release date: Oct. 10, 2005
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,53]
producer: Paul Weller & Jan 'Stan' Kybert
label: V2 - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 1. "Blink and You'll Miss It" (4 / 5) (live) - 2. "Paper Smile" - 3. "Come On / Let's Go" - 5. "The Start of Forever" - 9. "I Wanna Make It Alright" - 10. "Savages" (live on later)
8th studio album by Paul Weller (released in North America by independent Yep Roc Records) follows his covers album Studio 150 (Sep. 2004). Here, Weller is back as main songwriter and composer and back with producer Jan Kybert from his near-mediocre 2004 album.
The cover may suggest a close link to his time with The Style Council but this is anything but a sophisti pop release, in fact it's a rather strong album from Weller with fine pieces of mod revival, his familiar pop soul textures in a pop / rock context with stress on rock and singer / songwriter, which also points back to his later years with The Jam.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, NME 3,5 / 5, The Observer 3 / 5 stars ]
