Apr

16

Not Forgotten: Joe Jackson

Filed Under Updates 

Cover of Joe Jacksons 1979 LP

Cover of Joe Jackson's 1979 LP

     Watching Freaks and Geeks is always a genuine treat. The show could exist purely on its hilarious and heart-felt writing, but the soundtrack gives viewers one more reason to hail it as one of the greatest shows of all time, and rightly so. The show’s use of Styx’s “Come Sail Away” is the only reason Styx needed to exist, as far as I’m concerned. I now have something else to thank F&G for: reminding me of an album I hadn’t heard in ten years. During the episode where the geeks get the chance to finally pick first at baseball in PE class, I heard the strains of a couple tracks from Joe Jackson’s Look Sharp!, an album I hadn’t thought of since the last time I rifled through my uncle’s record collection. I wouldn’t have recognized the song from any number of tunes that fly past me on TV shows on a regular basis, but, years ago, my uncle took the time to pull the LP out and spin a track. At the time, I’d just as soon have listened to MxPx or Less Than Jake. I didn’t know it, but a much more talented artist could pack the punk punch without stooping to the cliches that would eventually weary me of the genre.
     My uncle didn’t choose the album’s, and Jackson’s, most well known hit “Is She Really Going Out with Him?”, which has been bastardized in every fifth romantic comedy produced since 1990, excluding romcoms that feature Harry Connick Jr./Frank Sinatra on the soundtrack. Instead, to tantalize my ears, my uncle played the snarling, anti-big government tune “Throw It Away.” Clocking in at 2:49, the tune jumps out of the gate; one chord, a blazing buzzsaw of fury, accompanied by Jackson’s traditional four piece rhythm section. The song makes great use of one chord played for all it’s worth during the verse, sucking the sweat from the speakers. Rather than delve into the album, I played that song over and over, in addition to a similar tune by Jackson, “I’m the Man”, the title track from Jackson’s follow-up to Look Sharp! Perhaps I wasn’t ready for it at the time, but I’m thankful that Apatow and Feig took the time to dig into their record collection and remind me of an old favorite.

Back cover of Look Sharp

Back cover of Look Sharp

     Though “Throw It Away” tops the intensity chart, a number of other songs (“One More Time” and the title track) crank up the tempo and allowing Jackson’s crack band to one-up Jackson’s most obvious competitor in the genre: Elvis Costello. Songs like “Happy Lovin’ Couples” will easily draw the Costello comparisons, but to dismiss Jackson on these grounds is akin to not listening to Modest Mouse on the grounds that This is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About sounds a lot like the Pixies. On Look Sharp!, Jackson delivers one new wave’s catchiest and most well-crafted offerings. Though much of Costello’s vitriol comes across in his literate lyrical jabs, Jackson took a greater cue from punk than Costello did. You’ll draw more musical comparisons to the Clash with Jackson, especially given the occasional uptempo reggae he throws in.
     While Costello has dabbled in multiple genres and continually returned to the energetic pop he’s best known for, Jackson has steadily moved away from his new wave roots. Since Look Sharp!, his 1979 debut, he’s produced albums in reggae, jump blues, jazz, R&B, and classical. I’m not intimately familiar with any of Jackson’s later works. Although, my uncle would always play me “Five Guys Named Moe” from his jazz album Night and Day, which whips along at a breakneck pace that any fan of Jackson’s new wave work would be familiar with. I’m no jazz fan, but I bet it’s worth a listen. Look Sharp!  is one of the most consistently catchy and energetic albums I’ve listened to, well, since the last time I listened to it.

“Throw It Away” by Joe Jackson MP3

Listen to Look Sharp! and all of Joe Jackson’s albums via his MySpace: www.myspace.com/joejacksonmusic

Will Thompson enjoys putting somewhat carefully chosen words in relatively meaningful order.

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