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The Joker
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Barnes and Noble
The Joker
Current price: $13.99
Barnes and Noble
The Joker
Current price: $13.99
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is, without question, the turning point in
's career, the album where he infused his blues with a big, bright dose of pop and got exactly what he deserved: Top Ten hits and stardom. He also lost a lot of fans, the ones who dug his winding improvs, because those spacy jams were driven by chops and revealed new worlds.
isn't mind-expanding, it's party music, filled with good vibes, never laying a heavy trip, always keeping things light, relaxed and easygoing. Sometimes, the vibes are interrupted, but not in a harsh way -- the second side slows a bit, largely due to the sludgy
and
the two songs that were recorded live but lacking any kinetic energy -- but for the most part, this is all bright and fun, occasionally truly silly, as on
This silliness, of course, alienated old fans all the more, but that sense of fun is both the most appealing thing about
and it set a touchstone for the rest of his career. Here, it's best heard on the terrific opener
and, of course, the timeless title track, which is sunny and ridiculous in equal measure. If nothing else is quite up to that standard in terms of songs -- certainly, it's not as jammed-pack as its successor,
--
nevertheless maintains its good-time vibe so well that it's hard not to smile along...provided you're on the same wavelength as
, of course. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine