This Is the Modern World

This Is the Modern World
Studio album by The Jam
Released	18 November 1977
Genre	Punk rock mod revival
Length	31:19
Label	Polydor
Producer	Chris Parry Vic Smith
The Jam chronology
In the City (1977) This Is the Modern World (1977) All Mod Cons (1978)

This Is the Modern World is the second studio album by British band The Jam, released in November 1977, less than seven months after their debut. The front cover photography was by Gered Mankowitz.

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	B+[2]

Despite some contemporary reviewers feeling the record was rushed to capitalise on the success of In the City, the Record Mirror's Barry Cain wrote that "This Is The Modern World reflects a definite PROGRESSION (remember that?) a definite identity mould. Here Weller is making an obvious attempt at creating a Jam SOUND. He succeeds. Brilliantly". Likewise, Chas de Wally, from Sounds, claimed that although "people were trying to tell me that this was a lousy album and The Jam were all washed up, This is the Modern World is one of the best albums I've ever heard in a long time".

Track listing

All songs by Paul Weller unless otherwise noted.

1. "The Modern World"
2. "London Traffic" (Bruce Foxton)
3. "Standards"
4. "Life from a Window"
5. "The Combine"
6. "Don't Tell Them You're Sane" (Bruce Foxton)
7. "In the Street Today" (Paul Weller, Dave Waller)
8. "London Girl"
9. "I Need You (For Someone)"
10. "Here Comes the Weekend"
11. "Tonight at Noon"
12. "In the Midnight Hour" (Steve Cropper, Wilson Pickett)

The US release had a different track order, included the "censored" single version of "The Modern World", and added the single "All Around the World" which was released in the UK between their first two albums. "All Around the World" had been their biggest UK hit to date, peaking at No. 13, a placement they would not match until 1979 when "The Eton Rifles" peaked at No. 3. Thereafter, no domestically released single by The Jam would ever reach a peak position lower than No. 4.

The only single from the album was the censored version of "The Modern World". While it was a minor hit, peaking at No. 36, it failed to capitalise on the success of "All Around the World".

References

1. Woodstra, Chris. This Is the Modern World at AllMusic. Retrieved 3 July 2005.
2. Christgau, Robert (30 January 1978). "Christgau's Consumer Guide: The Jam: This Is the Modern World". The Village Voice. Retrieved 27 February 2012. Relevant portion also posted at "The Jam: This Is the Modern World". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 27 October 2005.