Reviews (page 7 of 9)
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.
Thoroughly enjoyed this one
I had never heard this album, nor anything from The Jam before this album was recommended to me. Although, I have heard of The Jam, and was recently given a hand me down original The Jam vinyl by my mother, so this was the perfect opportunity for me to give them a proper try. My favourite tracks off first listen (overall favourite is marked with a *) are Pretty Green, But I'm Different Now, Set The House Ablaze*, Start!, That's Entertainment, Dream Time, Man In The Corner Shop, Boy About Town & Scrape Away Least Favourite tracks are Monday & Music For The Last Couple
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.
Totally unexpectedly great album! You can hear so many different influences in their sound. It’s like if the Beatles were punk.
This was good, Paul Weller should have stopped here.
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
1 - dont really like their voices; pretty fun tho; british 2 - i hate mondays; kinda sucks 3 - too straight for me 4 - fun; cool whistling 5 - cute 6 - dont really get it; not crazy about it; dont really like the titular verse 7 - scared me 8 - ok? 9 - ok 10 - at least it's short 11 - energetic; experimental-ish; was that french?
which of these do you think Paul named the band after; the musical terminology Robertsons fruit preserves a buildup of traffic, or being a lucky cunt? i think he just fucking loves golliwog dolls.
As I was jamming my bulbous cock into your mother's pretty little anus, I thought to myself, what would Paul Weller do if I was to shave off his mod haircut and ram it down your mum's throat? He'd obviously be a little upset, but hopefully he'd enjoy the sound of her chocking on his delicate locks as she took my cock deep inside her. We will soon find out.
Marmalade
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)
Never heard of this band before, but the album's pretty catchy, which was a definite surprise!
Decent album
Really interesting sound!!! kind of groovy and kind of rock. I thought the drums in most these tracks was fantastic and really pulsed the whole album. Great use of chimes and was fab! I keep having high opinions on these albums and duh... theyre great lol
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.
I really liked this. Will definitely listen to it again.
A fun album that I quite liked, the drums and guitar were particularly good I thought. made me think of newer bands, maybe they were ahead of their time.
classic Jam, not their best
Oh lala, yopidou
Although I hadn't been born when they were smashing it, the jam are one of my all time favourite bands.
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.
One of the best records from the 1980s.
The first thing I noticed was the bassline. It immediately sticks, catchy and striking and so, so punchy! I love a good sexy bass and this album delivers it in spades. That's entertainment, indeed. A rather cohesive and pleasant album, where each track seems to build from the previous. A good, solid, reliable piece of work.
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
Många fina bitar!
Reminded me of Primus in some spots, so that’s interesting. Solid record from a band I’d never heard a thing about.
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.
I love this mix of mod and post-punk; every song is great. It has one of their most popular songs in ‘That’s Entertainment’, which has been misunderstood in the million puns of the title made in media. Amazing album.
Is it good music? Yes Is it exceptional? No Do I need alcohol to enjoy this? Almost certainly 🍺🍺
РООООООООООООООООООООК
Meh
No tällanen perus 2/5
It was alright. That's Entertainment sounds like a demo version on here? Maybe the whole thing is due a remaster.
Unexpected favorite here! Loved the driving bass, smooth guitars and thick english vocals. 11 Tracks, but only 35 mins - perfect! I have no complaints about this album, will be adding The Jam to my playlists.
This was a pleasant surprise.
This was a really good album. I enjoyed it.
Pretty short and not much that stands out. Felt like pretty run-of-the-mill English rock.
Very good post punk pop.
Excellent record, I love how far forward they push the bass guitar in the mix. Bruce Foxton is an awesome bass player. Brilliantly crafted songs. 4 / 5 stars.
It’s kind of just noise.
Some solid tracks, not very memorable, nothing stands out much. 5/10
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.
Bowie meets Blur met een goede dosis punkrock. Aanstekelijke ritmes. Meer 80s please! :-P
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
Listened Before? N As an American, I'm not familiar with these guys at all. I think some of the "must hear" aspect for this album is nostalgia. It's honestly kind of uninspired and boring. Not sure the appeal here. I couldn't wait for it to be over. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: That's Entertainment
Brilliant
Ja weer niets speciaals
You get exactly what it says on the tin with the Jam. Paul Weller's slightly shouty vocals over a seventies backing track with drums and guitars. I like music that breaks a mold. This doesn't.
It was pretty good.
An underrated classic album. So much going on and Foxtons bass is epic. You can see how far they have progressed from their early days and Wellers word play is fantastic.
Great stuff.
Is this The Jam's BEST album? Maybe. But it's not my favourite, (All Mod Cons). It's not my 2nd favourite Jam album (Setting Sons), but listening to it today, I'm not so sure it doesn't deserve a higher ranking on my list. It's more classically pop sounding than previous albums, perhaps more timeless. Absolutely leans more to The Beatles rather than The Who or The Kinks; right down to the Taxman hommage in Start. So it's a collection of really strong songs and one absolutely brilliant stroke in That's Entertainment. In the late 70s and early 80s The Jam were at the top of their game and were about as good a rock band that there was. For me this is their 3rd consecutive 5 star album, a run as strong as by any band in the history of rock music. How you rank those 3 albums relative to each other is a matter of individual taste. To me The Jam are one of the most criminally under appreciated bands in the history of rock music. 5 stars
Solid spiky turn of the decade between 70's and 80's stuff.
I write usually write this bit the next day and I can honestly not even remember the album. This hasn't happened before. Completely forgettable.
Sound does affect. This was a great listen.
So that's where Blur came from. Some of it is average but there are some brilliant songs on here too.
new wave, punk, britannia. eipä ollut yksi niistä harvoista kerroista kun nuo sanat tulee positiivisella mielellä ulos. ei yhtään mitään tässä, hämmästyttää kuinka tykätty. hyviä TUUTULAULUJA... meinasin nukahtaa..heh... no basso on hyvö..pari kiva biisiä man in the corner shop
Short, sharp, simply produced magic!
Pretty ambivalent on this band, and pretty puzzled as to why it has two (at least to this point) inclusions on this list, along with a Paul Weller solo record. The maker's of this list are really showing their biases. Pretty inconsequential 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.
Eerste draaibeurt op te laat volume gedraaid om het echt te kunnen beoordelen, maar na de 2e keer ben ik om; tof plaatje!
Ik vond dit boven verwachting goed! Paar nummers kende ik al wel maar het hele album is van een prima niveau.
Dit beklijfde totaal niet.
вроде хорошее, но я помню только that's entertainment
Their sound is kind of messy, but very British, and very much their own sound. The Taxman bassline rip off is annoying.
Hard to say if this or "All Mod Cons" is their best album, but after listening to them both back to back I'd have to say "Sound Affects" beats "All Mod Cons" by a hair for it's slightly more sophisticated and soulful qualities. Really nice synthesis of genres.
Not bad... but a bit too 80s for me. Kind of came and went. Much rather listen to other bands in the genre.
The Jam released a lot of really good albums and Sound Affects is overall one of their finest moments. I think it's their most complete and consistent albums with some classic tracks such as, Start!, Boy About Town, Monday and perhaps Paul Weller's masterpiece, That's Entertainment. A beautiful and wonderfully full sound that reminds me of peak period late 60's, Kinks. Definitely essential!
Fantastic album - love The Jam anyway but this album feels rebellious, unique and fun.
Meh, perhaps the London Underground song ruined the Jam for me
I really enjoy this album. Upbeat and fun songs. Great bass throughout. Standout songs for me are "That's Entertainment" "Monday" "Man in the Corner Shop" An album I will always come back to
Has some catchy elements.
Solid
That's Entertainment is a pretty good song from the era but the rest of the album is just kind of a blur. Not sure if there was anything worthwhile, nothing caught my ear
How did i miss this album growing up? Absolutely fantastic. This one is going in my rotation.
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
Knew I liked the sound of the Jam from what I've heard before, but can't say I've listened to an album. Sounded pretty much as I expected, maybe a bit more poppy in parts. Preferred the more punky sounding tracks. But a solid album that didnt overstay it's welcome. Only knew start and that's entertainment, but thought dream time, man in the corner shop and boy about town were good too. Hope there's more on the list
Pearl Jam and The Jam on back to back days lol thank you dear generator 3/5
What a massively influential band, especially for the early 2000s!
typical 80s punk-ish. liked one song. perused other top songs but didn't like anything.
Interesting transitional album between classic rock, punk, and new wave, but there’s a reason no one remembers this one
Good all the way through.
Escutei todas as faixas e já ignoro tudo completamente.
Bangeeersss
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
Very fine album and evidence of how the Jam were evolving. Start, That's Entertainment and Boy About Town are the highlights but most of the songs are very listenable and no real fillers
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
Equal parts Cleaners From Venus, The Kinks, and Wire. I especially love the more melodic moments—“Boy About Town,” “That’s Entertainment,” “Man in the Corner Shop”—which seem to predict the whole indiesphere as it exploded into existence in the mid 1980s, 90s and beyond. Moments here that remind me of slightly punk-ier versions of The Beta Band, Guided By Voices, and Teenage Fan Club. Other moments that remind me of indie-er versions of Wire, Gang of Four, and Fugazi. I’m a big fan of this album. And I guess a fan of Paul Weller too as I liked his subsequent project, The Style Council, too. But I like this more. Where that feels fun, silly, and experimental (for him), this feels important and influential. Part of a watershed moment in the early 1980s that set the score for all “indie” acts to follow. Today, it sounds tame, sure, but only because the sound has become cliché, trodden. In the context of 1980, it plays like a revolution. Definitely a legacy here shared with some late 1960s avant-hippie acts like Jefferson Airplane, 13th Floor Elevators, and even The Beatles to an extent—the bass line on “Start!” and harmonies on “That’s Entertainment” notably.
Okay! Back at it, after an unusual 1-week absence. Time for a prototype British punk record whose influence apparently knows no bounds, who seem like they must share DNA with the Kinks… who I had trouble getting into. I liked the eclecticism, I like the tongue-in-cheek feeling of the music, but nothing really stuck with me. It might have been the fact that I listened on the plane while half asleep. I gave it another chance while more awake, and there still wasn’t anything for me to grasp onto that I actually loved. 2/5
Nice
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
Too ordinary
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.
Love “That’s Entertainment” and “Stop!” Other songs are pretty good too. The Jam is one of those bands that enriched the post punk / new wave scene during late 70s / early 80s. An underrated power trio that deserved better
8th February 2023 Listened on the way to and from Tesco in the evening. Watched the Pamela Anderson documentary on Netflix in the evening. Slice of every day life beefed up by thrumming basslines and jerky guitars.
Great indie pop rock Every song has its own sound Classic The Jam sound
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.
was fine. Nothing stood out for me
Catchy, very pop Beatles-ish
I went into this album with low expectations because of my dislike of post punk music but was pleasantly surprised
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.
Favorite - Pretty Green; That’s Entertainment
Balde.
Oh, love it! I've never heard of them before, but the album is so adorable!
That's entertainment! Very British. A jam made of a little Beatles and a dash of XTC.
This one didn't really even register with me.
Just lovely bass. Slightly rushed this album but I would definitely put it on again
I'd be hard-pressed to not give this 5 stars - Paul Weller is a great songwriter and Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler are a criminally underrated rhythm section. The album loses a bit of momentum with the last couple of songs Boy About Town and Scrape Away, but those two tracks are following an absolute Murderer's Row of songs - Start, That's Entertainment, Pretty Green, and my favorite, Man in the Corner Shop. Probably the best Jam album (though I am partial to Setting Sons, which is not on the list) and this group is either 1 or 1(a) on my list of best power trios (along with Hüsker Dü).
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).
A Paul McCartney inspired punk. Sounds fancy, yes? In reality, it's just mediocre punk with good bass.
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
Fun
Part new wave part post pop this might be the Brit bands best effort. No bad songs and a helluva single all sort of come together to form what 1980’s British pop can sound like. At its best.
Meh, not my jam....
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.
love the basslines in this album !
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.
Really, really loved this. Had heard Pretty Green, Start! and That's Entertainment before but not the rest of this record. Never realised they'd gone quite as post-punky as this. Prefer it to the pure mod stuff.
This is so far the best Paul Weller project this list has forced on me, and it's still pretty meh. It's like a mix of an Elvis Costello who is a worse songwriter with an XTC that has less interesting instrumentation.
This is essential.
The best Jam album. Great from start to finish.
Redundant
Ok, maar beetje saaie muziek.
I want to be able to give this 5 stars but I’m just not quite there. The idea of a cross between Revolver and Off The Wall sounds like something I could really get behind. I do like The Jam and particularly late Jam. That’s Entertainment is one of the best ballads about British banality ever and I do love the bass line for Start! The rest of the album wouldn’t have had to have done much to get top marks from me, but… Sorry Paul but I’d rather listen to The Police or Elvis Costello I reckon.
Fine
The Jam is a very underrated punk band for numerous arbitrary reasons. They’re a great band, but ultimately, not what the world was looking for at the time. Not quite as hard rocking as their contemporaries, but not soft enough to escape the punk genre. They should be much more widely known, but alas, that’s entertainment. 4/5
Great album. Always thought of All Mod Cons as the better album, but after listening to Sound Affects again for 3-4 times, I am not sure anymore. Anyways, both of them are obviously 5 star albums of course.
Again a solid album from the Jam. No complaints, really, but it just isn't entirely my jam (boom-tisch) for a 5 star rating.
Consistent yet with a lot of variation.
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
Copy-pasting yesterday's review because it's still relevant: I don't know how many random British punk albums from the late 70s - early 80s I have left in me. Nothing grabbed me and I will sleep soundly at night knowing that I can't recall a single song, lyric or word spoken in The Jam's "Sound Affects".
Doesn't quite hit the heights of their other late albums, but that's a quibble...
idk, just some brit pop rock, I didn't find it interesting
Not feeling this album at all and even though I just listened to it, I can hardly remember a song.
cool
Fine but utterly forgettable
This album exists. There isn't much else to say about it.
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
The storytelling in the songs added a plus to the experience, music was simple with well thought accents throughout the album
Pretty great
Fine. Non-memorable.
Skimmed, but pretty swag. Have to check out again
Yep. Early 80s alt with a first wave vibe. Liked it, but not much stands out.
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.
Meh
Pretty good Mod Pop
Listens: 2 Enjoyed: meh Nothing really stood out to me here. Would be a 2.5
Great album!
Love The Jam, brilliant album.
Four stars for That’s Entertainment, but I just can’t do Brit pop.
Actually pretty decent
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.
Won't listen to it again tbh...
Brit-rock, felt more groovy than punky
Not a fan
It's good, but I'd rather Sound Affects was on this list.
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.
Start That’s Entertainment
Start and That's Entertainment are killer songs. Nice LP from these lads
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...
Semi rockin
Semi goated
Another The Jam certified jam
Vem namngav dessa killar!?
Jammy!
Better than expected
Not bad.
Best Song: But I'm Different Now. I have a soft spot for songs that come and go in a flash but are able to leave an impression in that time. Worst Song: Music For The Last Couple. Clearly experimental with that bizarre intro, but that pseudo-reggae vibe wasn't for me. Overall: Bouncy 80s rock album. Had never heard any of it before. In the end it was better than my low expectations, but it also wasn't something that I feel excited to return to.
Meh, that's what this album felt like. It's an ok sounding album overall, but nothing that makes it truly special. To me their sound feels quite generic, perhaps its their heavy influence from other post punk groups such as Joy Division, even going so far as to copy the baseline from The Beatles Taxman and borrowing elements from Michael Jackson's Off the Wall album. Best: Monday Worst: That's Entertainment
I liked it a lot, I think it was consistently good although it didn’t stand out a ton. Solid album.
Good but didn't stick with me too long.
Ye
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.
Sound Affects is good but everything from Set The House Ablaze to Man In The Corner Shop is really good and probably pushes this to a 4 for me.
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
Excellent stuff
Niet heel pakkend de eerste keer, maar na nog een keer doorheen bladeren is dit misschien wel iets om nog eens te luisteren.
-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.
I don't have many opinions about this album. It sounded like generic rock to me, I didn't hate it, but I didn't particularly enjoy any of the songs. It felt like an album Jason would listen to while driving or something. Favorite song: N/A Worst song: N/A
Kinda washed over me
It was pretty funky, but a lot of time the lyrics were kind of awkward/clunky. Standouts: Set The House Ablaze, That's Entertainment
A good alternative album overall, though the tracks are pretty hit or miss.
Interesting album
I thought it was pretty okay, but after having listened to it about a week ago I can't remember a single thing off of here that was memorable. 2.5/5
Very pleasantly surprised here. Mostly good stuff, with a few really really GREAT songs too. The jam is a jam! Even better than the other record we got here.
I think this was a fun album, and quick. Those are green flags for me.
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.
I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would've. This album already had two strikes against it for being British and 80s. So I wasn't expecting much. But there's enough here to enjoy. Good baselines like on Start! and layers on Pretty Green. That's Entertainment, is a song I've heard before, I always thought it was Paul McCartney singing because all British people sound the same, but I really liked that one. I think I'd listen to this again for fun.
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.
Loved it.
Classic British 70s punk vibes. That’s Entertainment my favourite track.
I wasn't a fan of this.
Punk rock
Okay, a Jam album seemingly cut to my exact measurements. A group who always wore their influences like they were medals, Sound Affects has the Jam asking to be rewarded for quoting Gang of Four and and Wire. And I'm perfectly happy to give them such a nod, considering that this is rather fabbo. The Jam are probably the biggest British group to gain no traction whatsoever in the United States: two singles in the Billboard top 100, highest position 45 (in the UK, the generally agreed cut-off for a hit is number 40), whilst getting 4 UK number 1s. A similar tale unfurled in Europe; at best, the Jam were a one-hit wonder in a few territories with A Town Called Malice. Though disappointing, this is not surprising at all. The Jam were as singularly English as Morris dancing and a suicidal ignorance regarding the myriad benefits of the European Union. The Jam's aesthetic combined so many distinctly British aspects that other countries had no hope of comprehending them. They had the British moderate punk aspect, where they forwent battered leather jackets in favour of sharp suits whilst delivering charged, politicised lyrics. They had their origins in the pub rock circuit of the mid 70s, and a British pub is not akin to any other country's bar. Most of all, they had mod. Mod, for those outside of Albion, is a British subculture starting in the 60s, with some dapper youths of every subsequent generation still bearing the torch. Your common-or-garden mod is identifiable by a fondness for suits, scooters, speed and fairly raucous guitar rock à la the Who, Small Faces etcetry etcetry. Personally, I find the movement overestimated: why settle for the fairly raucous? Why be a mod when the name of their enemy, the rocker, is self-evidently cooler? And how can Quadrophenia be a swell movie if it stars Sting? Still, some mod groups were genuinely great, and the Jam were one of those groups, and I agree that the leader Paul Weller deserves his honorific of the Modfather. This album, though, exhibits a paradox. It's the Jam's best album, yet it's the least representative of their mod philosophy. Rather, from the opening note onwards, it's clearly the sound of the Jam latching onto the funky angularity and astere freshness of their post-punk contemporaries. My fellow guzzlers, you should know of me by now that such a sound is the sound I love the most, and thus by syllogism I love this album. Lyrically, Weller doesn't stray from his domain, and that's fine, pal: he knows what he's doing on his territory. But the real greatness of this album lies not in the semantic but the sonic: fierce, desperate and defiant. This in turn leads to the conclusion that the album's more conventional Jam songs, such as Start and Boy About Town, are the weakest tracks, but if such tight songs are the runts, then the album really has naught to worry about. Follow-up question: who are the artists where their most incongruous work is their best? I have a few mates who reckon Nirvana's best album is Unplugged in New York. Not to say that's the consensus, but it's definitely arguable.
All in all, its pretty strong
New favourite album
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.
Have never even heard of this band before. First impressions of songs 1. Learned that "Pretty Green" that I knew by Mark Ronson and Santigold is a cover - who knew?! 2. "Monday" - kind of reminds me of Fountains of Wayne lol 3. "But I'm Different Now" - like the intro, but I'm thinking I just don't like this guys voice that much but good song 4. "Set the House Ablaze" - the guitar riff intro sounds linkin park-y; i don't like the talking as much it's hard to understand 5. "Start!" - the horns I like. this sounds very british to me 6. "That's Entertainment" - meh feels fake deep but it's fine 7. "Dream Time" - also fine 8. "Man in the Corner Shop" - these are really sounding kind of all the same to me 9. "Music for the Last Couple" - looong intro, I don't get this song at all 10. "Boy About Town" - this is a little more upbeat and catchy 11. "Scrape Away" - a nice cap for the album Thinking about how many albums on this list are going to be white men that kind of sound the same to me? Shocked to learn this band had 18 consecutive top 40 singles in the UK with "that's entertainment" being one of the best-selling import singles of all time in the UK as of 2007 New album of the day - Ari Lennox "age/sex/location"
Not terrible but don’t like the voice
not a bad record, but it feels longer than 35 minutes.
Breezy 80s sounding britpop. Sort of like the smiths
Nothing special. Sounds like XTC. Why did we need to hear this before we die? Saved one tho so I'll give it like a 1.5
Not bad, idk if I’ll ever listen again
That's entertainment!
Tgohja, alweer saaie britpop.
Nice!
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
A quick note on this album, but I've been enjoying this a lot. And album filled with smart lyrics, great bass and just all-round good musc. That's Entertainment might be one of the best pop songs ever written and the rest of the album is filled with great jams (pun not intended) It seems after the first 200 or so albums in this endeavor I've learned that I'm a bigger fan of New Wave and post-punk than I imagined.
is there a reason the jam wanted so desperately to have an album title with a glaring grammar error? i guess they are indeed punk! i am incredibly relieved to discover that the jam considered the beatles' revolver as a huge inspiration for this album. in my notes for this album, i wrote "beatles if they released an album together in 1980". it's got some definite beatles vibes combined with punk and new wave. the end result is quite good. something unique about this album is that i found every song to have a killer intro!
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.
5/10
I think it probably sounded better in 1980 than it does in 2022. Some good tracks on it though, and it did take me back to the 80’s. One of the other reviewers suggested that The Jam were a better singles band than an album band, I wouldn’t disagree with that. Paul Weller is a talent isn’t he (not to take anything away from the other members of the band of course).
was an okay Album, not really for me
I love the era of British punk rock in the 70s/80s and this is a band that I’ve never heard of. ‘Sound Affects’ is my favorite album Ive discovered from this list so far. I love everything about it.
great tunes. it would be amazing to see these played live. favorite tunes: monday, but i'm different now, that's entertainment, dream time, boy about town, scrape away
You can almost hear your influence they had on bands like The Smiths or even Arctic Monkeys. Great record.
La primera reinvenció de Weller, i la millor de totes elles. Que després de fer un dels millors discos de postpunk, 'All Mod Cons', i un disc de transició excel.lent, 'Setting Sons', fos capaç d'evolucionar a noves sensibilitats pop i donar un canvi d'aires tan refescant a The Jam només està a l'alçada de genis. El començament, amb 'Pretty Green' i 'Monday', és insuperable. Però és que apart hi conviuen 'Boy About Town', 'That's Entertainment', 'Set the House Ablaze', 'Start!'... Fregant les cinc estrelles
Not for me
Non 2/10
"Days of speed and slow time Monday's Pissing down with rain on a boring Wednesday Watching the news and not eating your tea A freezing cold flat and damp on the walls I say that's entertainment, that's entertainment" One of the greatest songs from one of the greatest and sadly neglected bands. It's quintessential post-punk Britain with a nod to the Kinks. I grew up with this so I'm kinda biased. It encapsulates Britain late 70s-early 80s so it may not be your cup of tea but for me it's happy days. (btw: All Mod Cons is even better imo)
They should have quit after In the City - one great album followed by bunches of pablum.
Eh
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.
Bloc Party before Bloc Party
Can't remember a single song from my listen
I want to like it more than I do. I'll give it another shot someday but it's nothing I'm dying over.
This one grew on me. I really appreciated recognizing some of the bands The Jam has influenced (Bloc Party), and were influenced by (The Beatles). Would return.
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Monday, Set the house ablaze
Love most of the stuff on this album - plus it has Man in the Cornershop on it, which is my favourite Jam song
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.
Nice...
British Punk Rock with some psychadelic/surf rock and probably better descriptions deep in there. GREAT ALBUM.
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.
One of my favourite albums - these guys are tight!
Wish I liked it more. I'll try it again some day
Post punk fury mixed with Kinksesque pure pop. The Jam at their best and a go to album for them
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
I didn't make notes on it last week and now I don't recall. Must not be memorable.
Listened to on 7/31/22 4/5 Favorite song: That’s Entertainment Great 80s rock vibes
Really good. I had never heard of them before
Prefer the style council era but this is still great
Bought this when it came out when I was 10 and it’s been one of my favourites all my life. The best Jam album as well. Yes there are a couple of well known hits on the album, but all the others are just as good, if not better. Listen loud!
Surprisingly good. I could see myself adding a star after more listens.
Sound affects? Haven't really come across any on this album. But what was evident was the fact that The Jam were riding a wave that nobody knew was coming to a stop, and it is particularly noticeable to hear them fire on all cylinders on what was to be their penultimate record. Dreaming of Monday, dreaming of Monday.... Favorites: Pretty Green, Monday, Set the House Ablaze, Start!, That's Entertainment, Man in the Corner Shop, Scrape Away.
I have so many questions. Where does this album fit between punk and The Kinks? Is this New Wave? Are these guys working class (Oasis) or not quite (Blur)? The album exhibits top notch production; the recording sounds great and highlights how tight the band is. Set the House Ablaze is a standout track. The album verges on earning a 5-star mark but the lyrics leave me wanting just a little more.
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 🤷
Didn’t do much for me. Most of the songs just weren’t that memorable in terms of instrumental or lyricism. 4/10
It was fine but mostly boring.
Nice