Al Barger wrote a very nice tribute to Joe Jackson for his 48th birthday just today. Coincidentally, Jackson's most popular album has jsut been re-released in Deluxe Edition form. Night and Day, originally released in '82, was Jackson's move into nocturnal Tin Pan Alley pop and piano cocktail jazz, where the energy of Anger was replaced with the glamor of Ennui.
While thematically the album is appealing, it falls down in the song department, beyond the classics "Steppin' Out" and "Breaking Us in Two." "Steppin'" overlays Cole Porter melodic sophistication over a pulsing electronic bass line, and perfectly captures the open-ended thrill of throwing oneself into the fray of communal urban nightlife. "Breaking" is a beautiful, sad, Latinesque ballad that struggles touchingly against the inevitable doom of a relationship. In addition, "Cancer" rides cleverly on a brighter Latin beat, decrying the lassitude of fatalism. But, um, that's about it folks.
On the Deluxe Edition disc 2 are the not particularly edifying demos of six songs from the album; five songs from the Mike's Murder soundtrack, of which only Latin/Caribbean "Laundromat Monday" is particularly noteworthy; and five songs from Joe Jackson Live 1980/86, including the rocking "On Your Radio" and "Look Sharp!," an extended and lively "Cancer," and an a capella (!) version of "Is She Really Going Out With Him," which is a fun idea, but would have made a better one-minute intro to the "real" song rather than a 4:40 replacement of it.
Article comments
1 - Al Barger
I cannot believe you are so badly disrespecting this major classic album. Pretty much every single song is classic. You didn't even mention "Another World." What about the visit to "Chinatown?" Finally, "Real Men" is a classic dramatic ballad. Beautiful work with great hooks through and through. Cole Porter would have been right proud of this whole urbane album.
Sorry that Jackson and Elvis did not stay in their proper new wave rock ghetto making the same record 20 times in order to please you, but it's a Big World, as per one of his album titles.
What is it exactly that you think Jackson or Costello was giving up? Night and Day just crackles with energy and hot rhythms. What is it that is missing? Guitar solos? Come on.
2 - Natalie Davis
Gotta agree with Al: Night and Day was almost completely primo stuff (and even the prophetic, though trite "TV Age" had its charm). Geez, that was one of my favorite albums of 1982; I wore out the first three copies I bought.
3 - Eric Olsen
Reviews are just reviews - don't get all excited. I often change my mind about something, but if I don't I take it as a pretty good sign that I was "right" (as far as my opinion goes)in the first place. I just listened to this all the way through very carefully and I had the exact same reaction as I did 21 years ago: a few great songs (mentioned) and a bunch of filler. The grooves and arrangements are fine - I am not objecting to the general stylistic approach, this has nothing to do with guitars or new wave - but the songs just aren't there on the other tunes, and what I didn't mention is that this record really shows how flat Jackson tends to sing. Jackson's first two are total classics I can listen to ad infinitum, the rest of the career is spotty at best: meandering melodies, indistinct sensibilities, flat vocals, the guy fell off the map other than the occasional song - at least this one has three good songs, that's better than most.
4 - Mark Saleski
eric, you ever listened to Blaze of Glory?
the four tune segment: Acropolis Now->Blaze of Glory->Rant and Rave->Nineteen Forever is (at least to me) one of the high points of his "second half"
5 - Eric Olsen
Mark, a survey of the old collection reveals I do not have Blaze of Glory, though I have "Nineteen Forever" on The Best Of, Millennium collection. Sounds like I should check it out. I freely admit to pretty much giving up on him after the mid-80s, although I have Laughter and Lust from '91.
6 - Eric Olsen
Oops, spoke too soon, I have it on vinyl - I'm not sure if I have ever listened to it though - better get on it.
7 - Mark Saleski
good...and i'll listen to the Saturday Night Fever lp that i discovered during my reorganization project.