The Joe Jackson Band -- Vol. Four (Restless Records 2003)
by Randy Krbechek
The thing about Joe Jackson is, he makes music on his own terms. Ask what kind of music he performs, and you have to answer in broad terms - bright pop songs, love-torn ballads, classical instrumentals.
Vol. Four finds him reunited with his original band: Graham Maby on bass, Gary Sanford on guitar, and Dave Houghton on drums. This is the crew that played together from 1978 to 1980, recording such studio gems as "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" and "Sunday Papers."
The band re-formed in the fall of 2002. Says Joe, "I knew these guys were good but they've surpassed all my expectations. The album is high-energy, fun, and in the spirit of the first couple of albums, but more mature. I'm a better writer now, and a better singer. But I've still got a 32-inch waist."
[To tell the truth, I always liked Joe's later work better, particularly when he formed the amazing band (including Joy Askew) that culminated in Blaze of Glory.]
When I read that Joe was playing in San Francisco, with Mary Lee's Corvette on the same bill, I couldn't resist. It turns out that Joe has a remarkably enthusiastic fan core, even after 25 years: the show at The Fillmore was sold out.
And so I heard Joe perform most of Vol. Four with an absolutely polished and dead-tight band. Tracks like "Take It Like a Man" and "Fairy Dust" show four-piece power pop at its best, while "Love At First Light" allows Joe to work in a ballad theme.
The best song on the album is "Awkward Age." I'll even pin it down for you - go to about 2:15 into the song. That's the part where Graham Maby lays down on of his classic bass riffs. I was moved to a different place when they got into this groove in concert.
Over the years, Joe has continued to work with Graham Maby (who also recorded with Natalie Merchant) while Gary toured and recorded with Aztec Camera and Kirsty MacColl, while Dave Houghton stayed out of the spotlight, teaching drums and playing in the south of England. Vol. Four represents Joe's first work with Dave since 1980.
Adds Joe, "I think that you need to get to a certain point of maturity to be able to indulge in nostalgia. Ten years ago I would have laughed at the idea, because I was still evolving...At first I thought it would be kind of cheesy, but then I realized I had written a bunch of songs that would work quite well for the band."
Also included is a second disk, with six live tracks recorded in September 2002. This live material sounds a great deal like the band I saw at The Fillmore.
Some folks have been raving about the Joe Jackson shows. People in the audience saying, "I've been waiting years to hear this stuff again." Personally, I best loved the Blaze of Glory show, when Joe came out and played the whole album live, at an outdoor venue on a beautiful fall evening.
But enough of reminiscing (which is what Vol. Four entices). Joe Jackson can still write and record a terrific album, be it in a power pop vein, a classical vein, or in a three-piece jazz mode (as in the sinfully overlooked Summer in the City). Joe won't set sales records with Vol. Four. He doesn't have to. The fans are there, and will never leave him.
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-- Randy Krbechek
