The Jam “All Mod Cons” 1978. The Jam’s third album, All Mod Cons went to #4 in the UK and several British publications rank it among the best British albums ever released (it failed to crack the main US charts). I’ve had Britain/London on my mind all week so spinning The Jam seemed pretty obvious, with Paul Weller (“The Modfather”) the recipient of the “Best British Male” award (twice!) and a huge influence on the 90′s Britpop resurgence. All Mod Cons is a pop celebration and commentary on England, and London in particular, with tracks like “English Rose,” “David Watts” (a cover of the Kinks, The Jam’s version went to #25 in the UK as a double-A-side single with “’A’ Bomb in Wardour Street” which also appears on All Mod Cons, named for a street in Soho, London; the track mentions the Vortex Club location the street, a venue where punks and new-wavers performed at the time) and “Down in the Tube Station at Midnight.” “Down in the Station” went to #15 in the UK and was a song I found myself singing (under my breath) several times a couple of summers ago in London while riding the tube (though technically never at midnight, that’s way too late for me!). The flip-side to the single was a cover of the true Modfathers The Who’s “So Sad About Us.” I also really love “Billy Hunt” and the title track “All Mod Cons” which is a play the British advertising phrase for modern conveniences and The Jam’s position as mod revivalist heroes.