Take yourself back to the early nineties.
The post Baggie, pre Britpop world. Entrenched in a seemingly endless period of dark, uninspiring Tory rule. Style Council are history and Paul Weller is without a record contract. So what does he do? Stick this cd on and find out for yourself. You won't be disappointed. Weller has always been at his best when his back is against the wall (take “All Mod Cons” for example - many had written The Jam off after “The Modern World”). And that was the case now. This time around he had been on the road with a new band, The Paul Weller Movement. And he had undoubtedly picked up some inspiration. Check out the cover.
“does he look like he's washed up?
As Noel Gallagher put it recently on a documentary, “does he look like he's washed up?”. Without a doubt, he does not. From the opening bars of “Uh Uh Oh Yeah”, you can hear he's on form. Lyrically he bares his soul about returning to his roots - “I took a trip down boundary lane, try and find myself again, at least the part I left somewhere, buried under a hedgerow near”. Then there's “Bullrush” and his reappraisal is absolute - "When you wake to find that everything has left you, and the clothes you wear belong to someone else”. Wipe the slate clean and start again. Which he does admirably. The future is a new dawn, as comes clear on what in my book is one of his greatest tunes - “Into Tomorrow”. Its got a classic guitar signature, perfect soulful vocals and a groove that gets your mojo working overtime. “Round and round like a twisted wheel”, he sings, referencing his northern soul heritage. Put this on anytime and let it pull you in. Pure quality. On this selection, he covers all the splendours of his musical heritage. Tunes like “Round and Round” and “I Didn't Mean To Hurt You” are some of the finest jazz funk tunes he recorded.
his most satisfying records
And then there's his classic of Summertime “Above The Clouds”. The song that still sends shivers down my spine with its incisive texture and poignant lyrics - “As my anger shouts - at my own self doubt, so a sadness creeps - into my dreams, when you're scared of living - but afraid to die, I get scared of giving - and I must find the faith to beat it”. He played it recently at Glastonbury and it sounded as inspirational as ever . This album is often overlooked in comparison with later classics. But to me it is one of his most satisfying records. There's everything here. Jazz funk, soulful rock, bitterseet lyrics and melody. It signified Paul Weller's re-birth musically and set the mark of quality for others to follow as the nineties gathered pace. Stick it on and let it seep inside your soul. Rob Massey