Reviews (page 6 of 8)
Bassist gets a 5 on their own. The rest of the music is good too, but I'm not very warm on it. I recognize that they're doing the thing, but it's not grabbing me for some reason. Do I have a secret distaste for English accents/dialects?
That bass player was going for it! He leads the album off and I could never take my ears off him after that.
Pretty run of the mill early 80s sound. Not bad but others did it better. Needs more cowbell!
The Jam's roots are post-punk, but you can hear the emergence (along with the annoying upbeat silliness) of new wave music in this album. Altogether, the band are more like Joy Division than New Order, which is a good thing.
I loved the Jam's first album but haven't cared for anything they did since. Kind of the epitome of a one hit wonder.
I can see why this lot have die hard fans - lots going on there.
Sound Affects is the fifth album by English rock band The Jam. This new wave, post-punk album was a best seller in the UK for the early 80's and has been certified gold there. The Jam's frontman Paul Weller has stated this is his favorite Jam album. This is a classic post-punk UK album released around the time of many other great albums of the same genre. The music is accessible, fun, and almost timeless. I recommend this album to most listeners.
3.5 i liked a few songs, strong finish
There’s some great tracks here, but ultimately some filler, too. Earlier stuff had more of their raw edge, shown only briefly here. You can tell it’s a band in transition.
All about that bass.
Tras el brillante sencillo que fue "Going Underground" los Jam prosiguieron con este álbum estilísticamente enfocado hacia ese camino entre el punk y la new wave que tan bien practicaron. Los temas son menos cotidianos y descriptivos de la vida londinense contemporánea y más espirituales y abstractos. Pero todas las canciones tienen melodías pegadizas y un gancho pop indudable. Me gustan especialmente "Sart!", con su aire Beatle, "That's Entertainment" y, sobre todo, "Man in the Corner Shop".
Fun jams. Like punk, but with actual melodies and and discernable instruments.
boy about town is a bop <3 Fun little listen but i think there’s other similar albums that i have that id come back to before this one. monday and scrape away are also really fun.
Good British rock with a punk edge. “Music For the Last Couple” had a more modern style that sounded like indie rock to me. Honestly, all the most interesting songs are tucked at the very end. All good stuff but nothing too memorable for me. Feels like a classic “your favorite band’s favorite band” kind of artist.
Pretty straightforward British punkish rock. I didn't really feel too blown away by the record. It has some nice tracks in it, and nice production, but it just kind of does its thing and that's it. I liked "Monday", which I've heard before. Nice bass line and vocal performance. How about the bass in the mix of "Man In The Corner Shop". It's funny to hear a bass guitar be mixed louder than a lead vocal; I feel like you never really hear this.
Some bangers!
Maybe it's the mood I was in, but while I could tell this was good, it didn't fully connect. Maybe it will on a second listen. 3/5
Not great but good enough post punk ish. Just not sure it's a must.
I feel like there’s another Jam album I know better than this one. I recognized the sound here but the only specific song I knew was Monday. I’m fine with this band but you definitely need to be a fan of a specific sound.
I knew a couple of these songs already and enjoyed the overall experience.
UK’s mod revival era isn’t my favourite, but The Jam sure know how to kick out some effective genre-blending punk, and I really like the sly simplicity of the album title.
cool album. punk meets british rock meets new wave meets the 80s. some good tracks, but a couple songs i just didn’t care for
fun rom of the 80's!
In my opinion not their best, but still solid
I thought this was fine, but I'm not so sure that I had to hear this, or that it was necessary after All Mod Cons.
Decent, I liked when the bass was featured most (e.g. right at the start of the album). Came and went pretty quick, no showstopper songs for me. A 3.5
Not bad British punkish rock. I have never heard of them before but it's something that I would have liked in the 90's. I would probably listen to this again.
Took me a little bit to warm up to it, but I really was won over. The genre blend is a bit hard to wrap my head around; it’s not quite punk, but it’s not just straight mod pastiche either, and it’s poppy, but not radio pop, more like college radio catchy. It’s very British, and that cultural disconnect might also be my issue. It’s honestly a record I need to sit with more, but even if it grows on me, I know it’s not something I’m going to revisit all the time aside from a handful of songs, if only because the mod-leanings and Britishisms are not to my taste. I’m glad I was exposed to this, however, and still feel this is more of a positive/3.5 rating overall, because even if I’m not despite for a physical copy, I will add a few of these songs to my playlists in the future.
Good
62/1001 3·
Pretty good
I wanted to like this so much more than I did, but it was just a whole lot of inoffensive nothing.
man, i'm torn about this one. i really like the other songs by the jam that I've heard before (going underground and a town called malice) but these just fell flat to me. it was like listening to XTC and the clash combined into one band that was worse than either of them individually. the songs just didn't grab me or go anywhere interesting or say anything cool. with that said, the baseline quality for the songs was still higher than a lot of the dregs on this list, but i just know the jam is capable of much more. even after two full listens this just didn't hit for me. favorites: that's entertainment
Pretty rad album. I get why they got popular. It's fun.
I like The Jam. It’s getting a bit hard to delineate all the English rock that comes up, but these guys do stand out a bit to me. This is a 3.5 rounded down, wouldn’t turn my nose up at listening again.
It was missing a hit. Very consistent.
Unmemorable
Nothing special.
Initially I expected yet another boring uk rock band that dominate this list, but I was pleasantly surprised and there were some moments I enjoyed the album
Good
Very solid album from front to back. Not much more to say, I really enjoyed it.
Some of these songs felt pleasantly simple in what they were about. I liked Pretty Green because I've never heard anyone call money that. I don't think it was on most of the tracks, but I did like that some of them just started with noises since the album is called Sound Affects. this is one that I could probably like more on a couple of future lessons. Standouts were "But I'm Different Now" and "That's Entertainment". In general I like that in glam rock you can hear the accent.
Bang average.
There are a couple obvious standout tracks in this album that I really liked. However, the rest of the album was just basic yacht rock to me. Not enjoyable nor unjoyable.
It's fine. Maybe too much a sum of its influences, rather than standing on its own?
Fun album with some good jams. Not as hard as some of the other punk bands they're associated with, but I still enjoyed it overall.
Great early punk rock band that I never heard of. Couldn’t get behind the lead vocalist though
Fine album.
That's entertainment and Start are classics
Not exactly my style, but genuinely enjoyable. Doubly surprising because I've never heard of The Jam.
Solid
Okay. I really like "that's entertainment".
Pretty average British new wave, except not that new wave-y? Still good, but I'm not sure I get the rave reviews. Maybe you had to be there
These guys just never clicked with me. Nothing bad or anything, I just fail to retain anything from it when I'm listening to it.
Sounds like a laziest, but more focused on rock Psychedelic Furs. Not bad at all!
Nothing that stands out, but an album that flows well. Pleasant listen from the 80s mod revival.
the first half was really good, i was considering giving the album a 5, but the second half got unremarkable - 5 adds
Not my kind of music
I sometimes have trouble distinguishing between these English post-punk bands... none of them are terrible, but it's rare that a song really stands out for me. "That's Entertainment" is the only one I recognized here.
Some cool moments in here, but nothing that really moved me a whole lot. I liked the instrumentation quite a bit, but holistically the album was pretty much just an average rock one to me. Favorite track: Start!
A lot more polished than some of their earlier albums. Contains the hits "Start!" and "That's Entertainment".
Liked it more than I thought I would! Enjoyable to listen to. 3
i mean london calling came out the year before can i go listen to that instead? oh, i can? cool.
3.5
Pleasant enough
This is a pretty decent album that sounds like a mix of early punk with a dash of 70s New Wave. I liked it! Pretty even quality throughout, no standouts, but no clangers either.
Sounds like the predecessors to the Smiths. Cool punky English album. A nice tight 35 minutes.
Strictly alright, pretty forgettable singer.
Fine but lost in the background
An enjoyable listen, I mostly used for background music. Though That's Entertainment stood out, it's one I'd heard before and is still a really enjoyable listen.
Just ok.
oh nice, the first brit pop/punk album from the list. And it's one I have not heard before, let's see. seems kinda long for a punk album to be honest, but I guess that is how the early ones were. I feel like I would like this album better if the drums weren't so simplistic. My biggest issue for most albums always boils down to the fact that every single song has the same basic drum beat. But I like the inclusion of brass instruments and quicker paced lyrics. overall I still enjoyed it, solid album.
3.5
Off brand Smiths. Smiths did it better
Although I prefer their earlier, unpolished punk sound this is good.
somewhat generic post punk, very 80s vibe
Pretty good
Jes gpx file kebnekaise kello vrum vrum sokkelo testi nopiaa heh toimii toimii.. hyvä taustamusiikki tästä..
Great bass tone – turned all the way up!
I don't actually have much to say about this album it was just good. It starts but having quite an understated sound but was nice to listen to, it does pick up pace a little in the middle. Didn't really evoke any emotions in me tho.
Viva punk
Decent but wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to The Jam before and I still won’t.
Ah well you know what I enjoyed this more than I expected to, always thought I didn't like the Jam at all. Maybe that's because I saw Paul Weller circa 2011 and thought it was very dull. In the same kind of way I dislike Elvis Costello, like jaunty cringe music. But actually it was Ok! Enjoyed some of the hits. Never going to be my fave
Yeah it's fine I guess. I would say I like the Jam but I never really listen to them by choice. Kind of faded into the background a bit but some tracks we pretty good.
Weird mix of vibes. Felt like a transition from Beatles to later era stuff
Early strokes lite
Great 80s old alt Brit sound. I was unfamiliar with any song except their biggest hit.
I liked it but it was forgettable
A good listen, some tracks id listen to again. Nothing groundbreaking in my opinion. Music for the last couple is giving me Pocket Dog vibes.
pretty good. sometimes has a less harsh primus vibe
Ist gut
Hat mich an Musik erinnert, die ich mehr mag also hätte ich dann insgesamt nen guten Tag 😅
This is a new band for me. I enjoyed the bass!
Just alright.
Goes good with toast.
This was ok. Some of it is a bit boring but I don't mind the style they were doing
Fun, energetic fusions of traditional rock and hard punk make this a refreshing and easy listen.
Surprisingly really good. Recognized a few of these.
A good jam session of rock throughout, got that classic British sound. You can definitely hear the style of the 70s hanging on. Planty enjoyable, but maybe not a game changer
Meh
‘That’s Entertainment’ was the only song that was familiar. It sounded like they were having fun on this album. There was a lot going on. Happy cacophony is the phrase that sprang to mind during my listening session.
There was a lot o enjoy about this one. That one tune with the "Taxman" bass line really distracted me. Frankly, so many of that guy's bass lines were McCartney rips offs, I'm surprised he didn't get sued. But the rest of it was pretty damned solid. (And I'm still surprised no one has ever mentioned how much Guided by Voices is trying to sound like The Jam.)
Couple decent tracks here Can hear new wave starting to show out of ska and punk
Meh, alright.
I struggle to get too excited by The Jam, even though they tended to deal in broadly similar musical styles to some bands I really like. That's not to say that I don’t think they’re decent enough, or that this album is without its charms. Indeed, I may prefer it just slightly to All Mod Cons. The wistful, dreaming-of-escaping-the-mundanity-of-life vibes of Man In The Corner Shop and That’s Entertainment were my highlights. Repeatedly thinking there was a bee in the room during track 9 was my lowlight.
- Perfectly good rock music - Good guitar tones - Set The House Ablaze and But I'm Different Now go hard - 3.5
- running out of things to write - enjoyable but was not blown away
Didn’t expect this album to be so groovy! Weller wrote some great tunes and all on this one, but the star of the show for me was Bruce Foxton’s bass lines.
British new wave punk isn’t my favorite, and I had never heard of The Jam before, but I was pleasantly surprised. I don’t know if they are THE Jam, but I think they’re a little jam. I’d put them on 1/4 of my toast. Perhaps 1/3 if I was feeling a little adventurous. Depends on the flavor. If it were strawberry rhubarb, I’d give it a five star. Plain strawberry or blueberry, we’re talking a four. Peach? Give me a break. Two star. Not even worth my time. This album is better than peach jam, but it doesn’t hit the high notes the same as a well-made fruit jam. Three stars. Average.
Sometimes I like it and sometimes it's meh. so 3/5
Þetta er þétt og mikið stuð.
It was good
this record is fine. i have no specific beef with it. how much of this fucking list is just whiny western pop/rock/punk i don’t like The Institution Built to Cater To Me Specifically albums of the 70’s and 80’s. if i pull another fucking pixies album or whatever after this gets logged im gonna vomit.
Much to like and they kept reminding me of other bands I like, which might speak to their influence on 80s rock.
Crazy that halfway through I began to think of them as disco. Must be the bass lines.
I liked it quite a bit, the album started strong with Scrape Away and stayed pretty consistent throughout. I like that the whole album is quite upbeat makes for a nice easy listen, though I think the album is lacking in true bangers and a lot of the songs repeat the chorus a lot but it never gets bad. I wish Set the House Ablaze closed the album out.
Ihan jeba!
Ihan siisti mut eipä nouse listan tyypillisten rock-levyjen yläpuolelle. 3/5
Not amazing, not terrible.
Conflicting: on one hand this record was boring and all of the tracks sounded the same but at the same time I wonder myself enjoying a couple. I find myself in a pickle bc I feel there is still a lot to work on in this album but I wouldn't call it awful. won't be listening to the whole thing again but for sure a couple of stand out songs.
3.5/5
On the plus side, when this album clicks the results are memorable - especially the two big singles, 'Start!' and 'That's Entertainment'. There's a nice balance between punky angularity and a way with melody that brings the Kinks to mind at times. Weller is a waspish, acute songwriter. Still, three stars it is because outside of those songs you've got 'Pretty Green' and the eerily modern-sounding 'Scrape Away' - and a whole bunch of filler. Plus, I've got beef with the singing; to me, Weller's voice has always felt like a damp drizzle, and too often fails to animate the songs.
Didn't mind this one. It all sounds pretty good and even though I was only 3 years old when it came out, it just *feels* like the perfect 1980 album; it kinda sounds like the '70s, but also kinda sounds like the '80s. Cue the New Year's Eve scene in BOOGIE NIGHTS.
Very much an opposite style of punk from the last album I reviewed (Marquee Moon) but looks be more complex musically and takes from other genres well. That's Entertainment was a hit for a reason. Enjoyable, but something just felt a bit missing for me that's stopping it from getting a higher mark.
Like the Jam and Style Council but listening to modern postpunk bands I feel the quality of sound recording is too outdatedm, this does trouble me.
This is cool so far. I don't find the actual songs that memorable or anything, but you can very clearly hear where they're coming from, and the roots of what came after. The Who, bits of Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, but also early pieces of the Strokes or the Killers or even the Arctic Monkeys.
A mark of a band becoming more assured. They sound much tighter on this album and the rhythm section is on point. Plus there is some spikey guitar playing. The songs are strong but again there is the feeling that Weller should have spent a little more time on refining the lyrics . That's entertainment is a couple of lines away from being superb.
классическое "ничего не запомнила"
This is the first full album listen of any The Jam records. It's a very good record, with fun and memorable songs. "Start!", and "That's Entertainment" are songs I've heard a few times before. I have added a few of these to my library. It's like The Beatles Meet The Clash. Overall, it's pretty close to being a 4-star record. But some of the stuff is just okay. 3 1/2 stars is more like it.
Pretty "jam-y" (they named the band right), but the atmosphere was good. It seems like there's a lot to the lyrics. I like the second single, but the tracks all kinda fade together.
All of the songs have great parts. Most have a couple of unpleasant transitions or chord changes. The singing is flat sometimes, especially the harmonies. Favorite song: boy about town
It’s ok, sounds like it could be “punk” but not full-on punk. Probably won’t listen again, but I didn’t hate it
Album #5 I usually prefer my punk to be angrier but this is a fun little album. Its more on the pop side of punk so it pretty formulaic. It never quite reaches the catchiness of an album like the Ramones self titled but if you want to dive deeper into the British side of pop punk id give it a listen. The song "Start!" interpolates the riff from The Beatles song "Taxman" which actually works its way very well into a punk track. Overall give this a listen if you want to dig deeper into the more commercial sound of punk but its not really pushing any boundaries. Score: A low to decent 3 out of 5 Favorite Track: Start!
Top 3 Songs: 1 - Set the House Ablaze (4) 2 - Dream Time (6) 3 - Boy About Town (10)
Decent album
It was pretty good. I did tune out a couple times, admittedly, but when I tuned back in I enjoyed what I was listening to.
classic Jam, not their best
Oh lala, yopidou
MODerately good. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: That's Entertainment Date listened: 10/05/23
Good album, Liked the song "Thats Entertainment"
One album by The Jam might be one too many on this list. I always thought That’s Entertainment was a Bowie song.
Bonus points for real guitar and drums. Fun album, fun band. I like the early '80s pop rock vibe. Good not great.
Great bass tone, good melodies for a punk album. After hearing London Calling it’s getting difficult to judge these punk projects. Bonus points for it being a concise 35 min long.
It's pretty good. Sounds like a bunch of other sounds that came out at the same time though. Not sure if this stands out from the rest, although "That's Entertainment" was a step above. 3.5 stars
Another random obscure British post punk band today.....yay!?! I've never heard of The Jam before, so I am unsure what I am in for. These guys sound like a shittier version of Happy Mondays or Dexy's Midnight Runners. The bass grooves and drumming on this record were solid. The spoken harmonies were weird, but worked with the musical stylings. The song Music for the Last Couple spent a minute and a half following a house fly around before any music started at all. That was kind of annoying. Overall, not a bad album. Nothing of note really happened, it's just another post punk band. I've already mostly forgot what I listened to. Nothing really jumps out at you sonically. Perfectly average. Not something I would rush out to buy, but not something I would turn off if it was playing either. Favourite songs: Set the House Ablaze, Man in the Corner Shop, Start!, But I'm Different Now, Pretty Green Least favorite songs: Music For the Last Couple, Monday 3/5
Mod revival describes this well. Fun sounds, and an odd influence to bloc party. More rocky than the single that's entertainment would indicate. Fun enough, but not grabbing me in any massive way.
It was alright. That's Entertainment sounds like a demo version on here? Maybe the whole thing is due a remaster.
This was a pleasant surprise.
Another Jam album? One was more than enough and with Sound Effects joining All Mod Cons, I'd pressure the author(s) to keep Sound Effects and toss the other - this one has That's Entertainment at least. Anything to keep Paul Weller omnipresent I guess. This all comes from someone who loves post-punk music, but come on. Not every post-punk; nüe wave hit maker needs to be here. 3/5.
Weer zo'n jarentachtig new wave-bandje. Het is allemaal wel aardig, vooruit, omdat ik weet hoe slecht het kan zijn, ben ik mild tegen deze gasten.
Ergens pakken sommige muzikale kwinkslagen op dit album mij wel. Een aantal nummers hebben één leuk creatief dingetje. Soms met een kleine knipoog naar een andere artiest. De rest van het nummer is er dan wat omheen geplakt. Maar creatief zijn ze. Dat blijkt ook wel uit de variatie op dit album. Het nummer Monday is illustratief. Het begin doet mij een beetje denken aan een ver-tachtig-te Doors-plaat. Dat zijn ook gewoon lekkere seconden. Maar daarna verlies je snel de aandacht. 3 sterren. In hun categorie een vrij goede score.
Oh right, that band. I wasn't sure what I was getting into until That's Entertainment kicked in. Start! is an enjoyable track as well.
Yeah, pretty good - doesn't quite grab me enough for 4 stars - I think I prefer my post-punk to be a little more angular. Fave track - "That's Entertainment" is obviously the one I'm most familiar with, and it's a great tune. "Start!" is good, too...
Definitely has influences and influenced later music. Felt it fall a little flat.
The album is not bad, it is just nothing extraordinary. After a while all the songs sounded the same to me.
Du bon post punk, très bien mixé, très bien produit. Les compositions sont bonnes, mais rien qui captive plus qu'il faut. Son très typique des UK de ces années, mais dans le niveau supérieur de tous les albums de ce genre contenu dans ce palmarès. 7/10
Solid spiky turn of the decade between 70's and 80's stuff.
Sound does affect. This was a great listen.
Seems like a predecessor to many genres like there were some ska vibes and maybe a little punk starting to bud so for that it wasn’t two stars but I just didn’t dig the sound all that much other than the guitar and bass in some songs.
Interesting, I liked the clash more tho
I liked this quite a bit. It's a little REM but not as good as REM. The last track is a banger. I struggle with the reggae elements as I both dislike when it's done "right" and I don't think this was done correctly. Overall this was a good introduction to a band I had not heard of before.
Their sound is kind of messy, but very British, and very much their own sound. The Taxman bassline rip off is annoying.
Not bad... but a bit too 80s for me. Kind of came and went. Much rather listen to other bands in the genre.
Meh, perhaps the London Underground song ruined the Jam for me
Musically, this is a super interesting and high energy album. The bass lines are awesome and the guitar riffs are great. For me, the singing ruins the wonderfully experimental musical expression on almost all of these songs. I wish I could find an instrumental version of this album.
Find the Jam a bit underwhelming and this album didn't change my opinion, definitely influential on a lot of indie I like but nothing grabbed me here. This album seemed to stray from their typical sound a bit more but not sure it was any better for it. Having said all that, they are generally fine.
I quite liked it. The problem is that nothing stood out. The whole album played through, and I didn't really notice anything. I didn't find it irritating, nor did I find it overwhelmingly good. But the fact I didn't turn it off is enough for a 3 star.
Thought I had not heard The Jam before but immediately recognised "That's Entertainment". Side one definitely contains the better songs. I liked the punk-ish sound of the album and thought it was good overall. Highlights were: That's Entertainment But I'm Different Now
Pearl Jam and The Jam on back to back days lol thank you dear generator 3/5
typical 80s punk-ish. liked one song. perused other top songs but didn't like anything.
3.5/5 Really enjoyable album. Doesn’t have something special but is very decent and easy to listen to. It’s not good enough to give it 4 stars but for sure it’s better then 3. Favourite songs: - Pretty Green - Monday - That’s entertainment
Virgin Records commented that their theory for XTC not selling enough records was because they sounded "too British" and songs on Sound Affects like "Monday" really make me think of what the archetype was for that comment. There are tracks scattered throughout like "But I'm Different Now" and "Set the House Ablaze" that rock my socks off but then there are these other songs that are just not really new. Like if I wanted to hear that 60s sound I think I'd just turn to, well, that 60s sound. I think there is homage and then there is just sitting in a comfort zone. Expanding on the influence is what makes good go to great. Songs like "Start!" -- like come on man this is just the Beatles. In my humble opinion having any songs on an album in this 1001 list that are pretty much a carbon copy of another band on the list kinda makes it hard for me to rate above a 3/5. I feel like The Jam opened for The Clash and was forever destined to open for The Clash. I didn't _not_ like this record. In fact I enjoyed it! It's good music! I simply don't see the legacy it set (i.e. why it is in this list).
Didn’t blow me away but didn’t really dislike it either
It was a short and pretty good album. Nothing really memorable but I enjoyed it while listening.
Some great tunes, great sound. Falls away a bit so not quite four dtars
Doesn't reinvent the wheel or bring much of anything new to the table, but still presents an enjoyable Brit-rock LP that kept me engaged for the full runtime.
Late 70s jingle pop rock. Definitely never been done before. A decent record.
Couple of bangers
I like a lot of this. Nice music and grooves, good musicality, really good production. I like Paul Weller's vocals and style. The general content and attitude. "But I'm different now" is my standout, it's really upbeat with driving rhythms.
Some awesome highlights, and “That’s Entertainment” is a stone-cold smash. The album generally feels a bit incomplete to me, and some of the filler transitions throughout kinda break it up in a way I don’t like, but its pretty swell over all.
This is probably the best The Jam album. Couple of scorching tracks here. Not a huge amount of filler. Good.
This is the clash in a different package. I liked it, not much else to say.
Pretty good representation of its semi-psychedelic rock genre a la The Cure, The Romantics, The Smiths, etc. Fav tracks were the popular ones, Start! and That's Entertainment.
Balde.
That's entertainment! Very British. A jam made of a little Beatles and a dash of XTC.
I already got All Mod Cons a while ago, and that was okay. This one is okay too, but I like what's going on here more than on All Mod Cons. The music is definitely more interesting, but I don't like it enough to give it a 4. My favourite song was Monday.
Nice and easy to listen to. Few good tracks but nothing outstanding. Solid
I think the problem with this album is I can’t quite remember it. Overall, as with a lot of older albums on this list, I think that might have more to do with me than with the album itself. I would listen to again (so I could freshly remember).
yeah it was alright, not new wavey enough to be a great new wave record to me and not anything else in a way I love. fun listen, not offensive
Yea, it's ok
They write great riffs and earwormy hooks on first passive listen I have to listen again to assess the content. Second listen: Pretty Green is a simple but catchy observation of currency being the incentive upon which people do anything productive in society. Monday is a cute song about workplace infatuation I assume, these guys haven’t got into specifics on the first two cuts so far. Set the House Ablaze the riff sounds like the first part of the Helicopter riff by Bloc Party. Start! has a great riff, good message too I’m sure I’ve heard it plenty of times before. That’s Entertainment is a great song that is the exception for the lyrics, scrapping ideas/narratives for details on passing moments in life make the verses universal and sentimental. Dream Time is very good too, these guys are at their best when they’re more abstract lyrically cause their ideas about life aren’t profound.
Sound Affects by The Jam is a solid addition to their discography, showcasing the band's growth and maturity as musicians. The album features a variety of styles, from the upbeat and catchy 'Start!' to the more introspective 'That's Entertainment'. Paul Weller's songwriting is top-notch, and the band's musicianship is tight as always. While it may not be their most groundbreaking release, Sound Affects is a strong album that any fan of The Jam should check out.
Not particularly a fan of mod or the mod revival, but this sort of post-punk edge gives it a proper shot in the arm. I liked it.
Solid music and an enjoyable listen, nothing that really blew me away but definitely something I'd be happy to listen to again. Favourite tracks: Set the House Ablaze, Dream Time, and Boy About Town.
Ok, maar beetje saaie muziek.
From a US perspective - It's OK, but nothing particularly special IMO. 40 years later, there arent any tracks which I remember or that held up. I guess they kind of sound like the beatles, but thats not necessarily a good thing. 3/5
idk, just some brit pop rock, I didn't find it interesting
I think a third of this list is generic British rock. And while I don’t mind it, it just all starts to mush together. This was fine.
Bass play was outstanding, the rest was mediocre.
I love the drums on this one and it has some really catchy riffs. But the vocals and lyrics were just a bit dull and uninteresting. 3/5
Skimmed, but pretty swag. Have to check out again
Wasn't really expecting to like this, but was pleasantly surprised.
It felt like a worse version of a lot of similar bands, but in general in my wheelhouse.
I love the Jam, but like a lot of bands from this era and genre, the albums had 2-3 amazing tracks, then full of mediocre stuff. This album is no different. "That's Entertainment" and "Start!" are the two standouts.
Pretty good Mod Pop
Listens: 2 Enjoyed: meh Nothing really stood out to me here. Would be a 2.5
Four stars for That’s Entertainment, but I just can’t do Brit pop.
It's not bad, but I feel like the world wants me to like The Jam way more than I ever will. I don't quite get the hype. Not bad by any means though. Thank God it wasn't another album of Weller's solo work or Style Council or whatever that was called. That stuff sucks.
Brit-rock, felt more groovy than punky
Yet another case of a lot of songs on one album just not quite doing what I want it to do. That may be due to its short run time for a lot of the songs, but often they'd have a good backbone (especially with that bass) then just repeat it rather than building it. I know that's kind of how punk generally goes, but it's still disappointing. It did get better as the album went on, but it was still just okay by the end.
The two hits present two different sounds and there are a few other catchy tracks. The Jam were one of the more melodic, up-tempo bands from that era, a bit jangly and funky as well..
The Jam are one of the better UK bands that punk begat, I would put them up there with the Clash, Joy Division, Magazine and the Cure. Paul Weller is also immensely talented as can be seen by his later solo efforts. This is a decent effort by them
Ska adjacent proto punk with charm and character. Smart! is a sharp track. Suits this 1001 british man born in the mid 50s stylistic choices. He loves those fast paced vibes and energy. One of the better “british play punk, jangle, or ska” albums on the list. Well done britman.
Some interesting stuff but overall, it felt kind of forgettable to me. Putting it on the list for another listen, though...
Not bad.
Good but didn't stick with me too long.
An interesting punk album, lots of themes found in future punk bands being shown here, I enjoy the instrumentation and the lyrics but the repetition can be a bit boring at times, especially on the opening track.
This is good, but doesn't quite get really good. The middle section is the best bit, good bit of energy, but I think Paul Weller's voice is too polished to make a properly rough album, and too rough to make a properly polished one, so it sits kind of uncomfortably in the middle. Doesn't stand out enough to get a 4, but comfortably too good for a 2.
Well, their last album is in my hall of shame (All Mod Cons - yaaaawn). This is better, it does try for some different things, and is better for it. The problem is, most of the good ideas don't turn into good songs - it's still a bit dull. Start is great (though that may be 80% due to the light plagiarism of Taxman by the Beatles) and obvs That's Entertainment, though overplayed to hell is pretty good. The problem with a five star system is that this is better than 2 and worse than a 3. I'm giving them the higher mark and the benefit of the doubt... Even though Paul Weller fans are the literal worst.
It's very much a 3/5. I did enjoy it overall, and it had a couple of nice tracks, but I have no particular desire to revisit it
Talking Heads-inspired brit new wave. some good uptempo stuff here but nothing too special. 3.5/5
-Great opening bass riff on the opening track, "Pretty Green" -"But I'm Different Now" flies in with a sweet guitar riff and then super speedy hi-hats and is a fun, fast paced song -I really like the instrumental on "Start!," but the vocals are a little weak in my opinion -The middle really lulls, they just seem a lot weaker of tunes -"Boy About Town" picks back up with a catchy chorus, big drum beat, and cool horn section -"Scrape Away" is cool with the builds and echoing, and the hi-hat kick drum beat towards the end -The above named tracks are fun jams, but the rest were just so plain. Not bad, just uninteresting and not catchy. Had some serious potential but didn't deliver
My punk-rock both jingle-jangles and rolls.
i forgot what i thought about it. i guess it was decent. an 80s staple to say so.
It was pretty funky, but a lot of time the lyrics were kind of awkward/clunky. Standouts: Set The House Ablaze, That's Entertainment
Interesting album
The Jam is great and this album has most of the songs by them that I remember and like. I always think of this as New Wave, but Wiki calls it punk perhaps owing to the undefinable but totally recognizable vocal sound. So English. Great album.
Things did not start out great with "Pretty Green." I initially thought it was the lamest song about weed I'd ever heard, then I actually listened closely to realize it was one of the lamest songs about money I've ever heard. However, by the time it got to track 3 things started picking up, and by the end I was enjoying it.
This album is pretty good and I’d certainly enjoy hearing it again. It’s impressive that all this sound comes from only three musicians. I love the bass on Start!. The Jam did essentially lift it from The Beatles’s Taxman, so the credit is not all theirs.
Eh alright
Not their best effort, some of the songs feel like filler, a bit short-sighted. Still, im a sucker for their brand of soulful jagged poppy post punk. That’s Entertainment is one of the best songs ever.
not a bad record, but it feels longer than 35 minutes.
Breezy 80s sounding britpop. Sort of like the smiths
Not bad, idk if I’ll ever listen again
A solid punk record that really peaks in the middle with Start! and That's Entertainment. The production is really good on this album with everything sound clear and impactful, especially the bass which just drives everything with so much energy
One thing I almost immediately noticed about this album was its sound: it was an interesting and pretty balanced mix of post-punk and pre-new wave sounds. This makes perfect sense giving the release year of 1980, a time when the former genre was beginning to emerge into the latter. Additionally, I felt like the bass shined a lot on this album, which isn't something I would normally pay a lot of attention to or acknowledge. Overall, I found the album to be okay. It was not boring, but it was also not groundbreaking.
It's weird how these punk/new wave albums can be a complete hit and miss for me. Sometimes I absolutely love them, like I did with Wild Gift by X, which was released around the same time and is of very similar genre, but this I didn't find all that interesting. I can't explain it. Bizarre. It was fine, but a little bland for me.
I want to like it more than I do. I'll give it another shot someday but it's nothing I'm dying over.
Un peu de francais dans Boy about town, ca termine bien l'album lorsque j'allais écrire ma critique. En general j'ai bien aimé. Un bon album rockou je trouvais qui'il y avait un petit coté Punk/Rock que j'aime bien. C'est album très bien construit et je comprend que pour le genre cela doit être dans cette liste, car j'ai entendu plusieurs albums de ce genre dans ma jeunesse, mais j'aurais bien voulu tomber sur celui-ci à ce moment. 3.75.
The bass line is pretty impressive, and the songs are lovely, but the album is not much more than this. Good to know "The Jam," whose I had never heard about, but I'll probably not go back to this.
Wish I liked it more. I'll try it again some day
Some very big hits here - 'Start!', 'That's Entertainment', and pretty much most of Side A is a solid 5/5... Side B starts faltering (this is becoming a pattern I guess), and it becomes much less memorable - I found myself losing interest many times at that point - even though I love this band. Great band, some great songs but average record.
If I were a teen in the 80s, this album would be the thing to make me want to pick up a bass
Surprisingly good. I could see myself adding a star after more listens.
All Along the Watchtower is very popular and very good. Couple other good ones on the album too. Otherwise, aside from those few, I wouldn't care to listen to them again unless they were just playing in the background.
This was ok. I didn't have any really positive or negative feelings with this album.
Fine, background music, kind of run-of-the-mill British rock.
Some good songs, but I kinda like all the other first wave punk more 🤷
It was fine but mostly boring.
Nice
First ever listen. Significant experimentation here in the midst of the hit singles, almost Prog in places!
No está nada mal. En su época me aburrían , pero con el tiempo cada vez los aprecio más. Me hago viejo y sabio. La edición americana con el "Going Underground" incluido gana puntos. No es una locura pero si que lo veo como algo que hay que escuchar para entender mucha música que vino después. Además de "That's Entertainment" me han gustado "Set the house ablaze", "Start!" o "Music for the last couple".
Fun - couple of monsters, but nothing too earth shattering
3.8 - A very catchy British affair à la the Kinks with a little glam and punk rock swirled in. The songs are bouncy but capture working class frustrations. Great guitar sounds, both hard electric and shimmery acoustic. Standouts: "That's Entertainment", "Pretty Green", "Man In the Corner Shop."
Good guitar links, upbeat without too much cheesiness
3/5
En snygg blandning av tråkig punk och new wave.
Smoother than All Mod Cons, not as tailored to these ears.
7/10
very good very niceee
I’ve already heard this one. It’s an ok album. Not something I would save.
Fun but not special
I've heard "That's Entertainment" but the rest of the album sort of ran together.
Stream of consciousness here. I remember where "Start" was released. All my close football mates were new "mods" I liked Rush and Pink Floyd and shit British HEAVY METAL. I remember telling them it was a rip off of Taxman by the Beatles.. ( i read it in the NME)..."Start" went straight to number 1 in the charts. Thought they (Weller) wrote some great songs though hated the scratchy guitar and Wellers London accent...(this also put me off Albarn) Still don't like the band much but they were miles better than the bloody Style Council. Rant over. However "Thats Entertainment" is a 5* song.
CLASSIC en ekkert til a hrópa húrra fyrir þessi plata
Actually not bad
This emphasises my view of The Jam being a superb singles band rather than a good album band. There are a few knockout tracks to compliment That's entertainment and Start (Pretty Green, house ablaze, scrape away), but I'm not won over with the full album collection. Perhaps I need to listen to it more? A low 3.
J'ai remis quelques secondes de l'album pour essayer de me rappeler son contenu. Pour ne rien vous cacher, je n'ai pas le moindre souvenir de celui-ci. Afin d'être certain de l'avoir bien écouté, j'ai appelé Robert sur sa ligne fixe et lui ai exposé mon problème. « Aucun soucis de mon côté, je vois ton écoute validée sur mon fichier. Tu l'as lancé alors que tu étais place 62 wagon 13 dans le train 7671 en direction de Toulouse vendredi dernier. Gros bisous. » Me voilà rassuré.
Les Jam sont probablement très sympathiques mais ce n'est clairement pas avec l'album Sound Affects que nous allons redorer le blason du générateur.
Como un punk un poco 80 son bajos crudos algo depresible y música garage
Reminded me of The Smiths so immediately connected. Perfect for a gloomy, fog of a day. You want to relieve the angst of the misfit? Want to walk down the street while contemplating how you don't align with the world, sunshine or rain? This is a great album. Moody with great execution. I'll add this into my rotation when I want to spiral a bit but not get fully lost. More nostalgic sadness than capturing darkness. Of course, if you are on the beach in the brightness of summer, you are going to gripe that The Jam is trying to block your sun. You won't get a tan or play football in the sand to this album.
This was alright, some nice songs but I probably can’t judge fairly because I listened two nights while falling asleep - definitely missed some stuff.
The riff on Taxman in "Start!" is interesting to hear. Another solid album- not my favorite stuff that I've heard from the band, but I do like "That's Entertainment".
Punk meets decent lyrics.
Good music.
Is this what Technotronic wanted to pump up?
Completely standard 80s rock, post punk album I guess
Day 3
Bonne basse. On dirait Les Trois Accords qui se prendraient au sérieux. Bonjour brit-pop.
This album hits the notes of a working class English band of the era in a tightly produced package. There are sweeping guitars mixed with fast-paced drums and a level of snarl that sets it apart. While not the most notable band, this is a great distillation of the era.
Paul Weller is an interesting geezer. This stuff is good, he's on the front row to new and exciting music. But it's hard to listen to this knowing he's going to form the Style Council and ruin all the street cred he'd built up over years. But he did redeem himself again with his later solo work. Putting that aside, this is a good album. Bass guitar is as tight as tight can be, even if it does totally rip off Taxman by the Beatles.
Ces sons ne m'ont pas beaucoup affecté
A blast from the past with the hits which were alright but I think I prefer the Style Council !
It was OK, I was expecting more.
Mod-punk. Ni fu ni fa.
sounds like XTC.
I mean...it's not bad. I enjoyed a significant chunk of this album. A few standout tracks for sure, with my fave being "That's Entertainment." But is it a can't-miss, gotta-relisten, legendary smash of an album? Not exactly. It's fairly enjoyable but it didn't blow my mind.
The singles are excellent and there are a few decent album tracks. Ok.
pretty green, set the house on fire, that's entertainment, dream time
Sound Affects from the Jam was new music from a new band for me. The music on this album at times reminded me of a variety of bands including: The Clash, Squeeze, Billy Bragg, and XTC. "Pretty Green" and "Start!" were the most memorable tracks from this album. I would be interested to hear more from this band, but I'm not sure if I'd make it back to this album for a second listen.
A solid album. I noticed the "affects" but I felt that it was only noticeable in some songs. It's good for head-bopping and just having a good time. I liked half the songs.
New wave ochentero con sus tintes de post-punk. Siento que son la mayor influencia de Caifanes. Muy digeribles, más canciones tranquilas que guitarrazos y arreglos y efectos que hacen un sonido robusto y cuidado. Songs: Set The House Ablaze, That's entertainment
Otra banda de la que (según yo) nunca había escuchado. El disco me recordó bastante a Pulp, particularmente la canción más popular del disco: That's Entertainment, que es como una copia de "Disco 2000". Me llamó la atención desde que lo escuché la primera vez que Start parecía ser una copia al carbón de Taxman, y la entrada de Wikipedia lo confirmó. El álbum no está mal, pero tampoco se me hizo demasiado interesante.
Un bel rock: c'è da dirlo. Non c'è niente di particolarmente bello però.
The Wikipedia page references this album being a mix between Off the Wall and Revolver, I hear it. A cooler description than sounds in actuality
Good stuff.
Nice album, can get quite repetitive though.
I liked this one. The Jam have surprised me how consistent their albums have been
3, it was fine. Kind of unmemorable? Like, not bad, but I don't think it caught my attention any while playing except for That's Entertainment.
I liked how this just seemed very 1980.