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What a Racket!
Pop · 2023 · 11 tracks · 41m

What a Racket!

Joe Jackson

A theatrical revival of Victorian music hall songs performed by a 12-piece orchestra. Witty, brassy, and delightfully out of time.

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Joe Jackson goes full Victorian vaudeville with a 12-piece orchestra and it's surprisingly fun.

A witty and theatrical celebration of forgotten musical history, blending satire with genuine affection for the music hall tradition.

What a Racket! · vs · Joe Jackson
Playful+2.7σ

Playful saturates this record far more than the artist's norm.

Tracklist · 11 Tracks · 41m
01
(Overture): Why Why Why?
4:36
02
The Sporting Life
4:02
03
Dear Old Mum - A London-Irish Lament
4:27
04
Monty Mundy (Is Maltese)!
3:01
05
The Shades of Night
5:11
06
What a Racket!
2:29
07
The Bishop and the Actress
2:35
08
Think of the Show! - A Thespian's Lament
2:44
09
Never So Nice in the Morning
5:07
10
Health & Safety
3:45
11
Worse Things Happen at Sea
3:50
Moments Worth Waiting For
The brass section's punchy, synchronized stabs that punctuate the title track's frantic energy.
The transition from the grand overture into the jaunty, character-driven narrative of The Sporting Life.
The surprisingly tender, swaying orchestral swell during the bridge of The Shades of Night.
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