The Jam’s final record is the one that most delivers on
their mod image. It is rhythmically tight, with Rick Buckler slapping out the
kinds of Benny Benjamin beats dapper modernists shimmied to in 1963. Paul
Weller and Bruce Foxton’s songs are pure pop in the mode of the English groups
that worshipped American soul in the salad days of the Vespa and the ventilated
flack jacket. At times The Jam betray their fealty to their favorite era, as
when Weller skids out Superfly wah-wah licks on “Precious”, but “Trans-Global
Express”, “Running on the Spot”, and the glorious “Town Called Malice” find
these mods at their most modish.
Because it doesn’t peel the paint like In the City and All Mod Cons,
and it doesn’t supply wall-to-wall classics like Sound Affects, The Gift
tends to get marginalized. Without a doubt The Jam’s most electrifying days did
lay in the past. The road ahead was a path of maturity Paul Weller preferred to
travel with his more far-out soul ensemble The Style Council. However, The Gift is a terrific album, heavier of
beat and lighter of heart (musically, if not lyrically) than The Jam of old.
The bonus singles, outtakes, demos, and live performance
from the Wembley Arena that augment Universal Records’ new super deluxe edition
still may not satisfy those who felt The Jam went soft with The Gift, but those curious to hear them
get even deeper into pure soul will be delighted by a euphoric cover of Curtis
Mayfield’s “Move on Up” and a sweet version of The Chi-Lites’ “Stoned out of My
Mind”. The demos on disc two are interesting, though not the raw items one
might expect. The version of “The Bitterest Pill” on this disc is even overlaid
with Muzak strings! The Gift numbers
in the Wembley set feature the same keyboards, horns, and backing singers they
did on vinyl and punky classic such as “Away from the Numbers” and “In the
City” don’t quite snarl the way they did in ’77. Yet what the concert lacks in
rage it makes up for in impeccable, adult showmanship. Plus there’s a cover of
Small Faces’ “Get Yourself Together” on the demo disc that finds Foxton doing
an impressively convincing Steve Marriott impersonation.
The super deluxe edition of The Gift gives a true and complete picture of The Jam in their
final year, and despite what some naysayers say, they went out on top.
(This box set also features a DVD of live, TV, and promo
clips that was not included with the review package I received. Oh well, the audio
discs are still great).
