Disco de Joe Jackson: “Night and Day [Deluxe Edition]”

The Deluxe Editions from haven't really impressed me all that much. With the exception of Elton John's SACD hybrid "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", most of them have had bonus tracks that could have been added to a single disc reissue at a better price. "Night and Day" is no exception. One of Joe Jackson's seminal, best and most popular albums, the 24 bit remastere sounds terrific. The liner notes are a marked improvement over many of the others in the same series although it appears that most of the info and interviews were drawn from older material.

The problem I have is the bonus tracks. While I appreciate having the demos for much of "Night and Day", there isn't a huge or marked difference between them and the finished product. Occasionally the songs will be in slightly different time signatures with a quicker pulse but they resemble the final versions very closely. I could see reissuing "Night and Day" with the demos but A&M took the lazy way out there with the rest of the bonus tracks.

The second disc (aside from the demos) consists of the songs from the underrated "Mike's Murder" and an entire side of "Live 1980-86". While I appreciate having the "Mike's Murder" tracks, why not include the entire album (including the instrumental material) and, perhaps, material that didn't make the album that might have been recorded vs. having live tracks from a CD that most Joe Jackson fans already own? If you're going to reissue the album, include live tracks from the same year as "Night and Day" that didn't make the album. The reason this wasn't done is because A&M wanted to take the simple, inexpensive way out. It's a pity as this had so much more potential.

Still, the sound on "Night and Day" itself is terrific. If you want all of "Mike's Murder" it's available on the "Joe Jackson Collection" an import that has most of his hits spread over two discs and "Mike's Murder" on a third bonus disc. All three discs are also remastered in 32 bit which means they sound warmer and with slightly better clarity than this CD.

"Night And Day" was Joe Jackson's bid for high-brow acceptance after feeling boxed in by the stylistic limitations of New Wave. The liner notes to "Beat Crazy" spoke to an open frustration with rock and roll as an art form, and the "Jumping Jive" ditched any pretense towards rock by serving up a platter of competent big band and swing classics. (Predating the 90's swing revival by better than a decade!)

Those elements, combined with a move from London to New York, inspired Jackson's compositions for his fourth original album. Here, he ditched the red-hot sound of "Look Sharp" for the cool blue of Latin Rhythms and a complete absence of lead guitars. It was as far away from skinny-tie pop as Gershwin was from Ozzy Osbourne. He also decided to conceptualize the album, making side one the "Night Side" and side two the "Day Side."

The more rhythm oriented material appeared on the first half, reflecting Jackson's fascination with the glamour of NYC's nightlife, concluding with his massive hit, "Stepping Out." While songs like "Another World" and the sardonic "TV Age" (a close cousin to "I'm The Man" and "Sunday Papers") made the commentary of Jackson's break from the musical mainstream, the second side was where he proved his mettle as a classic tunesmith. The key ballads, "Breaking Us In Two," "Real Men" and "A Slow Song" hit the bulls-eye in Jackson's aspirations to emulate the great New York songwriters that "Night And Day" so obviously targeted. "Real Men" (eventually covered by Tori Amos) built up to a Phil Spector-worthy climax while questioning gender confusion and homophobia. Along with "It's Different For Girls," it is one of his best ballads, and sums up just how deeply Jackson wanted to pull away from typical pop structures. On "Night And Day," Jackson proved that he was more than just a smart-aleky young rock star.

Unfortunately, the "Deluxe Version" of this album leaves a LOT to be desired. The only song in the demo tracks that is at all revealing is "Breaking Us In Two," played more uptempo and Steely Dan sounding than in its final, more stately form. It is nice to have the "Mike's Murder" vocal tracks in one place, but why include one fourth of an already existing live CD to fill out the disc? It smacks of laziness on Universal's part (and their excuse to take "Joe Jackson Live 1980/86" out of print). There really isn't anything here other than the remastered original album - which sounds absolutely amazing, I must add - to justify the exorbitant price hike.

5 stars for the original album.

3 stars for the unimaginative "bonus" material.

This still remains Joe Jackson's milestone release.

Most likely due to the mix of catchy rhythms and wonderful piano work.

Much of the music is upbeat and fun to listen to, even many years after being released.

Remastering any classic Joe Jackson disc is a great idea, and even greater when re-released as a 2-CD set with bonus tracks and demos. NIGHT AND DAY:DELUXE EDITION not only celebrates his finest hour, it also includes five superb songs from the long-out-of-print 1983 MIKE'S MURDER soundtrack. In addition, the five best cuts from his vital JOE JACKSON LIVE 1980/86 album close it out, introducing new listeners to a remarkable artist at perhaps the loftiest of his many peaks.

Of all of Jackson's ever-changing forays, NIGHT AND DAY is arguably his masterpiece, lyriclly and musically. "Another World," "Target," and "Cancer" each sizzle with percussion-filled Latin jazz stylings and tough, honest commentaries. "TV Age" is the angry young Joe spewing venom over mankind's obsession with the idiot box, while "Chinatown" brilliantly fuses an Oriental sound with a bossanova rhythm.

The smash hit "Steppin' Out" is still its bounciest number, a sharp contrast to the serene mood captured immediately thereafter. "Breaking Us In Two" and "A Slow Song," with its conclusion building to a grand cimax, are utterly gorgeous ballads. But nothing compares to "Real Men;" raising serious questions about the changing societal perceptions of masculinity and femininity, this could be Jackson's most significant tune. Digital remastering of the original analog tapes give NIGHT AND DAY a new-found potency without diminishing its urbane flair.

Keeping in theme with this masterwork, also included are concert recordings from the subsequent Night and Day tour (present on the 2-disc LIVE 1980/86). We get to experience why a Jackson live performance is nothing short of a revelation, as he fearlessly rearranges his studio versions into fresh, exciting interpretations far different from the originals. From an organ-powered "On Your Radio" to a down-tempoed spin of his reggae-ish "Fools In Love," the realization of his vast scope begins to surface. Jackson's classic "Is She Really Going Out With Him" is spectacularly reinvented as street-corner a cappella, while the set-closing "Look Sharp" is explosive, featuring the exceptional percussion work of Sue Hadjopolous. Her presence throughout this era give these already-vibrant songs their distinct personality.

But the cherry-on-top is the inclusion of the MIKE'S MURDER soundtrack. Impossible to locate for nearly two decades, the tracks clearly are an extension of the original Night and Day sessions. The uptempo "Cosmopolitan" sets the tone, while "1-2-3-Go (This Town's a Fairground)," a hit single if ever there should have been, kicks it into overdrive. "Laundromat Monday" combines reggae with smoky lounge jazz, "Memphis" is a thumping, soulful rocker, and the tender ballad "Moonlight" round out this welcome batch of vignettes.

For me personally, Jackson embodies everything I find most irresistable about music: blunt, intelligent lyrics, expert musicianship, and a carefree willingness to blaze his own trails. Hopefully ths mini-"box-set" can introduce others to the work of an amazingly gifted songwriter/ musician: one who's always been a step or two ahead of the curve, and whose genius becomes more obvious every passing year.

At the end of my review of the "Night And Day" CD, I wrote "I wish A&M records would release a special 20th anniversary CD of this classic album." At last, my wish has come true. The deluxe packaging is outstanding, and the extensive liner notes are very informative. The remastering job done on the "Night And Day" CD itself is superb. I must admit that the second CD is a bit more problematic. The six demo songs do not vary significantly from their finished versions, but it is illuminating to hear them as a work in progress. Unfortunately, the booklet lists those six songs out of order! It's also great to have five songs from the obscure "Mike's Murder" soundtrack finally available on CD. "Memphis" is an especially good song, whose organ line and rhythm bear striking similarities to the Spencer Davis Group's classic "Gimme Some Lovin'." Wisely, this collection leaves out the three instrumentals that complete that soundtrack. It's commendable that they also included five live songs from the "Joe Jackson Live 1980-1986" double CD to fill out the second disc. However, I do wish that they had included the three Spanish versions of songs from the Night And Day sessions. Those songs would have easily fitted after the album on the first disc, and would have been a most welcome addition. Despite these shortcomings, I heartily recommend this deluxe edition of Joe Jackson's masterpiece.