The Jam ‘Classic Box Collection’ Due

Containing their six studio albums

The Jam are preparing to release a 'Classic Box Collection' containing all six of their studio albums.

More than 35 years on from their first forays onto the London gig circuits, The Jam remain one of the most iconic groups in British music. Their street suss, their Mod élan, their mixture of punk energy and rough, early Who style chording remains a template that is difficult to match.

With Christmas fast approaching, Universal have pieced together a new box set aimed at beginner and casual fans. 'The Classic Collection' brings together the band's six studio albums, charting their growth from Woking upstarts to household names.

Released in 1977, 'In The City' was effectively the band's live set at the time – indeed, so strapped were they for tunes that the band slapped down a rough 'n' ready version of the Batman theme tune. 'This Is The Modern World' was released a matter of months later, a document from the white heat of the punk explosion.

Ditching an album's worth of material, the band re-invented themselves with 'All Mod Cons'. A mature, evocative document it allowed The Jam to make perhaps their definitive statement, matching outstanding pop writing with a longing for a fast disappearing Britain.

'Setting Sons' was a concept album of sorts, before 'Sound Effects' found the band chafing against their Mod tag. Gaining enormous commercial success, 'The Gift' hit number one and allowed The Jam to become the first band since the Beatles to perform two songs on Top Of The Pops when 'Town Called Malice' / 'Precious' cracked the charts.

Calling it quits at the absolute height of their career, The Jam left behind a compact legacy which the 'Classic Box Collection' brings together in its entirety. Packaged in individual vinyl-replica CDs with rigid slipcases, this seems to be a nice stocking filler for anyone who wants to explore their work.

The Jam's 'Classic Box Collection' will be released on December 3rd.

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