Originally published in The Aquarian Weekly

January 2, 2008

Joe Jackson / Rain

Rykodisc

It is hard to imagine a popular

music genre that is presently

more out of fashion than piano-

based, jazz tinged rock. Joe

Jackson is determined to

establish a niche for his music,

and to some degree he

succeeds.

Although Jackson is once

again recording with the rhythm

section that has accompanied

him on and off for more than 30

years, bassist Graham Maby

and drummer Dave Houghton,

this is not the propulsive guitar

driven rock characterized by

Jackson's early efforts like "I'm

The Man" or "Sunday Papers".

This music is closer in spirit to

later efforts like "Breaking Us In

Two" or "Steppin' Out".

Jackson's sardonic lyrics and

yearning vocals remain fully intact as

he addresses the fleeting nature of

fame in the opening "Invisible Man",

and the fragility of relationships in

"Wasted Time". On "The Uptown

Train", Jackson recreates the

sound of the Ramsey Lewis Trio

(while borrowing a riff from

Cannonball Adderley), and he

demonstrates that he is still open

to the possibility of love and

redemption on the album's best

track, "Rush Across The Road".

This album is a must for loyal

Joe Jackson fans. It's something

of a mixed-bag for everyone

else.

In A Word: Pianissimo

Grade: B

—by Ken Shane