Album review: BRUCE FOXTON – Smash The Clock

Pledge Music [20.05.16]

I have to admit to not being a Jam aficionado, or of Paul Weller for that matter. Like everyone I’m familiar with the Jam hits, and have dabbled in some of Weller’s solo releases, and while there’s always some great material I’ve always found both frustratingly inconsistent or at least to my tastes.

So I did wonder whether I was the right person to review this second ‘solo’ release from, Bruce Foxton which, in all but name is ‘From The Jam’ Foxton’s latest vehicle. So it would be unfair not, in the same breath, to refer to his cohort in crime, singer and guitarist Russel Hastings who is as central to the release as Foxton. His name, alongside Foxton’s, does appear as that of the clock manufacturer’s on the album artwork. You wonder why, therefore, it’s marketed under Foxton’s sole name.

The lid’s being tightly kept on the album prior to release so songwriting credits and personnel detail are scant. All we know is that the material was co-written by Hastings, the album was recorded at Weller’s Black Barn studios, and the man himself, as well as luminaries Wilko Johnson and Paul Jones, make guest appearances.

Foxton says that the meaning of the title track ‘Smash The Clock’ is simply that ‘good music is ageless and timeless’ and that’s exactly what he and Hastings have come up with here; thirteen tracks that transcend the decades.

Inevitably there’s various flavours of Jam spread throughout the set not least in Hastings’ vocal style – without ever sounding overly derivative. It’s just damn fine pop/rock songs, laden with hooks, that hark back to the great songsmiths of the ’60s like The Small Faces, The Who, and The Stones, journeying through the Jam years, and even those of the Style Council years on the brass infused numbers like ‘Now The Time Has Come’.

Foxton and Hastings may not thank me for saying it, but this is probably the best album Paul Weller never made. It may even make a few re-evaluate the perceived division of talent in The Jam. Faultless. *****

Review by Pete Whalley

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

Next session: Sunday 19 January

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)