The 1980 Listening Post - The Jags - Evening Standards

 The Jags - Evening Standards

#84

1980 Housekeeping LISTENING POST DISCOVERY

The Jags

Evening Standards

Genre: WHY DOESN’T THIS STREAM??????

5 out of 5

Highlights:

Back of My Hand

Desert Island Discs

Woman’s World

She’s So Considerate

Little Boy Lost

Single Vision

Evening Standard

(Should I stop? Is there a bad track on this thing????)

Party Games

Tune Into Heaven

The Last Picture Show

The Tourist

That’s the whole record. Not a bad track on it. A matter of the genre. 

From the Costello school of the uncool this band could be the template for The Oneders in “That Thing You Do”. 

I have few words. These guys would have been superrich if the style was in vogue at the time of the Brill Building and they provided songs for other acts. 

This is delicious Power Pop. Does it sound like other Power Pop of the era? Yes. But that don’t make it not good. When this form is at the height of it’s powers it’s amazing. That’s this album. 

Holy hell, these guys can write and play.It’s like discovering Fingerprintz and Dirty Looks for the first time. Is there a faux reggae tune? Of course! There has to be! It’s skinny tie New Wave! Every album’s got one of those. This one is “Woman’s World” and it’s stellar. Do I care that “Little Boy Lost” sounds like Elvis Costello? Nope. He doesn’t own that sound. Do we get this if not for him? I don’t know. There’s a line from the 60s through Elvis into the kettle of Power Pop. This is a ladle full. 

I’m actually angry that this is not available in any other form.