfühlig wirkt. Hits wie „Start!“ und „That's Entertainment* zeigen ein scharfes Songwriting und eine raffinierte Instrumentierung.

Me gusta

fínasta nýbylgjurokk. mörg frábær lög sem ég þekkti áður. önnur síðri sem vinna líklega á.

meh

Pretty fun album. High three.

Good stuff

Ok

Pretty alright. Definitely psychedelic inspired. Sounds like most British music from the time.

Great album but couple of down points

New band/album for me. It’s ok. Nothing to write home about.

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would.

The jam were one of the two bands that mattered. The other being the clash. Town like malice caught the anger and cynicism of that late 70s post punk thing. Weller’s worship of Townshend probably hurt him in the long run but this is an excellent album.

I just never liked Paul Weller. Don't like the Jam, don't like the Style Council, don't like his solo 'Modfather' work. Lots of people I respect really dig The Jam, and god knows I have tried many, many times over the past 40 years to understand the appeal. But I just don't. I never really understood the cult-like veneration that a certain generation of Anglophiles have for The Jam and Weller's subsequent output. At the time of its release, Weller said that he considered the album a cross between Off the Wall and Revolver. Well, Sound Affects is no Revolver or Off The Wall. I've often pegged Weller as trying on musical styles that he digs, but his copies are a bit weak. The only song that I really feel that stands up as original is 'That's Entertainment', where he says he wrote in ten minutes, which suggest he didn't have time to overthink it. 'Start', the other hand, is essentially plagiarized from 'Taxman'. 2.5 stars, rounding down for cribbing from better records to a mediocre standard.

This was ahead of its time, full of sharp turns, and somehow even dropped ska on me. I hadn’t heard it before, and now I can’t believe it was hidden. Absolutely brilliant

Makes you proud to be British. Fantastic blend of punk, pub rock and ska held together by fantastic melodies.

Enjoyable, palatable new wave. Short and sweet. Doubt I'll particularly remember anything about it, though.

This album was alrigh

I knew by name the band, but hadn't reached out to hear a full project, the album starts with a pretty cool bassline in Pretty Green and off we go, it is better than some of other UK albums that we have heard, there's a track that almost follows the chord progression of Beatles' Taxman(Start) and another that wouldn't sound out of place in a Bloc Party album (Set The House Ablaze). Maybe Music for the Last Couple could've lost a minute or so of the runtime, there are good songs I would like to go back to(the aforementioned and Thats Entretainment), but only time will tell if we hear more of Mr Weller/The Jam.

I liked this album, but at some point it became background noise. Meaning nothing grabbed me, nothing made me want to pay attention and buy in, it was just there in the background being non offensive. It could have been music on the speakers of a clothing store just playing and I would bop my head but never feel like I was into it. I would also say everything sounded exactly the same, I didn't realize I was halfway through without looking at the song list because they all sounded the same. I don't rate them so low because the music was bad, it was actually pleasant. I rate them low because compared to others on this list, I just don't get what they bring to the table that makes it so special.

I like a good three piece. Guitar, drums, and bass. The music is interesting. I especially like the guitar work (both guitar and bass). The lyrics don't especially speak to me and the songs don't grab me right away but after 1 and a half listens, I'm about a 3.5 with this but I think it could grow on me with more listens.

Seeing The Jam shuffle up on this list makes me think of the line “kick out the style, bring back the jam” in the Tears for Fears song “Sowing The Seeds of Love”. That absolutely references The Jam becoming The Style Council and changing up their sound from crunchy jam to 80’s euro style. Being a Tears for Fears fan is how I’m approaching this and I’ve concluded that it is just as good as them but tighter. You can hear their influence on them all over this. Poppy, fairly easy going, very Bri’ish. I’ll definitely be digging deeper.

A few of the catchier songs caught my ear, but I found most of this kinda bland and flavorless.

Good lyrics and tunes, thx!

Beetles go punk, it's odd but good

A bit punk, a bit of funk, and a scoop of pop-Beatles mixed in (I swear a couple of rhythm passages are directly lifted from the Beatles- and the deluxe edition has a cover of And Your Bird Can Sing) Anyway, after the last few horror show records this was perfect- a band I know of but never listened to, that turned out to be quite good actually.

Genial. No conocía a The Jam, pero sin problema podría hacerme fan. Muy buen rock, álbum breve pero poderoso. Lo disfruté bastante .

Ok

There’s one thing to make a fine album, but why is it on a list of albums I have to listen to? I quite disagree with that sentiment.

Early 80’s new wave feel

It's a nice album, very fitting of the UK postpunk sound, mixed with some touches of funk. "That's entertainment" is obviously the most popular song, but it also contains a couple of "hidden gems", like "Set the house ablaze" (which would later be sampled by Bloc Party) or "Scrape away", which was my personal favourite. While I found it a good album, it didn't blow me away.

3.5. first time I heard the jam. I like the beatles , pink floyd and the clash.. I think I am in the mood for this, I give a 4. Many good songs mixed with other meh.. the closing one is very good, as "that's entertainement" (I loved the demo tape version). Post punk, sounds as moder as some 21st century groups.

Great album. That’s Entertainment is an all time classic track

Sounds like everybody else

average

Rating: 5.5/10 Some of the instrumentation is great, mostly forgettable though.

Very decent indeed.

3.8 has 2 of my top 3 jam songs but otherwise nothing spectacular fave songs: that's entertainment, start!

Fun and punky

Przyjemny, ale dość typowy brytyjski zespół tamtych lat. Słychać różne naleciałości, brzmią trochę jak the Kinks. Utwory są podawane w małych dawkach, nie wiem czy nie za krótkie. Ale jest to zjadliwe, nawet chwytliwe. Daje kopa ale nie męczy. 7/10

Again, never heard of them, but good

Another solid record from The Jam / Paul Weller. It draws on classic British songwriting from the 60s, but adds a contemporary nerve placing it firmly amongst its' post-punk peers. That's entertainment folks.

So, apparently the greatest Bloc Party riff is actually the greatest The Jam riff. Who knew? Another great Paul Weller-fronted album?

Didn't knew anything from this album except the banger "That's Entertainment" not even knowing it is by The Jam! What a shame! Great album that loses a bit quality within the last songs.

I grew up wishing I could have experienced the 60s music scene, but I’m starting to think what I really missed out on was the 80s punk/new wave scene. Favourite tracks: Pretty Green, Start!, That’s Entertainment, Music for the Last Couple, Scrape Away

In my opinion this not a great album, but it is probably my favorite album by The Jam that has appeared on this list so far. Side A is definitely stronger than side B, with the exception of maybe “Scrape Away” which began to grow on me after a while.

Generic, plain, and boring Best Song: That's Entertainment Rating: 5/10 (Enough) Stars: 3/5

Not a bad album, a couple of good tracks, especially That's Entertainment. As someone born in the UK in 1970 I was probably too young to really appreciate The Jam at their peak, they were just ending as I started to get into music. I think there are better albums by this band.

That was pretty good 4 stars

This is a great album full of spectacular drums, bass and guitar. I could listen to it all day. In fact, I just did. That's Entertainment and Start! are classics for a reason (sure, Start! lifts the bassline from Taxman, but if it didn't bother the Beatles, it doesn't bother me). Boy about Town though, which I'd never heard before Is two minutes of joy. What a great song. I love the horns on this track and god, the drums are great. Hard to find a weak spot on this album. Really good from start to finish and the drums and bass are killer throughout. If Peter Weller was just a little bit stronger as a vocalist, this album would have been a monumental classic and broken through in North America. He's not quite show-offy enough for the US.

Pretty green and that’s entertainment absolute classics

Man, there is too much punk or post or proto or whatever punk on this list. I liked Paul Weller's later output better. This is being dragged down by the shitty way English punks from this era "sing"

Jätti yllättävän kylmäksi: pidin ensin tästä hieman epätoivoisesta soundista, mutta se ei päässyt missään vaiheessa yllättämään vaan jatkoi aika tasaisena massana loppuun asti. Ihan ok, mutta en tule muistamaan tästä mitään edes parin tunnin päästä.

Weller tuntuu artistilta, joka ei halua vain rokata, vaan keskittyä myös biisintekoon, mutta jonka biisinteko on implisiittisesti vain rokkausta (mikä ei tarkoita, etteikö hänellä olisi asiaa - jopa sanottavaa). Tällä levyllä kaikki loksahtaa aika pitkälti kohdalleen, ja rokkaus toimii. Arvasit oikein: That's Entertainment.

Dug this one. Some pretty good post-punk.

Day454 - you know what they say. that’s entertainment

6.5/10 Better than I expected, credible music, production, lyrics A few bangers Not fully in love with Weller’s cockney accent Best: Start!

oooh I love The Jam. This was a fun album.

Yet another random english rock band? Disc 2 gave Beatles vibes. It's ok, I just can't take so many of these british rock bands that feel like they don't add anything innovative or interesting. 3*

Between 3 and 4, but lower 3.

[7/10]

God I fucking hate the British

Bastante guay. Durante un momento pensé que el vocalista era David Bowie.

Better than expected

This was better than I feared it was going to be. Post punk that swings between pop / new wave and harder punk influences. I'm not entirely sure it belongs on this list, but I'm glad it's here.

Really good British rock pop

Awesome album.

Fun album. Love short, precise records like this. Would come back to this

Never listened to any Jam albums in full before. Set the House Ablaze and Scrape Away were the standouts for me, That's Entertainment didn't hit as hard as I remember

Really solid album, really enjoyed it

At first is.thought, wait this can't possibly be in top 1001 right? Then I realized that 1001is relatively a large number. This album is not bad, simply boring. Unentertaining. That's all. Just another classic rock album from the 70s or 80s, nothing unique at all.

More random British music. It's not bad or anything but what's so special about it?

All hail Rickenbackers and suits! Snappy, sharp, sensible and striking, it blends dub rhythms with punk velocity and the clarity of a new wave. The thanking man's alternative/complement to The Stranglers? Epic bass. Favourite tracks: Pretty Green, Monday, Set The House Ablaze, That's Entertainment, Music For The Last Couple, Scrape Away

Loved it!

Nice

It was just okay, it’s not really my style of music. Ik ts right up bros alley tho which is why he gave it a 4, I’m giving it a 2. I liked that’s entertainment, but that was really about it

I listened to the complete album but not much jumped out of me and ends up being largely forgettable.

Is he doing a David Bowie impression on purpose? Or did people just sound like that back then? This is pretty cool and eclectic though.

Never listened to The Jam before. Not bad. “That’s Entertainment” was written in ten minutes while drunk

I listened twice. Nothing stuck out. Does that say more about the record, or more about me.

83% Best: Party Green; Set The House Ablaze; Dream Time Must-Hear? Sure

new wave吗 那无敌了

Y'know, this actually isn't my first tango with this album. Or, like, half of it, anyway. Y'see, nearly a year ago my group got one of Paul Weller's solo albums, WILD WOOD — some kind of 70's singer-songwriter dealie in the 90's. I was having a spot of trouble writing my review, so I figured it'd be for the best if I got a sample of something he did before, for context. And since he was a member of The Jam... Hey, what better album to put on than that group's best? I was unfortunately only able to take in half of it at the time, but just from the little I heard (the first side)... Goodness, I remember being blown away. I'd always had it in my head that The Jam were a legendary act that just never struck it big as they should have — thanks Todd — and from what I heard... Damn, it was so exciting to hear that my assumption was right. I remember loving it a **lot**, so you can only imagine my joy when the Randomizer picked out this record for my group. Finally, I get to hear this music again! So you can also imagine how strange it felt to me when side one just didn't hit in exactly the same way it had back then. Now, of course that's understandable. It has been nearly a year since I'd heard this material; it's only natural that my tastes could have changed just enough in the interim that, well... Frankly, it shouldn't have been something I focused on so much. And yet, I'unno — it got lodged in my head. What **exactly** was I missing here? What could I see the first time that I wasn't now? It baffled me. So much so that I honestly forgot to take in the music as well as I should. For my sake, then, let's put side one — well, aside. I wanna put all my focus onto what I hadn't heard before, side two. And what's on here... By goodness, yeah, it's great stuff. What I like the most here is... Y'know, all the various styles these songs go for. They're all still easily categorized as pre-80's New Wave punk, but they're clearly each tryna evoke their own tones. I know that sounds pretty "no shit," but I'm thinking back to other UK punk albums I've heard, particularly the debuts of the Sex Pistols and The Clash, and neither of them shake up their styles as much as this one does. That's even acknowledging The Clash's dive into reggae **and** knowing that they'd go on to do with their future albums. I can absolutely see why this album has been compared to REVOLVER. OFF THE WALL, not so much — but REVOLVER? Absolutely. And I wanna point out, too: the bass is fantastic. I don't typically notice bass as often as I should have, but, ah, gosh, it was so good here. Goodness me. (And rescanning just one song from the album's first side, the big hit "That's Entertainment"... I mean, I doubt I'll ever again hear what exactly I heard that first time, but at the very least I can confirm that, yeah, of course this is also real good stuff. Goodness me.) All in all... Man, I'unno. I'm feelin' a good 4 on this thing. And, like, I can't put my finger on why I'm holding this thing back from a complete 5... It just feels right, y'know? And believe me, it's a very highly recommended 4. It's just... Yeah, I'll say it again: it's good stuff. No more, no less. And I don't know what else to say besides that, so... Yeah! Good jams from The Jams. Whaddya know?

Lost my review. 4.5 bumped down to 4.

I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll bump up to a 4, but it was REALLY close to a 3 for a bit. Perhaps reading Wikipedia for this album set a wrong expectation – “Revolver meets Off The Wall” feels like a hell of a claim to make, and… I don’t really know if I hear it. Granted, I haven’t heard Revolver, so I can’t say how distinctly different it is from any of the 3 other Beatles albums we’ve gotten so far, but I’ve heard Off the Wall many many times. This is nowhere near anything from Off the Wall, at least from what I can distinctly remember about the album. Even if you boil it down to just the percussion as the drummer claimed, I only hear it a handful of times – if anything, the drum work here is way closer to Stewart Copeland’s work with the Police on Synchronicity, at least to my ears. Of course, inspiration isn’t the same thing as “exact style”, so I won’t knock that too harshly – besides, I think the percussion on this album fucking rocks. Hell, I really liked a lot of this album – really solid lyrics, good vocals, super strong instrumentation (bassline particularly deserves a mention), and there’s not really a bad track here. The only reason I’m wavering between a 3 and 4 is just in the full album experience as a 35 minute thing – this doesn’t really have the greatest set of cohesive tracks, and I do think a lot of these soundscapes and subject matters step on each other’s toes from track to track. Even at just 35 minutes, a sort of homogeneity comes up that’s, as usual, hard to describe but kind of easy to feel in the moment. Ultimately though, this did win me over – there’s a really nice stretch from Tracks 5-9 that kind of solidifies this as just good enough to get bumped up to a 4. It certainly helps that there’s not a “bad” track here, as even the most avant garde & weird one in “Music for the Last Couple” struck me as fun. If it is a little bit of a Revolver-inspired soundscape, it just makes me want to hear what The Beatles did on that album, since it feels mostly refined here. It sounds like if I've heard “Start!”, then I’ve probably already heard “Taxman” though. Oh, well. If the percussion on Off The Wall is way more prominent than I remember, past the obvious first hits of Rock With You, then I can’t wait for it to show up too. For this album, it stands as a nice little punk rock / new wave sort of hybrid that’s closer to the late 70s than the 80s, but still finds a really solid niche that clicked well enough for me to give it a 4.

I agree with another review that they're very similar to other Brit bands of the era. Some of those bass lines be groovy fr tho.

Sounds nice

not a dull moment, really enjoyed this

Great one!

Proto smiths

Super average, boring and unworthy of further explanation.

Yep, more britshit

"Sound Affects" is the fifth album by English rock band the Jam. New wave, mod revival, punk rock and power pop are all fair descriptors of their music. It's was their first album that they co-produced, along with Vic Coppersmith-Heaven. The bandmembers were Paul Weller (guitar, vocals, keys, sitar), Bruce Foxton (bass, vocals) and the late Rick Buckler (drums, percussion). Commercially, the album hit #2 in the UK and #72 in the US and had wide-spread critical praise. "Pretty Green" opens with a funky bass line and ticking drums. A driving guitar with echoing pyschedelic effects. Weller singing about Money? Weed? The music in "Setting the House Ablaze" sounds just like the title. A wavering guitar. Pounding drums. Anxiety sounding. Wow, they've summed up Bloc Party in one song. The song builds intensity and ends with a "la-la-la" chorus and sped up marching drums. The band had been listening to the Beatles' "Revolver" while recording this album and that comes out clearly in their first single "Start!" as Foxton's bass line is directly taken from "Taxman." The drums keep a tight beat and Weller's slashes his guitar with a post-punk edge. A song about technology forcing people apart. I think the only Jam song I heard on US radio in the 80's was "That's Entertainment" and it's still played quite a bit. An acoustic guitar. Bass in the forefront . A rattling percussion. Weller is singing about slices of everyday British working-class life. Great song. "Man in the Corner Shop" is their only song in which the whole band wrote. A Byrds-esque guitar and a forward bass and drums. A song about socio-economic classes. This album is loaded with short, rapid-fire and thumping songs. Along the way, we hear shades of the Kinks, the Beatles and the Byrds, a post-punk guitar, power pop and even an area of pyschedelia. The bass is front and center in the mix which I always like. This is really a great album. In fact, the previous two albums "All Mod Cons" and "Setting Sons" are also great. All three are highly recommended.

Less good Sparks

Oh, brother. This one is a rough listen. Sounds like a garage band trying to cover Rubber Soul and doing a shitty job at that. The album starts off fine, and they're clearly going for some new sounds, but everything that made The Jam great, their perfect blend of mod R&B and sneering punk, is being reshuffled here. As it goes along there's nothing tight or powerful about their sound. It's like they're disintegrating as we listen. And it doesn't help that every song trails off out of tune. "That's Entertainment" is the one great song out of the lot, but that alone can't save this one. A right mess.

file it under “cool riffs but wish he would shut the fuck up” also “start!” is just taxman

A fun listen, but pretty inconsequential. Not something that left a super lasting impression. Plus, I’m kind of over all the moaning 80s Brits.

Derivative. Derivative of some good stuff, so not objectionable really — just not captivating. It’s a 2 or a 3 — depending on the mood.

Was meh.

Another okay album 3/5

5/5. It's honestly hard for me to find a bad song on this album. It all flows well has a driving force in each song. It is giving British punk but it doesn't overstay its welcome. Each track has a great riff and instrumentation in general. Very British vocals can be a negative sometimes but it fits the energy here. Definitely influence from Elvis Costello here. A pretty solid front to back, no complaints despite the genre. Best Song: Start!, Set The House Ablaze, Music For The Last Couple

The guitar is very good, and probably the high point of the record, some nice riffs scattered throughout the album and surprised me with how prominent it is and how enjoyable it was. The bass is very punchy and front and centre. I enjoy Paul Weller on vocals a lot, an iconic voice. He shines most on 'Man In A Corner Shop'. I really enjoyed the more upbeat punky tunes 'But I'm Different Now' and 'Set The House Ablaze'. 'That's Entertainment' is another highlight, very familiar to me thanks to my dad listening to it a lot when I was younger. This is probably the most three star album I've heard so far. It never dips below that and occasionally ventures into four star territory.