was heavily influenced by reggae music, which, in a June 1979 interview, Jackson said he was "totally immersed in".

[7] Jackson also sought to capture a spontaneous feel on the album; he reflected at the time, "A lot of the tracks are first takes and there are no overdubs, though we think now it is a bit thin.

in Britain (as well as a single release in the US), the album grew in popularity, reaching the top #20 in America.

[6] After the performance of the first album, the band quickly recorded a follow-up, I'm the Man, which has been described by Jackson as "Part Two of Look Sharp!"

Upon arriving at the South Bank, Griffin noticed a shaft of light landing on the ground and asked Jackson to stand there: the whole process took no more than five minutes.

[11] Some observers didn't understand the tongue-in-cheek nature of Jackson's choice of title and cover art—an early reviewer in New Musical Express said they "suggest an obsession with style" and sniffed that Jackson sported "a pair of white side-lace Denson winklepickers that are, unfortunately, not nearly as cool as he evidently thinks they are".

[12] As time went on, journalists became more familiar with his youthful lack of interest in fashion, and The Face noted how most agreed with the general summation of him as a "sartorial disaster area".

"[16] John Rockwell in The New York Times picked it as the ninth best album of that year, stating that it was "Power pop at its refreshing best.

is the sound of a young man searching for substance in a superficial world -- and it also happens to rock like hell.

the 17th best new wave album, with staff writer Mark Lore stating that it "ranks right up there with early records from another brainy, pissed-off songwriter called Elvis Costello, bursting with frustration and spazzy pop songs".

was re-released in 2001 with two bonus tracks, "Don't Ask Me" and "You Got the Fever", the respective B-sides of the singles "One More Time" and "Is She Really Going Out with Him?