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Sound Affects
Studio album by The Jam
Released	28 November 1980
Recorded	15 June–22 October 1980
Genre	Mod revival, post-punk
Length	35:18
Label	Polydor
Producer	Chris Parry, Vic Coppersmith-Heaven
Professional reviews
Allmusic link BBC (favourable) link Salon (favourable) link
The Jam chronology
Setting Sons (1979) Sound Affects (1980) The Gift (1982)

Sound Affects is the fifth album by British rock band The Jam. The cover art is a pastiche of the artwork used on various Sound Effects records produced by the BBC during the 1970s.

Musical influences noted include post-punk groups such as Wire, Gang Of Four, and Joy Division and, particularly evident in Rick Buckler's drumming, Michael Jackson's Off the Wall album. Frontman Paul Weller said at the time that he considered the album a cross between Off the Wall and Revolver. Weller considers it to be The Jam's best work.

The album features the group's second UK number one single, "Start!", built around exact copies of the bassline and guitar solos from The Beatles' "Taxman", the lead cut on Revolver. Polydor pushed for "Pretty Green" to be the first single released, but Weller insisted on "Start!". "Pretty Green" includes a funk bassline and rhythm with melodic guitar breaks and psychedelic sound effects. "That's Entertainment" is an acoustic ballad. "Boy About Town" and "Dream Time" include horns.

Track listing

• All tracks written by Paul Weller except as noted.

Side One:

1. "Pretty Green"
2. "Monday"
3. "But I'm Different Now"
4. "Set the House Ablaze"
5. "Start!"
6. "That's Entertainment"

Side Two:

1. "Dream Time"
2. "Man in the Corner Shop"
3. "Music for the Last Couple" (Rick Buckler, Bruce Foxton, Paul Weller)
4. "Boy About Town"
5. "Scrape Away"

• "Start!" was the first track on Side One of the U.S. issue.

References