from USAToday--

Music
Joe Jackson soaks 'Rain' in the tried and true

When Joe Jackson goes back to basics, he means back to bass, drums and piano — a jazz trio lineup adapted to the pop idiom. It's the approach that brought him his biggest album: Night and Day, released 25 years ago. And for new album Rain, due Jan. 29, he has enlisted a rhythm section that goes back with him even further.

Bassist Graham Maby and drummer Dave Houghton were part of the band that recorded Jackson's first album, 1978's Look Sharp. In support of the new album, they plan to tour with Jackson in Europe and the USA next year.

The album, his first of new material since 2003, was recorded in "a very interesting place called Planet Roc," Jackson says. "It had been a major East German radio station. Now half of it is derelict … it's gradually being converted into studios, production companies, things like that. But it has this sort of desolate, communist kind of feeling to it, which I like."

•Ken Barnes

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from JoeJackson.com--

Rain
09/01/2007
Joe's new cd, entitled "Rain", is finished and will be released worldwide by Rykodisc on January 29, 2008. The cd has ten new songs all of which were performed on this last tour. A long tour beginning in March, 2008 will ensue with Dave and Graham. Watch for updates here:

http://www.joejackson.com/index.php

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Product Description
When Joe Jackson went into a Berlin studio with the rhythm section that had accompanied him off and on for nearly three decades (and helped make the classics Look Sharp, I'm the Man and Beat Crazy) he had the most strikingly simple line-up in mind: just piano, bass, drums and his own unmistakable, eternally yearning voice.

With its adventurous spirit and piano-based sound, [title]Rain[/title] boasts plenty of humor, swing and sophistication among barbed social commentary and even some punk-like rocking out.

Deluxe CD digipack includes 40-min DVD of live performances, interview and a rare look behind-the-scenes.

CD
1. Invisible Man
2. Too Tough
3. Citizen Sane
4. Wasted Time
5. The Uptown Train
6. King Pleasure Time
7. Solo (So Low)
8. Rush Across The Road
9. Good Bad Boy
10. A Place In The Rain

DVD
1. Invisible Man (Live From Islington Academy, London)
2. Wasted Time (Live From Islington Academy, London)
3. Good Bad Boy (Live From Islington Academy, London)
4. Making The Record - Rain
5. Interview - Joe Jackson and Alan Bangs
6. Joe's Guide To Berlin
7. Interview with Dave and Graham in Berlin

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WPNKIW/?tag=imwan-20

WOO-HOO!!!

I saw him with that trio set-up at Town Hall in NYC last summer and he played a couple of new tracks from his "forthcoming" album. It's about freakin' time.

It's basically the Joe Jackson Band minus Gary Sanford. He went the trio route on his live Summer In The City album, which is one of my faves. I can't wait for this.

Jackson with Maby usually equals awesome music.

Whoa. I'm a Joe Jackson fan, but he is looking rather freaky in that photo there.

Somewhat like Count D, perhaps??

Bring this on!!!
This should be great.

Count D crossed with Klaus Nomi, more like!

Yeah, somewhere along the line he turned albino...

The version I've been listening to is as follows:

(01) Invisible Man 5:07
(02) Too Tough 4:37
(03) Citizen Sane 4:20
(04) Wasted Time 5:10
(05) The Uptown Train 5:46
(06) King Pleasure Time 2:47
(07) Solo (So Low) 5:55
(08) Rush Across The Road 5:21
(09) Good Bad Boy 3:18
(10) A Place In The Rain 5:20

I've spotted Jackson on the sidewalks of Soho several times over the past few years. Maybe I should mention the new album and see what his reaction is.

Or ask him if he gets his skin bleached at the same place that Michael Jackson does.

# of Discs: 2

Hmmm...

I thought that one, but didn't have the courage to type it!

Joe can look a little freakier, perhaps:

http://www.queenmother.tv/nyc/dale/dale_main.php

Amazon listings regularly screw up the number of discs, so I wouldn't put too much stock into one listing. It is possible though that they could attach a bonus DVD, single or something like that. I wouldn't expect too much in the way of bonus stuff.

One can just about read the tracks on the enlarged jpg image of the cover art.

Not with my eyes, one can't.

You & me both (though it's the singular "eye" in my case!)

It's the same 10 tracks Walter P typed in a few posts up. Guess my four eyes work better than some of your doubles...

I kind of like that retro look of having the tracks listed on the front cover. This cover definitely looks like something that might have come out in the 60's.

I'm a JJ fan from way back so I'm looking forward to this one.

From what I've read about his reactions to fans recognizing/approaching him, my guess is he'll sneer at you and walk away without a word.