REVIEW: Various Artists, Fire & Skill The Songs of The
Jam
- Bob Gajarsky
The Jam may have been the most successful British act since Cliff Richard not to have even a touch of American success. Name checked by nearly every significant British band of the last 20 years, the Mod-revivalist trio which derived their initial sound from an odd amalgamation of the Beatles, Who, Small Faces and Stax / Motown was a fixture at the top of the UK charts. British youths of the seventies were reared on the group and the 'new' Mod scene with the same spirit as the punks, but completely different wardrobe. Yet while the band were conquering the civilized world, they were proclaimed decidedly "too English" to dominate the United States, and their lack of success here remains one of the greater musical mysteries of the 20th century.
Although they only recorded six albums from 1977-1982, that collection yielded nine Top 10 UK singles, including four Number Ones. Lead vocalist Paul Weller kept his name at the top of the music scene after the breakup of the Jam with his soulful Style Council and later, as a solo act and the leader of the playfully coined "Dad Rock", which spawned groups such as Ocean Colour Scene.
In that light, it seems appropriate that the leadoff track of Fire & Skill includes the appearance of OCS' Steve Cradock, along with Oasis' vocalist Liam Gallagher. Together, the duo dissect the lesser-known "Carnation" and turn it into a psychedelic Beatles tune. Garbage do likewise on the B-side "The Butterfly Collector". And never one to ignore the opportunity to disassemble a song, the Beastie Boys turn "Start" into a Hammond organ-driven futuristic near-instrumental, with sparse vocals ("If I never ever see you...again") from Cibo Matto's Miho Hatori.
Reasonable good facsimiles of the original come from the group once proclaimed the next Smiths, Gene, on the Motown-influenced "Town Called Malice", Reef's gruff interpretation of the song that every British band learns to play ("That's Entertainment"), and Ben Harper's "Modern World".
Some of the Jam's songs work on a slower, even-keeled pace. Buffalo Tom offer a gripping, clearly-pronounced version of "Going Underground", while Everything But The Girl offer a solem and delicately beautiful cover of "English Rose" - surprising given EBTG's venturing into dance beats. And while the collection opens with one Gallagher from Oasis, it 'officially' closes with the other - songwriter Noel, with just an acoustic guitar, on "To Be Someone". Unofficially - or for those willing to listen all the way through, there's a hidden track pairing Weller and Craddock on the Jam's Extras-only "No One In The World".
Further uncredited instrumental backing from Paul Weller appears throughout, showing that while Weller may have an aversion to playing 'his' songs live in concert, he is still willing to revisit the past on album.
The last tribute album to a significant British group - the Clash - failed because the names associated with the project didn't bring their A game to the studio. Fortunately, Fire & Skill avoids that disastrous fate.
