tracks on LP: Art School / I’ve Changed My Address / Slow Down / I Got By In Time / Away From The Numbers / Batman Theme / In The City / Sounds From The Street / Non-stop Dancing / Time For Truth / Takin’ My Love / Bricks And Mortar
Polydor Records 2383 447
Producer: Vic Smith and Chris Parry
Released: 20/05/77
Purchased: 1980
This one kicks! The Jam are one of the hottest new bands in England. Tough and tight. Smooth black suits and ties and vicious short hair. The sort of geezers you push into the other room when the vicar calls. If they weren’t into music they could have the biggest protection racket in town.
The Jam | In The City | Polydor | 1977
The Jam are a threesome (they just sound like a sixsome) – bass, drums and on guitar Paul Weller, who wrote all the songs except “Batman Theme,” which makes the original TV theme sound like a dirge, and “Slow Down.”
A well balanced mixture of songs here – teen-dream romance and punk anger. This is dancing/jumping/action music. No sitting around on the floor smoking those damned joints to this stuff.
If you like The Damned you’ll like The Jam – but don’t get the idea these geezers are copying anyone. They’re not. Although at times they do sound like the early Who (at their peak) but ANGRIER.
To be played LOUD. Even listening to it on headphones will have the bleedin’ neighbours complaining about the noise. (Slash, August 1977)
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