Paul Weller: On Sunset - 2019

 

Paul Weller is back, after his gentle acoustic adventure, with his most ostensibly soul-influenced piece of work since his Style Council days (and possibly his debut solo album). 

Now looking like a cross between Iggy Pop, Johnny Winter and a leathery old Native American, Weller goes back on occasions to some of his formative influences - Curtis Mayfield and Philadelphia soul in particular - as well as continuing to dip into a more contemporary groove on a more than a few occasions. It seems to be the stock comment on the album to say that it is a "soul" album. For me, it is not, although it clearly has some soul influences. First and foremost, however, it is a Weller album and it is my favourite album of his since Sonic Kicks. Whatever the music is categorised as, it is really invigorating, refreshing even, to hear Weller sounding so soulfully alive. Although the album's general feel is retro, it is a modern retro, if that doesn't sound too contradictory. 

Anyway, let's get to the music. Mirror Ball opens the album with some recognisably dreamy, floaty keyboards and distant, echoey Weller vocals that take one back to the 22 Dreams period. After two minutes it breaks out into a thumping but still spacey slowed-down dance-ish beat and the attendant experimental noises are similar to those used on the Sonik Kicks album. Although there are nods to Weller's past in this, it is actually quite an adventurous, inventive number - certainly no seventies throwbacks here as yet. Having said that, its many vicissitudes are a little grating in places. In many ways, this opening track stands as an example in the "is this a retro album or not" argument. At nearly eight changeable minutes long, it is definitely not a three minute piece of breezy pop. It is also probably the album's most disjointed and least impressive track, it frustrates as it never seems to get anywhere - as soon as it gets onto a groove it changes, and not for the better, having the feel of a studio demo about it. As an album opener, it is really somewhat underwhelming. 

The short, punchy "Weller soul" of Baptiste is more like what one would expect, with its very mid nineties vibe. It could easily have been from the Heavy Soul or Heliocentric periods. I have to say that it is a bit surprising to hear Weller, a great one for moving forward, laying down a track like this again. Something about its beat puts me in mind of Betty Wright's Clean Up Woman, confirmed upon hearing the instrumental version of the song. 

Old Father Tyme is in the style of the Saturns Pattern and A Kind Revolution albums, with some more late nineties echoes in there and it features a nice bit of semi-funky guitar-keyboard interplay. Its hazy moments again put me in mind of the 22 Dreams album. It is one of those tracks that does pass me by it a bit, however, especially when the following pair are so good. That said, several listens in and it sticks in the mind more. 

Village has a gently soulful drums, bass, acoustic guitar and lush strings backing, a great vocal from Weller and a soul atmosphere that merges seventies Philadelphia soul with contemporary artists like Deacon Blue (for me, anyway, on the chorus's catchy melody). This as genuinely soulful as the old Style Councillor has sounded for many a year and as a confirmed long-time aficionado of this side of his material, I am loving hearing stuff like this and this irresistibly catchy number is probably the album's best track. 

More has a rhythmic, infectious backbeat and a real Style Council feel in its vocal. The featured French female co-vocal gives it that old Style Council European café vibe, something we hadn't heard in Weller's music for years. Check out the mid-song guitar and strings interplay and that syncopated, jazzy beat. Really impressive. It is as if Weller has gone right back to 1987, surprisingly, for one who normally looks forward as opposed to retrospectively, as I mentioned earlier. The woodwind and extended brass parts near the end hark back to Weller's debut solo album from 1992. Once again, this is lifting my spirits higher and higher. Nice one Weller, seriously, man (as he might say these days). The sound quality is top notch too, not something that could be said for all of Weller's output (I'm thinking of Wake Up The Nation here). 

Weller has always liked a bit of acoustic-powered "chill-out" and he delivers some here in the vaguely (and I mean vaguely) Bowie-esque On Sunset. Its lush strings and subtle bass together with Weller's vocal make it a most appealing track. Incongruous, I know, but its sweeping strings remind me of Bruce Springsteen's recent Western Stars work. There are a few notes from Simply Red's Holding Back The Years floating around too. Equanimity is the album's most quirky moment, merging a Madness-esque down-home Cockney charm with a sort of pre-war Berlin bierkeller stomp. Would you believe the violin on this is played by a blast from the past in Slade's Jim Lea, almost replicating the Coz I Luv You solo. Blimey, it's 1971 again. 

The jaunty Walkin' sees the ambience return to a more recognisable Weller groove, once again with clear nineties echoes and, unusually for a Weller recording, a bit of jazzy saxophone. Earth Beat utilises some laid-back contemporary chill-out spacey keyboard sounds on a blissed-out beginning before it breaks out into a wonderful piece of Weller soul/rock. Great keyboards, great drums, great guitar, great vocals. The expressive strings and inventive other sounds on this track are really beguiling. It swirls and spins all round your head. It is, along with the opener, the album's trippiest moment. 

The ten-track version of the album ends with the lovely, gentle bassy tones of Rockets. Weller's plaintive voice gives this tender track bags of atmosphere that Weller aficionados will love and his detractors no doubt loathe. Indeed, that is probably an apt point to end on. If you like Weller you will love this, simple as.