Paul Weller: Fat Pop - 2021

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It only seems like a few months since the last Weller album, On Sunset - I haven't even properly given that my full attention yet and here comes another one. Twelve tracks, thirty-eight minutes of concise, appealing and lively pop-funk-soul sort of stuff. It's actually quite difficult to pigeonhole, other than it is breezily listenable and really enjoyable. That admittedly sounds a bit lame, but that's all I can come up with. I'm playing it again and again, which I guess says it all. 

Cosmic Fringes is an upbeat, extremely catchy number with an infectious bassy beat and, notably, Weller's voice sounding croaky and old, for the first time. He also sounds a bit like Ian Dury in places. It comes to a frustratingly abrupt end just when I was getting into it. True is an upbeat duet with Lia Metcalfe (an artist I am not familiar with) and it again has Weller sounding considerably aged and gruff. There are hints of the vitality of Wake Up The Nation to it but it also has a dreamy, brass-enhanced part in the middle, making it a bit of a unique creation. It is another short track that ends abruptly. 

Fat Pop slows down the tempo on a smooth, soulful groove with Weller's voice sounding like it did on Sonik Kicks, complete with assorted sound effects á la that album. There are seventies funk influences floating around on there too. Guess what? It comes to a sudden stop. 

The jaunty Shades Of Blue is quite retrospective in its sound, Weller-wise, taking us back to around the Illumination period in some respects while Glad Times harks back to the dreamy, psychedelic semi-soul of the previous album. Its lush, sleepy strings provide a beguiling backdrop to a chilled-out sound. 

The gentle and romantic Cobweb-Connections utilises some fetching Spanish-sounding guitar and those sweeping strings that Weller has come to like a lot. Testify returns to seventies funk for inspiration and has some flute typical of that genre featuring strongly as well as a nice saxophone solo. It is one of my favourites. That Pleasure also has a winning funky riff underpinning it and the influences from Weller's substantial seventies funk collection are clear. 

Failed is an archetypal piece of Weller soul and Moving Canvas is a smoothly vibrant serving of the same featuring some winning brass breaks. I like both these tracks a lot. In Better Times hits the spot too and stands as one of the album's most soulful moments. It is difficult to describe effectively, save to say that it just lifts the spirits. 

Weller often ends albums with a reflective ballad and he does so here with the album's only really sombre song, Still Glides The Stream, a song which brings to mind the True Meanings album, especially with its use of big strings. Overall, however, the albums suits its bright, funky cover and provides a welcome breath of fresh air. I love it.


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