The changing man (Paul Weller in general)

Member Name: moronboy

Product:	Paul Weller in general
Date:	01/08/00 (47 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Solid songs

Disadvantages: I still haven't forgotten Style Council

Just as Oasis made a bigger splash with 'What's the story..' when it was a frankly substandard piece of work given the promise of 'Definitely Maybe', 'Stanley Road', with its attention grabbing Peter Blake cover and series of hit singles was a more noted record than it's predecessor, 'Wild Wood'. 'Wild Wood' was better, but 'Stanley Road' is still something to remember, especially when the Modfather has now loosed his talents to the wind and released gibberish like 'Heliocentric'.

The singles 'Changingman' and the title track were excellent, clean rock songs, but there's a lot to be said for covering Dr John 'Walk on gilded splinters' with as much atmosphere as the old man himself, or in the sheer pleasure of 'Woodcutter's Son', a straightforwardly spectacular piece of guitar pop. I still don't believe Weller has the restraint to do ballads (they're always so drippy), but you can forgive a lot for sheer professionalism (and unlike the consummate chameleons Ocean Colour Scene, Weller puts his heart into his music). Moreover, he's now caught the mood in three different decades - punk in the seventies, pop in the eighties, and Britpop in the nineties.

I think he's past it on the current evidence, but his three big albums of the last decade (this, 'Wild Wood' and 'Heavy Soul') will endure as long as the Jam stuff has.

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