Description
The Jam – Setting Sons – 180 Gram Vinyl Record
By the time Setting Sons arrived in November 1979, The Jam had already established themselves as one of the most vital bands of Britain’s punk and mod revival scenes. But this album marked a shift—Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton, and Rick Buckler weren’t just making fast, fiery rock anymore. This was a record filled with ambition, depth, and a sharper political edge, tackling themes of war, class struggle, and the erosion of youthful ideals. Originally intended as a concept album about childhood friends being torn apart by life’s harsh realities, the idea was never fully realized, but its spirit lingers throughout.
The sound of Setting Sons is tough, urgent, and dramatic, balancing The Jam’s raw energy with more sophisticated production and intricate arrangements. The Eton Rifles became the band’s biggest hit to date, a scathing anthem about privileged elites mocking working-class struggles, with Weller delivering his lyrics like a clenched fist. Thick as Thieves mourns the loss of youthful rebellion, while Private Hell paints a bleak picture of suburban isolation. The influence of Motown creeps in with a tight, punchy cover of Heat Wave, offering a brief moment of levity amid the album’s heavier themes.
Despite its moments of melody and reflection, Setting Sons never loses its intensity. Burning Sky is a biting critique of people who abandon their ideals for corporate success, and Little Boy Soldiers is one of the album’s most striking moments, shifting between tempos as it condemns war and blind nationalism. The production is bigger, sharper, and more layered than their earlier work, but the urgency remains—these aren’t just songs, they’re battle cries.
Critics and fans embraced the album, with Setting Sons reaching No. 4 on the UK charts and cementing The Jam’s status as one of Britain’s most important bands. Some saw it as the beginning of their transition from punk upstarts to serious social commentators, paving the way for the more experimental sounds of Sound Affects and The Gift. Today, it stands as one of their most compelling records—a mix of anger, nostalgia, and frustration, all wrapped in some of the sharpest songwriting of Weller’s career.
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic sealed
Track Listing
Girl On The Phone
Thick As Thieves
Private Hell
Little Boy Soldiers
Wasteland
Burning Sky
Smithers-Jones
Saturday’s Kids
The Eton Rifles
Heat Wave
