I am a huge fan of Jackson's 1982 album, Night and Day, and stayed with him until 1986's Big World. Then he went off to score films and write "serious" music. When the mediocre Night and Day II came out in 2000, I bought it because of my love for the original, but it wasn't good enough to warrant buying future Jackson albums. So, when Volume 4 came out in 2003, it wasn't on my watch list. But when it started getting good reviews which called it his best album in 20 years, I picked up a copy. It's not the earth-shattering comeback I had hoped for, but it's got a few great pop songs on it. It could have possibly had more but Jackson calls it quits after only 44 minutes, apparently unaware of the capacity of the new-fangled compact disc technology. Since it's Jackson's 19th release, the title requires a little explanation: this is the first recording with Jackson's original band since 1980. It's the quartet's 4th album.
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Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart
Peak on the Billboard Top Independent Albums chart: #8
Tracks: The disc starts off with three good songs: Take It Like A Man, Still Alive, and Awkward Age. Also good is Little Bit Stupid. Skip-worthy are Fairy Dust and Blue Flame. Thugz 'R' Us is fun, but it's just a ska novelty song. Also included is a bonus CD of live material from a 2002 UK tour with material from the band's first two albums. Normally I listen to the first three tracks then move on to the live bonus disc. The obvious favorites from the bonus disc are Is She Really Going Out With Him? (Look over there! WHERE?) and I'm The Man. Curiously, the bonus disc is touted as a "limited edition" which is still available now, 8 years after the CD's release. Did they mean limited to the first million copies?
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None
Tracks: The disc starts off with three good songs: Take It Like A Man, Still Alive, and Awkward Age. Also good is Little Bit Stupid. Skip-worthy are Fairy Dust and Blue Flame. Thugz 'R' Us is fun, but it's just a ska novelty song. Also included is a bonus CD of live material from a 2002 UK tour with material from the band's first two albums. Normally I listen to the first three tracks then move on to the live bonus disc. The obvious favorites from the bonus disc are Is She Really Going Out With Him? (Look over there! WHERE?) and I'm The Man. Curiously, the bonus disc is touted as a "limited edition" which is still available now, 8 years after the CD's release. Did they mean limited to the first million copies?
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None
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