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When Joe Jackson made his debut in 1979 he was one of but
a few truly talented and rather quirky singer/songwriters making an impact in a
scene all but overflowing with synthesized new wave, post-punk, left over disco
dance, and arena rock.
What Joe Jackson gave the world on Look Sharp! is a
collection of incredibly infectious pop tracks. While he wasn’t content to be
a pop act, it is what he was clearly best at. His debut is often cited as his
best album to date despite the fact that more than fifteen other works followed.
Look Sharp! is a classic. The songs are timeless and are reflected in many of the
current alt-pop bands and artists who in turn owe a great deal to this often
overlooked pop maestro.
Don’t know Jackson’s music? Don’t be so sure.
Look Sharp! boasts a bevy of outstanding songs not the least of which is the
classic hit Is She Really Going Out With Him?. You know it, you love it.
You can’t help but groove along with the instantly recognizable melody. Sparse
guitars and drums drive the song, not to mention sardonic lyrics.
I wouldn’t ever call Joe Jackson’s lyrics on Look Sharp! profound, but they
are intelligent and often sarcastic-both important elements to really great pop
music. The excellence of this album goes far beyond that one incredible hit
single. Happy Loving Couples is equally as catchy with a classic pop
melody. Upbeat and chipper without becoming irrelevant, it is definitely one of
the best offerings here.
Also amazing is the chunk-chunking pop sparkler Sunday Papers a comment
on the world’s incomprehensively strange fascination with celebrity. Who needs
to leave the house when you’ve got the Sunday Papers. On the surface,
Jackson’s songs on Look Sharp! are upbeat and appealing.
Fools in Love is sprinkled with a bit of reggae
swagger which breaks this album up a bit. It is cool, smooth, and entertaining
at the same time, but with that said Jackson (of course) once again relates the
lyrics in a sarcastic manner and then relates it back to all of us. To him, it
seems that all people in love are fools-but that love is inescapable despite the
fact that he sees it as self-destructive behavior. He gives listeners something
to ponder while entertaining them.
Other particularly notable songs on the original master of Look Sharp! include Got
The Time, Pretty Girls, Baby Stick Around and One More Time.
But listen to the whole album before coming to see a "Look Sharp!"
show it’s worth the time and effort. This is intelligent, masterful pop of the
rarest variety. It hasn’t aged a bit and even today feels like something that
could have been released yesterday just as easily as twenty-five years ago.
In any case, I can’t help but whole heartedly recommend Look Sharp! to all
fans of 1980’s pop music. But not just that, I have to recommend Joe Jackson’s
debut to those who appreciate current incarnations of indie and alt-pop. This is
one of the places it started kids. We're havin' fun now!
The following info is from our friends at the Joe
Jackson Archive.
Be sure to check them out for great Joe Jackson info.
- Jan 1978
Joe leaves Portsmouth England and moves to London.
- Through his demo record Joe nearly signs to United
Artists, but the album is passed to Albion Music. David Kershenbaum of
A&M Records hears it.
- 9 Aug 1978
Joe signs recording deal with A&M
Records. On the same day recording starts at Eden Studios, West London,
for the album LOOK SHARP!. The line-up is identical to the demo
sessions. "Don't Ask Me" and "You've Got The Fever" are
also recorded.
- Sept 1978
The Joe Jackson Band goes on a five-week tour as supporting act to The
Pleasers, a short-lived band from the London area.
- 19 Oct 1978
BBC recording session at Maida Vale studio 4 of "Is She Really Going
Out With Him?" for broadcast on the Tony Blackburn show (Radio 1, 3
Nov).
- 31 Oct 1978
Is She Really Going Out With Him? is released in the UK but doesn't
chart.
- 29(?) Jan 1979
The first album, LOOK
SHARP!, produced by David Kershenbaum, is issued.
- 21 Feb 1979
BBC recording session at Maida Vale studio 4 of "One More Time",
"Got The Time", "Fools In Love" and "I'm The
Man" for broadcast on the John Peel show (Radio 1, 26 Feb).
- 8 March 1979
BBC recording session at the Playhouse Theatre, Hulme, Manchester of
"One More Time", "Sunday Papers", "Fools In
Love" and "Baby Stick Around" for broadcast on the Kid Jensen
show (Radio 1, 20 March).
- April 1979
Joe goes on his first US tour which will end in late May.
- 7 May 1979
One More Time is released in the UK.
- June 1979
Touring in Europe.
- 1 July 1979
In the US Is She Really Going Out With Him? enters the Billboard Top
40, eventually reaching number 21.
- 19 Aug 1979
The reissued single Is She Really Going Out With Him? climbs to
number 13 in the UK.
- 26 Aug 1979
Second US tour starts.
- 25 Sept 1979
Single I'm The Man is released in the UK.
- 5 Oct 1979
Second album I'M THE
MAN, again produced by David Kershenbaum, is released.
- Feb 1980
It's Different For Girls hits UK #5 while Joe tours the UK.
- March 1980
Kinda Kute and The Harder They Come both fail to chart.
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