Sound Affects

Not to be confused with sound effects.
Sound Affects
Studio album by The Jam
Released 28 November 1980
Recorded 15 June–22 October 1980
Genre Mod revival, post-punk, Psychedelic Pop
Length 35:18
Label Polydor
Producer Chris Parry, Vic Coppersmith-Heaven
The Jam chronology
Setting Sons
(1979)		 Sound Affects
(1980)		 The Gift
(1982)

Sound Affects is the fifth studio album by British rock band The Jam. The cover art is a pastiche of the artwork used on various Sound Effects records produced by the BBC during the 1970s.

Contents

Influences

Musical influences noted include post-punk groups such as Wire, Gang Of Four, and Joy Division and, particularly evident in Rick Buckler's drumming, Michael Jackson's Off the Wall album. Frontman Paul Weller said at the time that he considered the album a cross between Off the Wall and Revolver. Weller considers it to be The Jam's best work.

Singles

The album features the group's second UK number one single, "Start!", built around exact copies of the bassline and guitar solos from The Beatles' "Taxman", the lead cut on Revolver. Polydor pushed for "Pretty Green" to be the first single released, but Weller insisted on "Start!". "Pretty Green" includes a funk bassline and rhythm with melodic guitar breaks and psychedelic sound effects. "That's Entertainment" is an acoustic ballad. "Boy About Town" and "Dream Time" include horns.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
BBC (favourable)[2]
Salon (favourable)[3]

In 2006, Q magazine placed the album at #15 in its list of "40 Best Albums of the '80s". [4]

Track listing

Side One:

  1. "Pretty Green" - 2:37
  2. "Monday" - 3:02
  3. "But I'm Different Now" - 1:52
  4. "Set the House Ablaze" - 5:03
  5. "Start!" - 2:33
  6. "That's Entertainment" - 3:38

Side Two:

  1. "Dream Time" - 3:54
  2. "Man in the Corner Shop" - 3:12
  3. "Music for the Last Couple" (Rick Buckler, Bruce Foxton, Paul Weller) - 3:45
  4. "Boy About Town" - 2:00
  5. "Scrape Away" - 3:59

Sound Affects was re-issued on November 8th 2010 as a 2 CD Deluxe Edition to celebrate its 30th Anniversary.

CD1 - the original LP.

CD 2 - DEMOS, B-SIDES, ALTERNATE VERSIONS

All songs by Paul Weller except where stated

  1. "Start!"(Single version) - The Jam, Vic Coppersmith-Heaven
  2. "Liza Radley" - The Jam, Vic Coppersmith-Heaven
  3. "The Dreams Of Children" - The Jam, Vic Coppersmith-Heaven
  4. "That's Entertainment" (Alternate)- Peter Wilson, The Jam, Rick Buckler, Bruce Foxton, Paul Weller
  5. "Pretty Green*" (Demo)- The Jam
  6. "Pop Art Poem" - Peter Wilson, The Jam
  7. "Rain" (John Lennon/Paul McCartney) (Demo)- Rick Buckler, Bruce Foxton, Paul Weller, Peter Wilson, The Jam
  8. "Boy About Town*" (Demo)- The Jam
  9. "Dream Time" (Demo)- Rick Buckler, Bruce Foxton, Paul Weller, The Jam, Vic Coppersmith-Heaven
  10. "Dead End Street" (Ray Davies)(Demo)- Rick Buckler, Bruce Foxton, Paul Weller, Peter Wilson, The Jam
  11. "But I'm Different Now" (Demo)- Peter Wilson, The Jam
  12. "Scrapeaway*" (Instrumental)- The Jam
  13. "Start!" (Demo)- The Jam
  14. "Liza Radley" (Demo)- Peter Wilson, The Jam
  15. "And Your Bird Can Sing" (John Lennon/Paul McCartney) (Demo)- Peter Wilson, The Jam
  16. "Monday*" (Alternate)- The Jam
  17. "Get Yourself Together" (Ronnie Lane/Steve Marriott)(Demo)- Peter Wilson, The Jam
  18. "Set The House Ablaze*" (Alternate 'dub' ending)- The Jam
  19. "Boy About Town" (Alternate)- Peter Wilson, The Jam, Vic Coppersmith-Heaven
  20. "No One In The World" (Demo)- Peter Wilson, The Jam
  21. "Instrumental*" (Demo)- The Jam
  22. "Waterloo Sunset*" (Ray Davies) (Demo)- The Jam

References

  1. ^ Allmusic review
  2. ^ BBC review
  3. ^ Salon review
  4. ^ Q August 2006, Issue 241, list
The Jam
Paul Weller · Bruce Foxton · Rick Buckler · Steve Brookes
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