As is already well recorded, the Jam are my all-time favourite group, and until relatively recently, I was of the belief that they could do no wrong. This album, however, took a while to grow on me, and though it is by no means a bad LP, it is not excellent. The various styles being played ... Read review
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The Gift
Because it features The Jam's single greatest song--"Town Called Malice"--The Gift gets
... more
bonus points right from the start. Though inconsistent at times, there's so much here to love that the album, far more than a collection of singles, transcends the ...
The Gift - The Jam
Because it features The Jam's single greatest song--"Town Called Malice"--The Gift gets
... more
bonus points right from the start. Though inconsistent at times, there's so much here to love that the album, far more than a collection of singles, transcends the ...
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The Gift - The Jam
Because it features The Jam's single greatest song--"Town Called Malice"--The Gift gets
... more
bonus points right from the start. Though inconsistent at times, there's so much here to love that the album, far more than a collection of singles, transcends the sum of its parts. Soulful and funky, there's the too-short tease of lover's caress "Ghost", the intense jam on "Precious", and a classic pop nugget in "Running on the Spot". There are mis-steps here, too--"The Planners Dream Goes Wrong" goes, well, wrong, "Circus" is a multi-ring mess of influences, and the otherwise fantastic "Carnation" is almost ruined by a sloppy bridge--but substitute in other Jam singles, say "Going Underground" and "Down in the Tube Station at Midnight", and this could almost be a best of collection. --Randy Silver
As is already well recorded, the Jam are my all-time favourite group, and until relatively recently, I was of the belief that they could do no wrong. This album, however, took a while to grow on me, and though it is by no means a bad LP, it is not excellent. The various styles being played and tested are all struggling for the limelight and the cost paid is the slight lack of consisitency. Seperately they are amazing pieces, unfortunately put them ... ...don't know, "off" I suppose. But don't let that you reach for that "back" button just yet, it does have many good points!! This was the last 'proper' album the group released, in 1982, after an excellent and all-too-brief 5 year career.
The album starts with a rather strange, but somehow sensical (is that a word?!) introduction from main man Paul Weller: 'And now for those of you watching in black and white, this one is in Technicolor!' Is it supposed ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: a new soul vision Disadvantages: falls short of perfect just
Conceived by a thriving Weller as a new direction in pop,on The Gift he aspired to perfection ,sometimes reaching his goal ,sometimes hitting the post ,but nearly always on target when it came to passion and integrity, and keen to capitalise on The Jam,s status as Britains best loved band as indeed they were when this L.P was relesed in 1982 shortly after "Town Called Malice "became their fourth number one single ,he promised something new and fresh ... ...relesed as an intended farewell of course ,but it somehow seemed tinged with finality from the off set,the band looking both unified and divided on the multi colured cover shot and would part company just six months later and never see each other again to this day ,on "The Gift" the band pushed their abilities and ambition and nearly suceeded in producing a masterpiece from the opening track "Happy Together" with its sixties pop chorus and Motown-esque ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Album Notes: As rock musicians from Pete Townshend to Ray Davies could tell you, growing up in public is no piece of crumpet. Especially if the rest of the musicians you work with aren't growing in the same direction. While tension can bring out the best in a band, it also shortens the shelf life of the average rock & roll aggregation considerably. This, alas, was also the case with the Jam. Although the group started out as mod revivalists, leader and primary songwriter Paul Weller soon began to feel constricted by the limitations of the guitar/bass/drums palette and by the reluctance of bassist Bruce Foxton and drummer Richard Buckler to abandon the group's signature sound.
Titles on disc 1
1.: Happy Together
2.: Ghosts
3.: Precious
4.: Just Who Is The Five O'clock Hero
5.: Trans Global Express
6.: Running On The Spot
7.: Circus
8.: Planner's Dream Goes Wrong
9.: Carnation
10.: Town Called Malice
11.: Gift
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Listed on Ciao since : 07/01/2004
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