Joe Jackson has made some legendary albums in his day. Curiously, the king of quirky piano-driven new wave angst has traveled the same path as his contemporaries like THE PRETENDERS and ELVIS COSTELLO, dispensing album after album of watery, 'grownup music', flirting just enough with the essence of classic albums to bait old fans.

It would be foolish to expect the quality of "I'm The Man" or "Body and Soul" at this point, but the production abrades patience from the very beginning with an office-friendly BRUCE HORNSBY & THE RANGE piano tone taking center stage. The Muzak-style arrangements of "Too Tough" or the geriatric "Wasted Time" represent the perfect background music during introductions at a wedding reception, but there's not a lot of grinning, quick-witted, hook-heavy madness like Joe offered us earlier in his career.

Bright spots include the passionate vocal performance of "Solo (So Low)", and the herky-jerky "Good Bad Boy". But even these are difficult to enjoy with a full smile, as the adult contemporary production style really throws a wet blanket over the whole affair. It's music for hotel lobbies, for 'serious music critics' to discuss in a bookstore while sipping four-dollar espressos. It's music for the people that ask you questions like, "Is IRON MAIDEN actually still together?" and it's available for the bargain price of $17.09 at your local big-chain retailer. And please, let's leave the singing along to the professionals, okay?

- Marchman

OFFICIAL SITE: www.joejackson.com

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