🎵 AotW Joe Jackson - NIGHT AND DAY (SP-4906)

[LPJim]

Joe Jackson
NIGHT AND DAY
A&M SP-4906

SIDE ONE:

Another World 4:00
Chinatown 4:08
T.V. Age 3:45 (Jackson/ Steve Tatler - music)
Target 3:52
Steppin' Out 4:34 (#6)

SIDE TWO:

Breaking Us in Two 4:57 (#18)
Cancer 6:06
Real Men 4:05
Slow Song 7:15

• Arranged By, Orchestrated By – Joe Jackson

• Art Direction – Joe Jackson

• Artwork – Philip Burke

• Backing Vocals – Al Weisman, Grace Millan

• Bass, Vocals, Percussion – Graham Maby

• Congas, Bongos, Timbales, Bells [Orchestra], Xylophone, Percussion, Flute, Vocals – Sue Hadjopoulos

• Coordinator – Paula Greif

• Drums, Timbales, Percussion – Larry Tolfree

• Engineer – Michael Ewasko

• Engineer [Assisted By] – Ken Tracht

• Photography By – George DuBose

• Piano, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes And Yamaha], Organ [Hammond And Gem], Synthesizer [Prophet-5 And Minimoog], Alto Saxophone, Vibraphone, Lead Vocals – Joe Jackson

• Producer, Mixed By – David Kershenbaum, Joe Jackson

• Programmed By [Synthesizer] – Ed Rynesdal*, Jack Waldman

• Written-By – Joe Jackson (except as indicated)

• Ed Rynesdal - violin

• Richaro Torres - percussion

Entered the Billboard Top 200 on July 17, 1982
Peaked at #4 and charted for 57 weeks

Reissued as SP/CD 3334


JB

 

[AM Matt]

One of my favorites from Joe Jackson!! Matt Clark Sanford, MI

 

[jfiedler17]

Easily one of Joe's finest albums. Like most concept albums, not every song works, but those that do are just absolute knockouts, and I think "Steppin' Out" and "Breaking Us in Two" still stand to this day as the best two singles he's ever made. "Breaking Us in Two" in particular just absolutely floors me everytime I hear it, between the brilliant balance of complexity and commerciality in the music and the intelligence of its lyric. And "Steppin' Out" has what may very well be both the catchiest and prettiest melody Joe's ever penned. "Another World" really should have been a huge hit in its own right and is one of the best opening cuts to be found on any Joe Jackson album. And for songs with such wildly uncommercial lyrical content, "Cancer" and "Real Men" both have plenty of ironically beautiful moments in their respective arrangements, be it Joe's piano playing in the verses on the former, or the way his vocal provides a countermelody to the piano chords in the thunderous final moments of each chorus in the latter song.

 

[A&Mguyfromwayback]

Heard "Steppin' Out" in Trader Joe's yesterday.....it still works. The cover art is special too - a lot of style, really reflects the vibe of the album...

 

[Rudy]

Jumpin' Jive and Night and Day were both part of his retaliation against guitars in bands. He'd come off some critical (and commercial) success with his classic Quartet, but Jumpin' Jive came completely out of left field. I remember the first time I played it. I thought that maybe the first track was a novelty song, but it turned out every song on the album was in that old juke box jump blues style. I recently acquired a 45RPM copy of the title track with an otherwise unreleased B-side which is pretty neat.

Night and Day goes into a Latin vibe throughout. A couple of the songs don't always work for me, but the album really digs its heels in with the run of songs "Target," "Steppin' Out", "Breaking Us In Two" and "Cancer." "A Slow Song" is a great nightcap for the album. It is always a nice listen! Lyrically, his songs can be equal bits of irony, humor, anger and/or social awareness. It is interesting how he has mixed up his basic formula over the years.

A good companion to this album is his ill fated soundtrack to Mike's Murder. (Only a snippet or two of his music appears in the film.) Similar in style, with essentially the same lineup IIRC.

 

[Dave]

For a guitar-less group, Joe & company make a very smart & artful combo... Every song is very catchy & after its 30-years, still a classic & the most fun to listen to, of every album Jackson's ever done...!


-- Dave

 

[jfiedler17]

A good companion to this album is his ill fated soundtrack to Mike's Murder. (Only a snippet or two of his music appears in the film.) Similar in style, with essentially the same lineup IIRC.

Very true! "Cosmopolitan" in particular would have fit especially well onto Night and Day.