No, Not Love She Said

I realize it's not cool to like Joe Jackson. But when have I ever been cool?

I have to admit, I'm starting to like the dude's sound. I've heard "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" on the radio quite a lot, and I've noticed his similarity to Elvis Costello's singing style. I also rather enjoy the clever "Look over there (where?) there" part of the song. So, I was already intrigued.

The next step came when I discovered that "Steppin' Out" was by the same artist. I had heard that song on the radio too, and while I think it's a bit dated, I think it's very catchy and melodic. When I found out that Joe Jackson did that one too, I started to get even more curious.

Then, Amazon sent me an email, like they always do, saying that Joe's upcoming album Rain is one I might be interested in hearing. What was the name of that one song? I asked myself. A quick look on Wikipedia and one search on Youtube later, and I had my answer. I also had more Youtube videos of Joe Jackson songs to discover. Wait a minute - "Breaking Us In Two" is by Joe Jackson? Hey, this guy writes good material, I thought.

I've always liked quirky musicians with quirky voices, and Joe fits the bill on both counts. He has a great ear for a pop tune, and is generally respected by critics and those who like quality music. I think I'll have to add myself to the list of admirers.

Where to start? I've heard samples of his debut Look Sharp, and it sounds like a fun time. I'm not so sure about Night and Day, though. I'm thinking, at this point, that my approach may be to buy the debut and the greatest hits later, as well as Joe's latest album. Rain seems to have some really amazing songs, and I really should start buying more new music.

To any Joe Jackson fanatics reading this - is my above album-buying approach a smart one? Or would you recommend that I buy the entire albums instead of the greatest hits?

To hear songs from Joe Jackson's new album, head over to his Myspace. The songs sound amazing!