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Joe Jackson - Rain - Rykodisc

Sounding rested and refreshed, Joe Jackson's new stripped-down album Rain harkens back to the Night And Day era. Always a talented tunesmith, Jackson has given us an album that plays to his strengths.

Utilizing former bandmates Graham Maby and Dave Houghton, Jackson's new album is musically tight and lyrically tough. "King Pleasure Time" and "Good Bad Boy" seem to be throwbacks to the post-punk, early days of MTV when Jackson was becoming a household name. "Invisible Man" and "Too Tough" are quintessential Jackson mature pop pieces, with outstanding playing and memorable melodies.

A very listenable collection, Rain is another chapter in a challenging, multi-layered career.

Written by Dan Reed

XPN Featured Album of the Week January 28, 2008 and CD of the Month for February 2008!