The Jam were in love with the Who, and influenced the Police and the Clash. This 3rd album was the first of three brilliant 5 star albums, culminating with Sound Effects, with Setting Sons sandwiched in between.
I have no idea what this might be… “All Mod Cons” is ok, like a smoothed-out punk song or something. I can’t quite get into the stuttering tempo. But there are promising elements here. “To Be Someone” appeals to me quite a bit more. I’m warming up to this. Love the lyrics about a fallen rock star. Really good! “Mr. Clean” seems to be how the singer is angry at an office coworker. Interesting and catchy! “David Watts” continues the sort of odd tempos. And the song is intriguing… Is this a be careful what you wish for song? I’m not sure but I do like it. “English Rose” is a surprisingly tender song. I love the singer’s voice and the water and what I think is a great love song for England. I wasn’t expecting this but like it a lot. I love the music and lyrics of “In the Crowd” - and what’s this?! A warning about the government and media?! Interesting… and goes all psychedelic guitar at the end. This is a contender for my favorite track of the album. “Billy Hunt” is another catchy song with more cleverly descriptive lyrics. A threatening bionic man reference?! I like this. “It’s Too Bad” is a great little breakup song that’s quite happy sounding. Very enjoyable. “Fly” is a really great love song! The tender parts intersperse with exuberant outbursts. I love this song. There seems to be some hints of The Who or something in here. Wonderful! “The Place I Love” I love! ‘Not within a yard of those trendy do’s.” Is this song about hiding out with your pets? Really good song. “‘A’ Bomb in Wardour Street” seems to be protest song with a beat you can dance to. Clapping! I can get into this. “Down in the Tube Station at Midnight” is a great song. Terribly disturbing about a poor guy getting attacked in a tube station. Really good, and disturbing… I think I’m on the verge of loving this album. A second listen is in order but I find The Jam’s lyrics so vivid and the disjoints in the music held together with such great talent that I think I may love this album… …………………………………. My second listen really did cement my love of this album. After the third listen, I’m loving every song - even the first track which took me a few listens to warm up to. These lyrics have depth and paint vivid pictures. The Jam takes on class and society… with a sound blending dashes of new wave, The Who and The Kinks into something pretty special. I love this album!
really like this. 60s/70s brits are the best. just look at those outfits!? gives me jam in a field vibes. dope guitar work.
Never listened to a full album by The Jam before (only greatest hits) and it did not disappoint. Very much a coming of age album and craft wise very much where Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were with Damn The Torpedos. English Rose is superb, David Watts also. The best track for me is Down At The Tube Station at Midnight. Weller’s lyrics are outstanding and bassist is so underrated. Always been a massive fan of Weller’s. One of of best artists around, always evolving.
Down In The Tube Station At Midnight's not only a fantastic finale but a useful reminder that most of the preceeding songs compare unfavourably. The big tumbling beat is there, as are Weller's sandpaper vocals and featherwight punk politics for city types--but the hooks, urgency or clarity to turn them into songs to remember are a rarity.
They were pretty decent before this one as well, but this is where it really took off. It's the start of a brilliant run of albums with Setting Sons and Sound Affects coming after this. Especially love the last tracks on here; A' Bomb in Wardour Street and Down In The Tubestation At Midnight.
Some fantastic songs and something of a ‘coming of age’ album given their less than impressive second album ‘this is the modern world’. Stand outs include ‘to be someone’ and the classic ‘English rose’. Loved Billy Hunt live too
Love the mod revival movement. Cool mix of punk and early rock. Strong album start to finish
Like a combination of punk and pub rock interspersed with some very pretty tunes. Thoroughly enjoyed this album.
There is cowbell, and I really enjoyed this album. I never heard of this band so its been a pleasant surprise.
Sounds like something Jess and Rory would have liked. I enjoyed it. Would listen again.
#79 - The Jam - All Mod Cons Apparently this album catapulted Paul Weller into the consciousness of the UK. Despite not having any major hits it's got bite, anger, class issues and is a great listen. This is how I imagine London in 1978 (sorry Woking).
The Jam (and Paul Weller) is a band I know about; but don’t really know their music aside from a few songs. I mostly know them from influencing most of the bands I grew up listening to. Hearing this now you definitely hear where every Oasis song is ripped off from, but also the stems of New Pornographers and Paraquet Courts. For good reason too. This album absolutely rips. A little over half an hour and doesn't overstay it’s welcome. Killer tracks David Watts English Rose
My favorite Jam album and one of my favorite albums, period! The 3 album run of All Mod Cons, Setting Sons and Sound Affects, is as good a three album run of any band, ever. This is the album where The Jam sound and Paul Weller's song writing reached their zenith. To Be Someone, Mr. Clean, In The Crowd, "A"Bomb in Wardour Street and Down in the Tube Station at Midnight are all incredible songs that alone would make this album worthwhile, all together they make for one of the best albums of the 80s, indeed of any decade. No band ever communicated more vividly what it was like growing up British. Maybe that kept North American fans at arms length, but for me if their lyrics and themes ever became TOO British, the musical interplay is universal and these three kids were the epitome of tight. A no-brainer 5 star album from my perspective.
It's The Jam m8. Clear Beatles influences dotted which I'd not noticed before. Down In The Tube could well be the best British track of all time.
One of my all-time faves. I bought this at the time and played it constantly so of course it gets maximum stars. I guess it's aimed at predominantly young angry men in 1978 but it's still fresh and poetic, raucous and rocky even now. It has real classics - 'Down in the Tubestation' and 'English Rose' which are suprisingly poles apart but even the 'fillers' are gold: 'Fly' is the least listened track in Sp*tify but again IMO one of the best tracks on the album.
This band is “The Beatles” if they were punks, and I have no problem with it. None at all. 5 Stars
4/13 Some great melodies coupled with an interesting lead vocalist, plus the raging edge of British youth. Standout Tracks: Mr. Clean, English Rose, It's Too Bad, Fly, Down In The Tube Station
Why don't my notes save???? Anyways, I like this! Got some post punk elements to it and sounds very reminiscent to parquet courts
ett riktigt bra album. Down in the tube station at midnight är en av de bättre låtarna jag hört på länge.
Awesome melodies and catchy harmonies. Snotty punk feel at times with smooth vocals. Very enjoyable. Best songs: In the crowd, it’s too bad, down in the tube station at midnight.
Some solid jams here. Nice classic rock feel without a lot of cliche. Hard to give it a 4 when I've given the Beatles some 4s, but I think I'm here for it.
I've never gotten too deep into the Jam, but this is an outstanding album. Down in the Tube Station at Midnight is an all-time classic. 4 stars.
Ok, this was great - not really what I was expecting - more melodic and with greater depth. Loved the Kinks cover! Fave track - either "To Be Someone (Didn't We Have a Nice Time)" or "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight", but more listens might bring out other contenders...
Good British rock, but that's about all I can say: it didn't stand out to me as anything too unique or interesting
Muy buen album, en el que el grupo se sacude el punk de los primeros, notándose el cambnio de Weller. Pero molan más los primeros
Listening to this album made me listen to "decent days and nights" by futureheads for the first time in 15 years. Love that song. Love the sound..... all started by The Jam
All Mod Cons plays like an update of the early Who with a side of early Kinks for the punk era, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. The music here is stripped down to the essentials, like the cover photo of the album. The arrangements are highly specific and well thought out, without any extra fillagree. It's mostly guitar, bass and drums, with the occasional keyboard part. The band is super tight. The overall effect is like an army made bed--you could bounce a quarter off of it. So much so that when the band incorporates field recordings of the subway or the beach into the music, it's a bit jarring. Still, songwriter Paul Weller manages to work an impressive variety of grooves and moods into these songs. The level of craft here is so high and the arrangements and performances so careful, that it almost feels wrong to call this punk. It feels more like classic rock with the energy of punk. I guess the other think that makes it punk is the lyrical content. I was only half paying attention, but it struck me that the songs were mostly about the sort of alienation and anger that was common in late 70s Britain. Anyway, even if this isn't my thing personally, I have to give credit where credit is due. 4/5
This is the music my dad grew up on, OG English punk. Down In The Tubestation At Midnight is a nostalgic tune for me cos dad played it and would sing it when I was a kid. 4/5
All Mod Cons - 6 To Be Someone - 7 Mr. Clean - 7 David Watts - 7 English Rose - 8 In The Crowd - 8 Billy Hunt - 7 It's Too Bad - 7.5 Fly - 6 The Place I Love - 8 'A' Bomb in Wardour Street - 8 Down In the Tube Station At Midnight - 8
David Watts - English Rose - Guitar Balad When I heard this album, I immediately wanted all of their albums.
Io qua vado di impulso ma alla fine a me sto disco mi ha stupito positivamente. Suona a modo suo punk e alcuni pezzi come David Watts me li risentirò spesso. È un 3 molto abbondate che mi sento di premiare con il 4.
Classic British punk/new wave/mod. Arguably their best album. Best Tracks: All Mod Cons, Billy Hunt, Down In A Tube Station (At Midnight)
No hot takes here. It's pretty good. I definitely don't feel like I wasted time listening to it.
Getting the obvious out of the way, this album is like London Calling's older cousin. For all the similarities that may come from the both of them, The Jam jogged and paved the way so that The Clash could run full sprint. The music is high energy like most punk, but the production is pretty clean so that you get the full effect of all the instruments, especially that groovy bass. I know some punk fans prefer dirtier and unpolished sounds, but you can't deny that the production on this makes it a GREAT sounding record. It's not constantly in your face either, the band knows when to sit back and let certain sections breathe and play out (English Rose, In The Crowd). It holds up as some of the best punk to come out of 70's Britain, but unfortunately it will always have to live in the shadow of London Calling. Favorite Song: Down In The Tube Station At Midnight Least Favorite Song: Mr. Clean
The Jam is a band I had heard spoken of as an influence many, many times but had never listed to. I enjoyed this record each one of the 3 times I listened to it. I found it interesting to hear just a little bit of punk sensibilities as punk was winding down. I felt a softening of the sharp edges of that punk scene. I also heard it's later resurgence that would be played by Green Day and Blink 182. I'm glad I spent some time with it, but it's not really my jam (sorry). While I enjoyed it for a day, it will not have a place in my regular playlist.
I've only listened to The Jam's Greatest Hits and frankly I'm surprised we're listening to this album instead of whatever album Town Called Malice is on. I will be equally surprised if we eventually listen to more than one album by The Jam. (Side note: My husband said he knew of this album before he knew what "all mod cons" means and he thought it was something much cooler than it actually is.) I only recognize a couple of these but this is a fun album. The bass and the drums stand out a lot to me in an interesting way. Favorite songs: the cover of The Kinks' David Watts (oooooh, when do we get to listen to The Kinks?), Billy Hunt, Fly, The Place I Love, and Down in the Tube Station at Midnight.
I don’t really have a clue what “All Mod Cons” means. Modified Converse Chuck Taylors? Stylish conservatives? I gotta get hip with this Brit street slang, bruv. Anywho, I liked this! Makes me think of like a cuddlier version of The Clash or something. Which isn’t something I thought I wanted, but maybe - just maybe - is something I needed.
Went in with low expectations. Only knew them by "Town Called Malice." This album is the one that led the mod revivalist subculture that competed with punks and other fashion nuts. It's mostly a punk album but heavily inspired by Kinks and The Who. Album starts out weak but really picks up in the 3rd song. You can hear the Tommy influences in "Mr Clean" and "David Watts." The next song "English Rose" is a nice soft track that grows on me with each listen. The next track "In the Crowd" is probably my favorite. It's catchy and melodic and lots of fun from start to finish. Love the talking instruments and the psychedelic 2nd half. Two more lighter catchy songs then things tone down slightly but they're all great tracks that flow super well. Looking back on it, the only tracks I didn't like were the first two.
Weller writes some decent songs in the tradition of The Who and The Kinks in a modern mod /new wave mood delivering a quality album which builds to the masterful Down in the Tube Station at Midnight.
Best balanced album by the Jam - gets better with every listen so far. On the lines of London calling by the clash
I have listened to plenty of The Jam but weirdly enough not many of the actual albums, although I am familiar with and have heard this album before
I had no clue what this was going to be, but I was pleasantly surprised. That's always the best case scenario when going through this generator. It's a short, but sweet record full of fun rock/pop tunes. I'm still not quite sure what "Mod" means, but I dig it! I'll definitely revisit this one.
This has actually been on my to-listen list for a while. Carrie Brownstein, guitarist and singer of Sleater-Kinney (and a hero of mine) cites this album as the gateway to her punk and alternative music fandom. Needless to say, my curiosity was piqued; if Portlandia girl states that something was influential to her, you best believe I'd be checking it out faster than you can say "Put a bird on it". Recommendation aside, it does feel ingratiating to know that you share the same tastes as your musical idols (I knew we'd totally be friends!). The songs are simple, upbeat, punchy and sung with attitude. Much like the Ramones...BUT! They are more dynamic than those Stalwarts of '77. 'English Rose' features soft guitar plucks and gentle ambient wave sounds, while a usually vitriolic singer has a rare moment of tenderness. Meanwhile, the more typical Jams songs feature jangly, distorted guitars that are equal parts The Who and The Sex Pistols. Considering that fact that the members share instrument duties, one can't help but be impressed with the level of proficiency on display; one that isn't self serving, but only aids in the art of songcraft. Tracks like In The Crowd are not afraid to feature guitar solos, but not in a way that compromises the straightforwardness that is synonymous with the punk credo. I definitely enjoyed this, enough to have this on semi-regular rotation. Thank you, Ms Brownstein<3
The crosspoint between the Beatles, power pop and punk. Angry but righteous. English Rose is still rubbish, though.
I was quite impressed with this record, and the combination of the good parts of Britpop with post-punk sounds and a diverse array of sonic effects. It's not obviously perfect, but it does play precisely to my biases and I want to hear the rest of the band's output, stat.
No real stand out tracks, unfortunately, but this thing was fun and super catchy, and I loved getting a glimpse into a subculture I know nothing about.
Great album even to a casual The Jam fan like myself. While never a stalwart fan of Weller, I can see the appeal of this album and the perfect blend of punk, new wave and sixties mod aesthetics. Give or take the rest of the album it is worth just for Down in the Tube Station at Midnight which to me is the best Jam song and worth listening to the album to get to.
It was really new way of rock for me. I had to read about mod subculture and stuff, it is really interesting part of rock history. David Watts is great but as I read it is a cover. The other songs are only 3 or 4 stars for me. I give it a four.
I'd never heard a lick of this band before, although the name was familiar. The sound is halfway between The Police and XTC, with some excellent and innovative guitar and bass. But the real star is Paul Weller's voice and insightful lyrics.
“All Mod Cons firmly established Paul Weller (and the Jam) as a major talent (and band).”
In the USA they're known as The Jelly. What's the difference between jam and jelly? Well, I can't jelly my cock up your ass...
You can hear the precursor to what The Clash would later perfect. Jam is the operative word as these dudes are jamming and making excellent late-70s rock n roll. Punk infused but lacking the authentic attitude.
I remember not being super into this when I first listened a few months ago but errrrr it's pretty damn great actually
The Jam is one of my favourite bands from this time. A stellar album, though I prefer Sound Effects.
Some cracking tunes on this album, thought it is not up there with their best (Setting Sons onwards) due to a couple of duds. Top tunes - A-Bomb, and Down in the Tube Station. Great cover of David Watts too.
I enjoyed this a little more than the previous Jam album, but still very "eh" overall. I enjoyed the more lively performance on this record. Favorite tracks: "David Watt", "Billy Hunt", "In the Crowd"
This one sounds more 80s than '78. The beginning of Mr. Clean is kinda rocking, but otherwise the rest of the album is just alright.
This album has a fun sound to it, with some nice harmonies. Ultimately it leaves me feeling a bit flat. Like I feel like I should be more into it, but I'm not. It's not bad, it's just okay 3/5
Interesting mix of Britpop vocals and more punk-leaning guitars. Slight traces of Sex Pistols here and there, an overall enjoyable listen
Some good songs, some not so good songs. It was an interesting listen but not my normal cup of tea!
This actually pretty decent, it’s a shame that some of the album tracks sort of plod along but the hits really work. Down in the Tube Station at Midnight is a massive tune
Cool example of early punk music. I had heard of The Jam, but never really listened to them. Highlights: -Mr. Clean -David Watts -English Rose -In the Crowd -Fly -Down in the Tube Station at Midnight
I thought this was good, I would listen to it again, but not particularly mind blowing or anything.
nothing to rave about - clearly an influence on what followed but it's not blowing my trumpet
I liked it. Easy listen and felt pretty cohesive. Nothing groundbreaking, but good all around.
Good one. Reminds me sparse can be good. Also, it came out in late '78. I think it's got elements of 70's rock, but also alludes to more 80's styles.
"David Watts" Released: 18 August 1978 "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight" Released: 13 October 1978
Brytyjskie granie w klimacie rokowym, ale z twistem poznych lat 70, wiec nowa fala i poczatki punkowosci brytyjskiej. drumy klawisze, bas gitarka, harmonijka, wiec oszczednie jak przystalo na bande trzy osobowa, brzmi to iscie brytyjsko , ale od strony lirycznej jest to album z brytyjskim punkowstwem, juz sama nazwa zawiera w sobie ironie, bo jest to skrot zwrotu all modern conveniences, a jednoczesnie odnoszacy sie do subkultury modowej, czyli odrodzenia dandysowego stylu lat 60 z ktorego wylegl sie britowy pop, wiec o czym jest grane, jesli podzielic album na dwie czesci, to jedna opowada o ludziach sukcesu, spoleczenstwie gdzie kazdy ma swoje miejsce i cel, z punktu widzenia grajka ktory nie pasuje do takiego swiata i czuje sie z niego wykluczony, nie tylko przez brak komercyjnego sukcesu poprzednich albumikow, ale takze przez mocno srednie koncerowanie po stanach, a wyspiarskie bandy mialy zazwyczaj tak, ze jada do stanow sprzedaja sie dobrze lub wracaja sie disbandowac, tutaj disbandu sie udalo uniknac, ale rozgroyczenie brakiem sukcesu jest jednym z glownych motywow tej plyty, druga czescia ktora rozpoczyna kawalek english rose okreslilbym jako zawierajaca bardziej osobiste motywy, a nie bandowe, bo kawalki milosne sie pojawia, przywiazanie do swego miejsca, osoby, ale tez historie inspirowane takimi codziennymi zdarzeniami jak wykopaniem niewybuchu na drodze na dzielnicy, ale najciekawszym trackiem jak dla mnie byl down in the tube station at midnight opowiadajacy historie tego jak moze sie zakonczyc przygoda wieczorowa pora w metrze dla pakistanskiego imigranta, ponad 4 minutowy kawalek wyroznia sie nie tylko dlugoscia, bo jedynie in the crowd ma ponad 5 minut, ale takze swoja kompozycja i prawdziwym storytelingiem polaczynym z samplowaniem dzwiekow dworcowych daje mocno floydowe viby, definitywny plejkowy dodaniec, zreszta tak samo jak in the crowd, ktory swoja dlugoscia pozwala natomiast na solowe instrumenty, czyli cos czego brakuje mi najbardziej na tym albumiku, bo 37 minutach jest zawarte az 12 trackow, co nie daje zbyt wielkiego pola do popisu instrumentalnego
Quite enjoyed this but expected better. Big fan of Compact Snap when I was younger so knew a couple of songs but the ones I didn't know didn't grab me as much as I hoped. Will give it another go.
Well, I guess I am a Paul Weller fan now. Really liking the melodic punk sound. Like The Clash, but easier to listen to.
Pretty good, actually. Definitely can see the influence on other British punk bands that came later.
Felt pretty cool listening to this while driving around running errands. I dig it. Made me want to listen to the Killers and weirdly the Allman Brothers?
British, So British, and highly melodic. Paul Weller is the genius here, But I enjoyed the abilities of rhythm section. I can totally sense a lot of influences on the 90s Britpop movement. 3 stars because not really my cup of tea.. but a great experience.
pretty good, i like this genre reminds me of some like parquet courts or something i liked 'english rose', 'in the crowd', kinda just the middle of the album got some good songs there
Not bad at all, especially compared with the mass of early 80s crap I've been getting "randomly generated" lately.
Great bass and some cool punk moments but the mod stuff isn't really my thing. I wouldn't complain if this was on but wouldn't choose to have a long listen. Glad it didnt have those overplayed singles on though
Un album rock correct. Comme j’en ai entendu plusieurs dans cette liste… mais ren d’accrocheur sauf une bonne structure. 3.25
A fun album. Didn't absolutely love it, didn't dislike it. 3 feels right Saved: To Be Someone (Didn't We Have A Nice Time)*
Questo gruppo è stato una bella sorpresa, mi ha tolto la curiosità di sapere come poteva suonare il punk delle origini se fatto da persone brave a suonare i propri strumenti. Come album ha un sacco di pregi, i pezzi per essere punk sono abbastanza vari e ci sono soluzioni interessanti. I pezzi acustici tipo "English Rose" contribuiscono molto a spezzare il ritmo un po' monotono delle sonorità punk. Un aspetto che mi ha colpito molto è il fatto che in alcuni pezzi ci siano un po' delle sonorità di quello che sarà il primo emo, che ci sta anche perché è venuto non moltissimo dopo e comunque è venuto dalla scena hardcore/punk. Il bassista penso sia l'unico bassista bravo di un gruppo punk che ho sentito fino ad oggi. Sicuramente i The Jam dovrebbero far fare un esame di coscienza a certi gruppi venuti molto dopo, uno in particolare, che non è possibile nominare in questa sede. Dopo tutte queste cose positive devo però mettere un po' le mani avanti e dire che nonostante tutto non mi sento di dare più di 3, non lo considero un album veramente punk come potevano essere i Clash e quindi non applico lo stesso discorso. Penso che il problema principale sia che suona un po' acerbo, ma non l'acerbo voluto del punk, ma come se la vena punk fosse una po' una fase. Purtroppo ho visto che non hanno fatto molti altri album anche se hanno fatto una reunion nel 2007. Comunque mi hanno incuriosito.
First listen, totally unfamiliar with The Jam. The music is energetic, straightforward, and sunny, reminds me of some of the harder-rocking stuff from the British Invasion (they do play a Kinks song on here, after all). The lyrics are often angry or dissatisfied, which makes a nice contrast. Very good pop sense in terms of melodies, good hooks, and clear song forms. Highlights: "English Rose," "Billy Hunt," "Fly," "'A' Bomb in Wardour Street," and "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight".
Hints of The Police, Joe Jackson, and The Clash. This sound has a little bit for everyone. If you're hardcore punk, new wave, alternative, or mainstream, then this album won't do much for you. If you are, like me, somewhere in between, then you give it three stars for who they were influenced by and for who they influenced.
3.5/5. You know, it wasn't all that bad. I don't always like punk but this album was alright.
I was surprised it didn't have any of the big hits but it still holds together well as an album. Better than I expected.
It was an alright album, the music itself had a nice beat, but it wasn't entirely my style.
I enjoyed this album. I associate the sound with the 80s, so it’s interesting to me that it’s from 1978. They seem to be a connecting link from 60s Britpop to many modern genres.
Down in the tube station at midnight still my favourite Jam song.. not so keen on the rest…
Artistic Freedom. Do what you want. But just make sure that everything is very Mod I'll tell you what, I got you sussed You haven't wasted my time, this listening time was fun
It sounded like generic English punk but what do I know. I liked it though. Didn't really have any songs I LOVED but overall it was a good vibe
The Jam and a Paul Weller album in the same week. Interesting. It's an OK album. The good songs are pretty damn good but there are several just okay ones the went by without being very memorable. The good outweighs the bad here so I will give it a 3 while I still pine for half star options.
This was meh. They have 1 good song, thats spread out between 12 songs. like too much bread and not enough butter.
Strong start to the album. Love the first 4 songs especially the bass. Lost a bit of interest later on.
Solid rock with punk elements with some nice slower songs (English Rose, Fly) A lot of the songs do seem to merge together though in my mind
Three stars. Good, but not great, best song last for some reason, not their best album
David Watts and English Rose are great tracks, and the rest of the album is alright. Solid 3.5
Fairly good. Not something I'll ever revisit, but I thought it was enjoyable enough. Some of the songs are pretty samey, but at least they're not annoying. Wikipedia says this is punk, but I don't hear it (except for the last song) - it's actually pretty poppy. Reminded me of The Who and weirdly enough Weezer on certain occasions. Favorite songs: David Watts, Billy Hunt Pretty strong 3/5.
This album took a little longer to come online for me than I'd like, but it does have a rocking back half and the softer stuff in the middle was really strong as well.
I once conned a Mod into thinking I was not going to murder him, but I totally did. I ate his goat for dessert. All mods own goats.
A good non-punk but still hard late 70’s rock album. It didn’t have the overdone punk sneer of that era.
It was fine. Pretty generic sounds and wasn't really that entertaining. It reminded me of The Who a bit but not as good.
I'm a sucker for new wave, so I baseline enjoyed this album. I liked the hints of punk that were sprinkled around, as well. English Rose was a surprising track on this album, and very beautifully done. Overall, this wasn't incredibly remarkable for me; I did not find it to be a particular standout.
Late 70s rock with harmonies, interesting. I didn't expect that! Well I like the harmonies but kinda over the 70s guitar sound. Nice melodies and lyrics though! 3
Meh. Nothing original. I might be missing some historical context but I didn't feel the music was anything special.
Didn't like it, and I (thought I) love Jam. All the best songs sound like other songs by other people. Once again, the best Jam album is the Best Of.
Pre80's 80's-cover band. Just sounded like they were trying to imitate someone but never figured out whom
A volte un po' punk, a volte pop-rock, in più, ci sono dei pezzi in acustico: non si capisce bene che direzione prendano e per questo motivo li ho trovati un minimo interessanti e moderni. Però purtroppo sono abbastanza insofferente quando sento questo sound british, soprattutto nelle chitarre, che mi nausea e mi rovina l'esperienza. Voto: 2 (che sarebbe un 3 che non ci ha creduto abbastanza)
Just meh. I listened to this on Friday and it's Monday now. I honestly can't remember much about it. Maybe I wasn't giving it enough attention, but it seemed pretty bland to me. Singer reminded me of a cut-rate Joe Strummer. Nothing against this, just didn't seem special.
The first half of this one wasn't my jam (ha)- was hoping for songs more like "A Town Called Malice," which isn't on this album. But the second half was more my style, which bumped up the rating a bit. My favorites were It's Too Bad, Fly, and Down in the Tube Station at Midnight. 2.5
Early punk without the edges, post-punk without the experimentation. It's all just a bit new wave, a bit safe and sanitised for me.
A whole load of meh. Such a bland and instantly forgettable album that's saved by down in the tube station, probably the jams best song.
Not a fan of this band or album. The songs were boring and I found myself skipping halfway through each one.
If “generic sounding British band of the 70s” is your thing then give this a listen. Otherwise I find this album very forgettable, almost a B group Who.
It was just "meh" for me...nothing really excited me or stood out. Also there were several times per song that I was actively unimpressed or put off by the vocals
this kind of did nothing for me. i didn't hate it but it seemed not very special. maybe it was too punk-y?
Sort of dreading this. Tried The Jam before and it did nothing for me. I am onside with Paul Wellers lefty politics, but I find his mod revivalist, suburban angst bloody boring. Trying to listen with an open mind but two tracks in it just sounds like such mannered tripe. Mr Clean is a little more interesting, like Motown during amateur hour... Then there's a Kinks cover. David Watts is a great song and The Jam don't massacre it. The Kinks remain better though. Finally, there's a good song - English Rose. It's pretty and sweet and has sharp little edges. Then there's the rest of the album. See above. Paul Weller is a hack.