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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.

Rain
by Joe Jackson


8.4

based on 13 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 7 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album

Night and Day II

Official Artist Site

Joe Jackson's first record in four years was recorded in Germany.

LABEL:	Rykodisc
RELEASE DATE:	29 January 2008
DISCS:	1 disc
GENRE(S):	Rock

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

PopMatters

Ten very good to great songs, stamped with the signature of a musician who knows what he is about. That, kids, is what we used to call an “album”, and this is a very fine one indeed.

The Phoenix

The recent full-band reunion "Volume 4" was a small triumph, but Rain may be even more satisfying, since it’s the best work Jackson has done with a line-up that’s not strict-rock-band.

Slant Magazine

The winsome 'Too Tough' is the best song here. Like with the rest of the album, it's a joy to deconstruct the song's craft (woah! Nice interlude!), but more of one just to listen.

Billboard

On his first release since reuniting the original Joe Jackson Band in 2004, Jackson is at the top of his game as a writer, singer and player.

All Music Guide

Rain balances sophistication and edgy smarts with a winning mixture of grace and confidence.

Magnet

It’s a simple collection of typically melody-rich songs for piano, bass and drums (Jackson is backed by JJB alums Graham Maby and Dave Houghton) that occasionally swings (“The Uptown Train”) and sometimes lurches like the good old days (“King Pleasure Time”).

Uncut

The emphasis on Jackson's piano is obviously no problem, but his focus drifts from the punchy pop that characterised its predecessor. [Feb 2008, p.81]

Mojo

Most tracks are sophisticated, jazzy pop songs and ballads about relationships, but the angry young man of yore occasionally peeps over the parapet. [Feb 2008, p.102]

musicOMH.com

Ultimately, Rain is slightly too smooth to count as a complete success.

Q Magazine

Rain revisits familiar Jackson themes of romantic disappointment and despair at the modern world with a pared-back immediacy that showcases his craftmanship to the full. [Feb 2008, p.96]

NOW Magazine

Fans won’t be let down by this latest collection of accomplished and almost too-smart songwriting that borrows from the classic sensibilities of piano-based jazz.

Observer Music Monthly

Versatile but erratic, then, though Joe's emotional honesty is never in doubt.

Spin

Paring down his tuneful new-wave pop to a bare-bones piano-bass-drum lineup might not been the best idea for Joe Jackson. [Feb 2008, p.94]

The average user rating for this album is 8.4 (out of 10) based on 7 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jan C. gave it a10:
Rain is a beautiful album. I have been playing it repeatedly since I saw Joe Jackson in concert on Monday. The piano on this album is great. I am coming to love every song on the album but my favorites right now are Rush Across the Road and Uptown Train.

Noreally gave it an8:
Great album. The score of 69 does no justice to an album so well written and so well executed by a man who knows his stuff!

Good Badboy gave it a9:
Any fan of Joe Jackson doesn't really need to read a review of the latest release. He or she knows it's going to be great. Joe just keeps writing and performing beautiful songs that never fit into any one genre neatly. Somehow, his style of being all over the place, taking from every musical culture, has become a style of its own. With each song, he gives back more than he has ever borrowed. This release contains 10 gems that are each as good as anything he has done before. Previous reviews have mentioned various songs as highlights. I really like them all, but I must declare there are three songs that I find to be Joe at his absolute best- The Uptown Train, Invisible Man, and the incredible Rush Across The Road. The cd could only be better (and get a 10 from me) if it had more songs on it! These wonderful ten songs left me yearning for more. I almost felt disappointed when the last song finished. Then I hit the repeat button.

Matt X. gave it an8:
A very solid effort from Jackson, though not his very best.

Tim M. gave it a6:
At first blush, this isn't is best effort, despite using his best band. Repeated listens will likely reveal hidden pleasures. Sounds like the kind of record that will seed some great iTunes playlists in months to come.

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Rain by Joe Jackson

Rain
by Joe Jackson