"Beat Crazy" was the third album released by Joe Jackson but the first that was credited to the Joe Jackson Band. Both "Look Sharp !" and "I'm The Man" were intelligent new wave/power pop which sold well and received much critical acclaim, with Joe Jackson being bracketed with Elvis Costello and Graham Parker. Two ballads, "Is She Really Going Out With Him ?" and "It's Different For Girls" were top twenty hits.
"Beat Crazy" didn't sell well, with explanations ranging from that there was no hit from the album to draw in sales, to the shift to a more reggae/ska influenced style of music put off potential buyer. The sticker on the cover shows that WH Smith had discounted the price from £4.99 to £2.49 to £1.25 to get rid of their stock when I purchased my copy !
I can't remember whether I liked this album or not. More confusion set in when I looked at the track listing as I could have sworn that "Kinda Kute" was on this album, but that song is actually on "I'm The Man". The only track I could recall how it went was "Pretty Boys" and I had a vague recollection of the chant "Beat Crazy" in the title track.
Having now sat through all eleven songs in one sitting my reaction was one of disappointment. Whilst there are plenty of well-crafted and clever lyrics, there is a shortage of killer tunes. It is dark and mostly moans and complaints. Joe certainly seemed to have a lot of anger to be released.
Being generous, there are 5 songs that I could bear to listen to again, whilst I have already forgotten the other six. The first two songs on side one are about as good as it gets.
"Beat Crazy" starts with a scream over the Duane Eddy style guitar intro. A reggae beat kicks in with the melodic verses sung by bass player Graham Maby with Jackson providing support. Its a sort of call and response duet but not in any sense that the B-52s might recognise. Lyrically, the youth of the day are either too busy enjoying themselves or too drugged up to fight for any cause. "Smoking LSD and such, it must be the reason why they can't talk much" & "If the Russians should ever come, they'll all be beating bongo drums"
Totally out of context with the rest of the album, "One To One" is a soulful piano ballad where Joe is frustrated over his lady's good causes and activism that leave her little time for him. "You were at the Monday Club or a Communist demonstration, who cares. You're going somewhere everyday, vegetarians against the Klan, every women against every man" & "I agree with what you say, but I don't want to wear a badge, I don't wanna wave a banner like you". I can almost see The Beautiful South singing this song.
There are three reasonable songs on side two. "Someone Up There" has The Jam style pulsating bass, and a pleasant backing vocals in the chorus.
"Biology" has a menacing Stranglers type bass riff leading into a ska beat with pounding drums. After "Hello, I'm Back again, I
haven't seen you since I don't know when", Jackson tries to explain his being unfaithful is an act of nature, "It's not a process controlled by the brain" only to get stung in the third verse with the
role reversal from the girlfriend "Now I feel no shame about Dave and Tony and Phil and James". There are hints of "Is she only going
out with him" in the lead up to when Joe sings "B.I.O.L.O.G.Y can't you see ?"
"Pretty Boys" is a lively ska song with extensive use of a melodica in the lengthy outro. It sounds a lot like Bad Manners.
Of the rest ? Well, "In Every Dream Home ( A Nightmare )" is vaguely in the style of dub. It is slow and tries to conjure a creepy atmosphere, but despite some decent bass playing, it's terrible, and virtually unlistenable
"The Evil Eye" has an uptempo, ska beat but is very dull.
At over 6 minutes long "Mad At You" is forgettable, with an over long dub reggae coda. The first half of the song is an angry rush over a reggae/ska rhythm. Apparently the album version is twice as long as the single, which was the first song released from the album. Unsurprisingly, it failed to chart.
"Crime Don't Pay" sounds unfinished. It begins was some more jaunty Duane Eddy style guitar, whimsical piano and organ for a 1 minute 20 intro. Jackson sings for just under a minute after which there is long jazzy piano, organ and synthesizer outro.
"Battleground" is simply embarrassing. It is mostly spoken words as dub poetry but apart from it being an awful song, there is an over use of the "n" word even if prefixed by either black or white. I don't know if Jackson was trying to be controversial but if it was released today there would be an outcry and probably banned. There is a dedication to Linton Kwesi Johnson, who presumably would have been aghast to be associated with this drivel.
"Fit" is a slow dirge about not fitting in. On the positive side, it has a nice guitar motif and a reasonable guitar solo, the only one on the entire LP. It is the best of the rest, but the bar isn't very high.
Track Listing :
Side One :
1. Beat Crazy
2. One To One
3. In Every Dream Home ( A Nightmare )
4. The Evil Eye
5. Mad At You
1. Crime Don't Pay
2. Someone Up There
3. Battleground
4. Biology
5. Pretty Boys
6. Fit
Released 1980
UK Chart Position : 42
Mad At You ( - 1980 )
One To One ( - 1980 )
Beat Crazy ( - 1981 )
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