Search - Joe Jackson :: Live 1980-86

Which Joe Jackson do you like?

Arye Mirovski | Haifa Israel | 10/29/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the best rock musicians, and one of the most underestimated. Jackson can do any music style he wants, and do it good. Listen to the 3 versions of "Is she really going out with him" - there's a good demonstration to that. This dbl. CD album takes us to his best years, 1980-86, from the beginning in England to the breakthrough in America. From his days of punk rock to the acoustic-jazz oriented music. This album is better than "Summer in the city" (although Summer is a-5 star album too), and much more richer, and I wish I could have more of JJ live, cause the man doesn't stop to surprise me. Anyway, this is the time to mention 2 more great albums of his, besides the well known "Night and Day" and "Look sharp!": try "Big world" and the soundtrack of "Tucker" (don't try the soundtrack of "Mike's murder" that sounds like the weakest side of "Night and Day"). If you are bored by the uninspired musicians today, try JJ. You won't be sorry."

The best "taste" of what Joe Jackson is about.

John S. Harris | 10/16/1998

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I did not usually like Live albums, you lose alot in the translation, but this one really captures Joe Jackson's ability to snare the imagination of those that were there. He includes songs from all parts of his tours throughout 6 years of touring. At the risk of sounding like a syrupy record reviewer, this album is as close as you can come to being able to step out, look sharp and reach back to the fun times when music was not pressed out of the same cookie cutter. Hey, I fell in love with my wife to Slow Song...we actually used it to dance to at our wedding. That is about as sentimental as I get, so this must have something to it!!! Enjoy..."

Unique Approach To A Live Album Will Appeal To True Fans

Eric R. Last | San Bruno, CA United States | 11/19/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

""Live 1980-1986" is assembled like 4 separate live E.P.s rather than a traditional live album. Each of the two discs presents two different tours, so four are represented in total. Each tour gets 5 or 6 songs. The bands are different for each tour so it's easy to trace the evolution in Jackson's approach to music making. Casual fans may be put off by the fact that the versions of his two biggest hits are all quite different from their original studio incarnations. He gives three different takes on "Is She Really Going Out With Him", and frankly, none of the three appeal to me nearly as much as the original. On his other big hit, "Steppin' Out", he slows the song down dramatically, and the result is hypnotic - it's my second favorite cut on the album. My favorite is "Fools In Love", which is played at a slow tempo similar to the original, but is fleshed out and stretched out to over 7 minutes. Most of the other tracks stick closer to their original arrangements, but with some interesting variations, such as the punchy horns added to "Sunday Papers". I think this collection is a great souvenir for the true believers, but I think those with only a casual interest in Jackson's music will find it unessential."