Fire & Skill: The Songs of the Jam

Producers include: Steve Craddock, Brenden Lynch, Max Heyes, Beastie Boys, Mario Caldato Jr.
Includes liner notes by Paolo Hewitt.
Personnel: Miho Hatori (vocals); Dean Butterworth (snare drum).
Audio Mixers: Eric Sarafin; Garbage; Graham Hogg; Wally Gagel; Buffalo Tom.
Photographer: Jill Furmanovsky.
The Jam was the punk successor to the Kinks, Small Faces, and the Who, known for its punchy instrumental work and Paul Weller's politically and class-conscious lyrics. Though hugely popular in England, the trio only achieved cult status in America. Despite this fact, a handful of acts from the colonies check in to pay tribute to these UK icons.
Not surprisingly, the Gallagher Brothers lead the charge as elder sib Noel delivers a poignant version of the fall-from-fame "To Be Someone" while Liam teams up with Ocean Colour Scene's Steve Cradock on an echo-heavy reading of the obscure "Carnation." Much of FIRE & SKILL includes faithful renditions of the Jam as delivered by Reef ("That's Entertainment"), Ben Harper ("The Modern World"), and Gene ("Town Called Malice"). Among the more interesting deviations from the originals are Garbage's postmodern trip-hop rendition of "The Butterfly Collector," the Beastie Boys' stripped-down and funked-up "Start!" (featuring Cibo Matto's Miho Hatori on vocals), and Everything But the Girl's delicate treatment of "English Rose." The cherry on the top of this tasty musical sundae is a hidden track of Paul Weller crooning "No One in the World."