The Jam - Sound Affects (35th anniversary)

Today (November 28th) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of Sound Affects, the fifth studio album from the Jam. The album spent eleven weeks on the US Billboard Album chart, peaking at number 72.

For my full review of the album, click here.

For more from the Jam, click here.

The Style Council - Café Bleu (30th anniversary)

Today (March 23rd) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Café Bleu, the debut album from the Style Council.

You can click here to read my full review of this 1984 album.

The Jam - Snap!

Tomorrow (October 14th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of Snap!, a double-album compilation from the Jam. This 1983 release followed the band’s split; it featured sixteen of their singles released in the UK, a few B-sides, some new tunes and some rarities.

The Style Council - Introducing the Style Council

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of Introducing the Style Council, the EP that…well…introduced us to the English band the Style Council. The group was made up of Paul Weller - formerly of the Jam, Mick Talbot - formerly of Dexys Midnight Runners, Steve White and Tracie Young. Weller wrote six of the seven songs on this debut.

The Jam - Dig the New Breed

Today (December 10th) marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Dig the New Breed, a collection of live performances from the English rock band the Jam. Spanning the years from 1977 to 1982, this compilation album reached number 2 in the UK and number 131 on the US Billboard Hot 200.

It was also the final release of “new” material by the band before they broke up that same month.

The Jam - The Gift

Today (March 12th) marks the 30th anniversary of the release of the Jam’s sixth studio album The Gift. Despite being the British band’s final studio album before their breakup later that year, it was one of the group’s best selling efforts. While it only went to number 82 on the US Billboard Hot 200, it went to number 22 in Canada, number 14 in the Netherlands, number 10 in New Zealand, and number 1 in the UK (a spot it held for three weeks amidst a top spot run by Barbara Streisand‘s Love Songs).

The Jam - Sound Affects

On November 28th of 1980, the English band called the Jam released their fifth studio album called Sound Affects. The band was heavily influenced at the time by music from other groups like Gang Of Four and Joy Division, as well as albums like Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall. Those influences helped shape the eleven tracks here.

The record was the group’s best selling disk to date, going Gold in their native UK and reaching the number 2 spot on the charts. It also went to number 72 on the US Billboard Album chart, number 39 in Canada, number 17 in Sweden, and number 2 in New Zealand. Q magazine, a UK publication, ranked the album as number 15 on its 40 Best Albums of the 80’s list.

The Style Council - Café Bleu

In 1983, former singer/guitarist for the Jam Paul Weller formed a new group with keyboardist Mick Talbot, drummer Steve White and vocalist Dee C. Lee. They also had studio performers on saxophone, trumpet and violin. Together they were known as the Style Council. Their debut album Café Bleu was released on March 23rd of 1984 and went to number 2 on their native UK charts. Over in the US, the album was renamed My Ever Changing Moods to capitalize on their hit single’s popularity.