By autumn 1978 I thought The Jam were also rans. Two average albums with a couple of decent songs on, and a couple of minor hits. I saw them headline the Reading Festival that summer, and felt it was a lacklustre performance. They've peaked and had their moment.
I've since heard a recording of that set, and it's good. Perhaps festival acoustics, and other things colour my memory. Anyway, back at University for the second year and there's another attempt by The Jam. Somehow it seems that All Mod Cons was the soundtrack for the rest of that year.
What an album - the short title track as a statement of intent before we pile in with To Be Someone, an anthem for disaffected youth. Mr Clean embraces the punk ethos ("and if I get the chance I'll fuck up your life") and there's the hit single, the cover of The Kinks' David Watts. Now, what's going on here? A quiet acoustic love song? (English Rose - the grammar still irks - it's 'from her', Paul). Then it's a run of top-notch pop songs, In The Crowd (bit of a guitar solo, there), Billy Hunt, and the very sixties It's Too Bad. On the original LP, the guitar run out on Crowd ends side one, before Billy Hunt blasts back in on side two - you don't get that effect on CD.
Into the final third now, and in classic style, we're taken down a few decibels for the lovely Fly and The Place I Love, before being pushed back up for the finale. "A" Bomb In Wardour Street would have been a solid enough rocking conclusion, but Weller has to top that with the power and menace of Down In The Tube Station At Midnight.
It's a fantastic album, the first one where it really all falls together, and Weller's more mature songs get the treatment they deserve. Spoiler alert - I was wrong about The Jam and they became mega-stars, certainly the biggest band in the country at one time.
5* - it's a classic and I love it and don't return to it often enough
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