Joe Jackson was so great. So much more than "the dollar store version of Elvis Costello" that music history seems to have relegated him to. Breaking us in two and Stepping out should atleast be considered modern classics.

agreed, I like Joe over Elvis.

Right and Wrong is probably my favorite song by him.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

His early records, like I'm The Man & Look Sharp, are a lot like Elvis' early stuff (sexually frustrated angry young nerd pop punk), but after Night & Day, he's nothing like Elvis.

Still, Look Sharp is a classic, Elvis-like or not. Big World is a pretty good record, too--the one with Right & Wrong.

Joe's problem is that he may suffer from over-ambition. I don't think Elvis' reach ever exceeded his grasp, but Joe's might have at times.

Ahead of his time, however in his heyday he did enjoy some deserved commercial success with "Steppin' Out".....definitely an individual and unfair to compare him to Costello.

"Night and Day" is in my top five albums of all time. No joke.

Other than that, Look Sharp and I'm the Man (to a lesser extent) are very good albums. Night and Day 2 also hangs together as a pretty good album. The rest of his catalog is hit and miss, but I think everyone of his "pop"ish albums are worth hearing. Blaze of Glory (from 1989) is an underrated album, and Joe Jackson Band Volume 4, from a couple years back is also quite good.

For an introduction though, I would highly recommend the 2 disc set "Steppin' Out: The Very Best of Joe Jackson". Covers all the bases.....