Magnificent echoes of Traffic, Free, Clapton ...

I have to confess that this is the only Paul Weller album I own. Frankly I loathed the Jam like I loathed every band that I assumed was part of the punk movement that set serious, well-played rock music back 20 years. I never liked Paul Weller's persona.

But this album is utterly magnificent, recalling much that was great about 60s/70s RnB music. It would seem that before writing this album, Paul Weller thoroughly absorbed the entire Traffic portfolio. Take the achingly beautiful 'You Do Something to Me': the piano chord sequence is very, very similar to 'Crossing the Line' on Winwood/Yamashta's wonderful GO album of 1976. Weller's vocals veer between Winwood's own soulful style and the gruffer technique of Capaldi or even Eric Clapton.

The stand-out track for me is 'I Walk on Gilded Splinters' -- I just love the way the whole song disintegrates three-quarters of the way through, and then guitars start appearing from different locations in the stereo mix, while the wonderfully recorded drums come from a different direction. Strangely reminiscent of Jan Akkerman in one of Focus's very rare heavy moments. (By the way, Oasis's Noel Gallagher plays acoustic guitar just on this track, and his contribution is frankly negligible.)

This album is incredibly highly rated by British listeners. US readers may be unaware that this album was judged No. 66 in the All-Time Top 1000 albums survey of 1998 -- sandwiched in between SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE at No. 65 and THE DOORS at No. 67. That may be too high a mark-up, but this is an outstanding album nonetheless. It is a sheer pleasure to be forced to retract a previous negative view of an artist. This won't the only Weller album I own for long!

My Ever Changing Moods

I will never forget the time when I first heard the Jam. I was about 12, 1981, and I was down in my neighbors basement in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was one of seven catholic kids, and he somehow ended up with a copy of In The City. It was the coolest thing I'd ever heard. It wasn't long before we were spray painting a piece of styrofoam in the same manner as the front of the album. Weller has been a huge part of my music heritage ever since.

Stanley Road finds Weller at the peak of his "3rd" life. To me, it's his defining moment as an artist. Weller hits the perfect notes with his 3rd solo album, an album filled with just enough artistic personal statements to sketch a portrait as rich as any singer-songwriter that I'm aware of. Porcelain Gods? Changingman? Pink on White Walls? In the Distance? Street With No Name? All classic, defining Weller moments. Who is Weller? Listen to Stanley Road. ala " I know I come from Woking & you say I'm a fraud, but my heart is in the city, where it belongs".

I was lucky enough to have this album as a companion on a rail trip through Europe when it first came out. Everytime I hear it, it reminds me of the hills in Italy and nights on the balcony overlooking the Amalfi coast. This album has the same rare capacity Weller's 1st album, In the City, had, that is, to define a time and a place. Pink on White Walls? How else to you explain the buildings in Italy?

"Don't waste your time, don't hesitate, life is but a moment you can't wait, Go and have your fun, go and lose your mind, but can you get back to the ones you left behind?"

Good Question!

stanley road

I had written Paul Weller off after subpar outings with the Style Council. After the urging of a friend, he persuaded me to pick up this title. After listening to this, I realized Paul Weller going back to his roots with The Jam. Although it is much more mature than his old school days, I enjoyed this outing very much. His writing style has come back with some middle aged anger which made me very pleased. Fans will not be disappointed.