Gift, The - Jam (The) > Reviews > 'This one is in Technicolor!'

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Good
Value for Money

Advantages:	Superb lyrics, sizzling sounds, socialist streak
Disadvantages:	Swansongs, slightly schizophrenic sonics

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

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 together and something happens that is a little bit, I 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 to be funny? Possibly. Is it an attempt to promote racial harmony through music? Almost certainly. Is it a good introduction? By jingo, yes!

Side one starts proper with "Happy Together", a song about the ups and downs of relationships. A superb song which has simple, but effective lyrics and makes excellent use of the Jam's rhythm section (Bruce Foxton on bass, Rick Buckler on drums). One of the many songs on the album you can actually dance to! A corker of an album opener.

We carry on with "Ghosts", a song about being haunted by yourself, your past, and the world in general. It helps me feel better about myself with the lyrics "There's more inside you that you haven't shown" I can have a really rotten day and unwind to this without fail.

Next comes "Precious", released as a double A with the almighty "A Town Called Malice" (more on that legendary gem later). A song which gets dangerously close to the then mainstream, but still manages to sound extremely fresh and different. A very frank song, an apology almost, to a loved one for one's faults and flaws "But I don't mean to bleed you dry, or take you over for the rest of your life, it's just that I need something solid in mine"

Onward to "Just Who Is The 5 O'Clock Hero?", a prose which is about the working man ("the real heroes are the people who work nine to five, not pop stars", said Weller at the time). Released in, I believe, Holland, as a single but was imported so heavily it made the top ten in the UK (that used to mean something in the olden days kiddies). "My hard earned dough goes on bills and the larder, and that Prince Philip tells us we've got to work harder!!" barks Weller, 'playing' the husband of the invisible, inaudible, but clearly long-suffering, wife.

"Trans-Global Express" is one of those songs that pub conversations in my circle of friends are made of. Some of my comrades find it terrible, and to an extent I agree. The execution is poor, as it is so over-produced the lyrics are virtually impossible to hear. Indeed, when I first heard it, I thought it was an instrumental!! The only way they can be heard is by selotaping your loudspeakers to your head, but this proves painful and expensive, so I recommend investing in earphones, turning it right up and relating to the lyrics. Some have accused them of being naive, but I think they are excellent. It is impossible to pick a favourite quote, but how's this for starters? "Governments threaten you with recession, then they threaten you with war, how the other side wants to take away all the things, you ain't got no more!"

"Running On The Spot" is, in my opinion, the weakest track, but even then it isn't that bad. It's hard to say what the message is, which is what makes it so, ahem, difficult, but there are, at least, some good ideas at work. "I believe in life and I believe in love, but the world in which I live keeps trying to prove me wrong"

Next comes "Circus" There is very little to say about this track. For one thing, it is an instrumental. For the next, it is written by Bruce Foxton. Now, don't get me wrong, he is a good musician, and a good lyricist, *and* an uncle of a good friend, but he shouldn't have bothered. It is impossible to be in a band with Weller and not get over-shadowed by him. Sorry, mate, but though this is funky, it is rather out of place!

"The Planner's Dream Goes Wrong", a slightly ironic title for a song that, like it's subject matter, means well, but somehow it doesn't quite work. The same could be said of the album. In this tune, Weller attacks "New Towns" like Milton Keynes, etc. which lack personality, culture and history. Though the lyrics are among the best he's written, somewhere along the line he thought he would get steel drums involved!! Calypso punk? What the.. ?! "They were going to build communities, it was going to be pie in the sky!!"

"Carnation", to me, is all about self-hatred, something which I suffer from rather too much, though I am getting better. Consequently this song makes me feel rather uncomfortable though it is growing on me. "With me there's no room for the future With me there's no room with a view at all!"

And now the big one! "A Town Called Malice" set the charts alight and stormed through to number one, and there hasn't been a more deserving chart-topper since, in my humble opinion. Echoing and dealing with the eighties depression, unemployment and general unpleasantness the ripples of which still splash against us today. Whenever my good friend Scotty, who lives in Woking (the group's hometown) goes out, he requests this is put on, and behold, the DJ nods, the kids dance and Scotty smiles. Now that's entertainment! "Rows and rows of disused milk floats stand dying in the dairy yard And a hundred lonely housewives clutch empty milk bottles to their hearts"

The album ends with the upbeat and, amazingly positive "the Gift" another song about joining the human race together and peace, love and understanding. It is a glorious note to end on and while criminally short, leaves you hankering for more and reaching for the "play" button again. "All the time that gets wasted hating Why don't you move together and make your heart feel better?"

So, there we have it. Maybe not quite what it should have been, but certainly not a bad album. Indeed, this is better than some groups and artists put out in their whole career!! Weller could comfortably leave the Jam knowing he had done well and though the press and fans were to start unhappy, I can see why he did it. The group simply could not go any further without getting commercial and terrible. Hey, it's what happens when bands keep going, just look at the Rolling Stones for goodness sake! Weller is going from strength to strength (hic-up permitting) to this day. Now how many other artists can say that?! (Incidently, Bruce is now in punk band "Stiff Little Fingers" and Rick is restoring antique furniture. Both are happy, and I think it's safe to say they'll never go hungry!)

Thank you for taking the time to read my review. Be nice, and take care, kiddywinks!

(All lyrics are © Paul Weller) 

Pictures for the review

Display pictures

the Jam - the Gift front sleeve