1979 Joe Jackson album. His first, and a big hit--everyone knows Is She Really Going Out with Him?--it was a refreshing change from the sappy disco that saturated the late 70s airwaves.

The album is a masterpiece of 3-minute pop songs. The origninal Joe Jackson band consisted of Joe doing singing and playing the piano and melodica, Graham Maby on bass and backing vocals, Dave Houghton on guitar, and Gary Sanford on drums. This lineup recorded a total of 3 albums.

The cover is also an icon of late '70s rock--a black and white photo of Joe's white shoes and black pants with wonderful chiaroscuro. You've seen it if you've been in a music store in the last 22 years.

Tracks are:

• One More Time
• Sunday Papers
• Is She Really Going Out With Him?
• Happy Loving Couples
• Throw It Away
• Baby Stick Around
• Look Sharp!
• Fools In Love
• (Do The) Instant Mash
• Pretty Girls
• Got The Time

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And later, an album by Roxette, the band headed up by a spikey-haired blonde who's name escapes me, that you may remember from the late 80's. Their brief time in the spotlight was due to two or three hit singles reaching the top 40 and pouring out from pop radio stations nationwide. One such track was "Listen to Your Heart," a song that depressed me after the abrupt ending of one of my 2-week long junior high 'relationships'.