"Setting Sons" is the fourth studio album by the English rock band The Jam, released on November 16, 1979, by Polydor Records. Upon its release, it reached No. 4 on the UK Albums Chart, continuing the commercial and critical success that had started with their previous album All Mod Cons. The album's sole single, "The Eton Rifles," became the band's first top 10 hit in the UK, peaking at No. 3.
Musically, Setting Sons represents a departure from the pop-oriented style of All Mod Cons, featuring a much harder, tougher production while maintaining the emphasis on melody that was characteristic of The Jam's sound. Paul Weller originally conceived the album as a concept record, intended to tell the story of three boyhood friends who reunite as adults after an unspecified war, only to find that they have grown apart. However, the concept was not fully developed, and it remains unclear which songs were meant to be part of the story. It is commonly agreed that tracks like "Thick as Thieves," "Little Boy Soldiers," "Wasteland," and "Burning Sky" may have been part of this narrative. Bootlegs of the album suggest that "Little Boy Soldiers" was intended to be a recurring motif, with different sections of the song appearing throughout the album.
The album also featured ambitious musical arrangements. "Little Boy Soldiers" is noted for its multiple movements, drawing comparisons to works by The Kinks. "Wasteland" includes an unconventional recorder section, and "Smithers-Jones," originally released as the B-side to "When You're Young," was re-recorded for the album with an all-strings arrangement, credited to "The Jam Philharmonic Orchestra," though played by session musicians. This re-working of the song was reportedly suggested by drummer Rick Buckler.
While the album's concept was not fully realized, Setting Sons was still musically ambitious. The album also includes a cover of Martha and the Vandellas' "Heat Wave" and two previously released tracks: "Smithers-Jones" and "The Eton Rifles," the latter having been released as a single before the album came out. This left only seven entirely new original tracks on the album. The liner notes of the Direction Reaction Creation box set suggest that the album was rushed, which may explain why the concept was not fully explored.
Setting Sons was released differently in various international markets. The Canadian version of the album featured 12 tracks, while the U.S. version, released by Polydor, reversed the sides and added "Strange Town" between "Girl on the Phone" and "Thick As Thieves."
The album's cover art features a photograph of Benjamin Clemens' bronze sculpture The St John's Ambulance Bearers cast in 1919. The sculpture, which depicts a wounded soldier being carried by two ambulance workers, is currently in the collection of the Imperial War Museum in London.
