Going Underground
January 27, 2015 8:00 amIf The Who and The Kinks are the first two power pop bands, then The Jam was their musical baby.
As one of my two favorite bands of “The New Wave,” The Jam released a string of remarkable singles starting with 1977’s “In The City” and culminating with “Start!” in 1980. To choose any one of them for a Vic’s Pick is easy – to choose ONE of them isn’t. But choose I must.
“Going Underground” is fantastic, biting, slice of razor sharp rock and roll sporting a complex arrangement that never gets in the way of the killer riffs and the “call and response” choruses. On top of all of that, you get timeless and clairvoyant lyrics:
What you see is what you get
You’ve made your bed, you’d better lie in it
You choose your leaders and place your trust
As their lies wash you down and their promises rust…
And the public wants what the public gets.
Oh my.