Reviews (page 2 of 8)
Sounds like Traffic at times. Entirely different from his Jam sound.
I’ve always considered Wild Wood to be Paul Weller’s finest solo album—better, in my opinion, than Stanley Road. I’m revisiting it today to see if that still holds, and it absolutely does. This album is packed with some of Weller’s most iconic solo tracks. Sunflower, Wild Wood, and The Weaver are all brilliant, timeless songs that really showcase his songwriting and sound. But what lifts this album even higher for me are the deeper cuts. Tracks like All the Pictures on the Wall and Has My Fire Really Gone Out? add real depth and emotion, making it feel like a complete piece of work rather than just a collection of standout singles. I also found myself really enjoying the instrumentals, which is rare for me. They add a subtle atmosphere and help the album flow beautifully from start to finish. Favourite tracks: Sunflower, Hung Up, and The Weaver Least favourite tracks: None, it’s a flawless listen from start to finish Album artwork: An iconic Weller cover, simple, earthy, and instantly recognisable Rating: 5/5
I was always a Jam fan. I liked Style Council but I wasn't a fan of the solo stuff when it came out. But it was always there in the background and coming back to it after all these years the nostalgia and the memories associated with this album just move it into the 5 star category for me.
Awesome album and I saved to my collection! Love me some great blue-eyed soul!
Fantastic album from start to finish. Listened while on a 17.7km run and it kept me engaged for the whole runtime.
uuh das isch 90er rock. sehr cool eig. mega warmi humbucker gitarre. aaah das isch er vo the style council. ich gseh. can you heal us au suuuper song? uuh i like. de bass tönt so geeil. titelsong hübschi chords. echt kreativ das ganze. instrumental isch es instrumental. cute. sehr afang 90er. er wirkt eh recht ufgschlosse füren guy wo ide 70er bekannt worde isch. britische tom petty? all the pictures on the wall hani haaammer gfunde. country findi etz au suuuper. fuuck de päule chas. 5th season isch bitz middle aged rocker aber de drumbeat isch geeeeil. fühls recht. the weaver au solide rocksong? foot on the mountain cuute folksong. shadow of the sun die art vo akkordfolg wo mich huere aspricht suuuper. ich find s tönt alles so mega nöd wi ich en "super gitarretone" wür beschriibe aber trotzdem suuper geil. aso halt mega humbucker und rund. uiii s klavier isch au super nochem refrain. de schluss isch etz echlii lang. aber super song.
Absolutely loved this from start to finish
Невероятно вкатил под настроение, когда я ехал на машине в тот вечер, безумно крутые были ощущения
For this review, I will not include the bonus tracks and demo tapes from the deluxe edition box set. The last time I heard Paul Weller on this journey was when he was with Mick Talbot in The Style Council for an album that was solid if dated. When the record company refused to release the group's fifth studio album, citing declining popularity, Paul dissolved The Style Council and pursued a solo career. After a modestly successful solo debut, Paul recorded Wild Wood, and what a marked improvement it was. Unburdened by dated style and production choices, Paul delivered a very soulful rock album that wore its influences on its sleeves. His vocal range, from whispers to powerful belts, as he strummed on his guitar alongside his backing band owed to the Motown legends alongside the likes of Nick Drake and Neil Young. Pair that with the vivid imagery in the lyrics, and the result is an immaculate record to let wash over. If I had to nitpick, while the short instrumentals Paul wrote with Brendan Lynch and Steve White were pleasant, they could have been combined into one longer and more meaningful track. Though if that's all I had to complain about, then I can comfortably say this was a truly enjoyable experience beginning to end. Well played, Paul.
Paul Weller's third act begin with the previous year's self-titled album and while it found The Jam's ex frontman in fine form it wasn't until Wildwood that Weller's rebirth was complete, an album that stands next to anything The Jam ever released and far better than The Jam's final effort (The Gift) it's that good. Blows away anything by The Style Council for the record. A rustic masterpiece that deeply inspired bands like Oasis & Blur and let the world know that The Modfather was back and back for good. An essential British rock album.
Good listen
I'm going high. First play was enough to make me repeat, and each time it grew on me. More than one moment that reminded me of Digger Jones / Stiv belting it out.
Can’t believe the bad reviews (probably Americans!) of this album. I bought it on vinyl when it came out and it’s a stone cold classic! Music, singing, lyrics, production and just the overall feel of it. Weller is a very talented musician and songwriter, nuff said!
I love Paul Weller. Love this album. Favorites: Sunflower, Wild Wood, All the Pictures on the Wall, Country, The Weaver, Hung Up Would I listen to it again: Yes
Another great Weller album
The opening track is what I thought Derek and the dominoes would sound like based on the way people I knew and radio DJs would describe the band. This is pretty good. Ok, on track three. This album is great
i don’t know what i expected of this album, but it was a million times better than that. holy moly this was a nice surprise. i love the jam and I’ve actually watched him live as support for blur at wembley but i never paid much attention to his solo stuff. it’s nothing like the jam. as i said, this is everything i didn’t expect. it’s so good. so far one of my favourite discoveries of this project
really good album
Forgot how good this album is, haven't listened to it in years. I think I used to see it as an aging artist clinging desperately to relevance, but its just a very very good late stage album. Great songwriting, singing and guitar playing. Can see how this would have had a big influence on Oasis, Ocean Colour Scene, Gomez, etc. 9/10
I was a little afraid of the second listen of this one, as I know I had a string of generous 5 stars in there for a while previously. Fear not, this album absolutely held up with me. I really dig the funk-y, grunge-y, punk-y, blue-eyed soul-y elements throughout the album. It's a singer-songwriter that pays particular attention to its arrangements, and I love it. Favorite track: Has My Fire Really Gone Out?
5 - maybe it’s the moment, but this calm, melodic, and soothing just hit definitely not perfect, and can blend together, but as a whole it’s amazing Probably a good point to write my criteria for a 5: good enough to save to my Spotify (a historically impossibly high bar) and listen to many times in the future Deserves a second listen
I thoroughly enjoyed this record. Expecting just a singer/songwriter type a la James Taylor, a lot of tracks had elements of quality country music while others had more 70s big band elements like The Ides of March. All the while the lyrical and vocal soul of Weller is also apparent throughout. I had never heard of this man before today, and this record tells me I need to dive deeper into his catalog. Notable Tracks: - Sunflower - Can You Heal Us (Holy Man) - Has My Fire Really Gone Out? - 5th Season - Shadow Of The Sun 9/10
This is one of the first CDs I bought - the very first a 10,000 maniacs cd - had still pictures encoded for you to watch on a computer while you played the CD. this has aged much better - the most consistent songwriting of his now very long solo career, and brilliant playing and production. Warmth is not always a word you associate with the Modfather, but this has it in spades. Five stars.
I was not expecting to dig this as much as I am. Already listened twice and feel like this is one I'll come back to. No real complaints about it. 5/5
The Jam delivered excellent rock records and The Style Council released excellent pop records. This is wonderful! The composition and recording are so damn good!
This one's got everything I want. It's a little jazzy, it's a little rocky, and it's got a weird spelling of Pajamas. Love it. Favorites were Sunflower, Country, and 5th Season
i do not know this man and i loved this album thank you mr weller
One of my favorite surprises so far. Really enjoyed the atmosphere, instrumentation and his voice.
Arguably Wellers benchmark album, a level to which many of his later works seemed to reach. A classic.
Had never heard of him… loved the album!
I have no idea what part of it clicks so much, but I just love the sound of this album so much. Just amazing, will definitely try picking up a physical copy some day
Loved it!
Really cool in a way that’s not easy to articulate. Tasteful instrumentation, feels timeless.
I knew of him, knew about his political persuasions but had not taken the time to listen to him fully. I loved this & am excited to have a ‘new’ musician in my daily arsenal.
One of Paul's best!
What a gorgeous album. Rich, soulful and eclectic, with threads of rock, blues, funk, jazz, folk. It's a sound that draws from a myriad of influences but sounds pretty timeless. They don't make albums like this anymore. Paul Weller is one of the most talented and prolific artists of his generation. His gift for songcraft is on full display here, with incredibly eloquent lyrics, powerful but nuanced vocals, and top notch musicianship. You really get a strong sense that this is someone who loves and understands music deeply, and knows how to make every note hit perfectly and effortlessly. This album would be worth it solely for Weller's guitar work and vocals, but this album is just layer upon layer of pure magic. I'm calling it today, this is the best new-to-me album I have encountered on this whole project, and I've been at it for 918 days. Shut it down. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Moon on Your Pyjamas, Sunflower, Wild Wood, All the Pictures on the Wall, 5th Season, Shadow of the Sun, Hung Up, Foot of the Mountain, Country, Can You Heal Us (Holy Man), Holy Man (reprise), The Weaver, Has My Fire Really Gone Out?, Instrumental (Pt 1), Instrumental One (Pt 2, Country, Instrumental Two
Have never listened to Paul Weller at all...and I honestly couldn't tell you why. This is wonderful! Great marriage of blues and soul here, and it's certainly going to get me to listen to him a lot more now. What a great discovery here. Favorite tracks: Has My Fire Really Gone Out?, 5th Season
that was fantastic. found everything immediately noteworthy and consistent. had a little of everything i love, and bluesy solos thrown in for good measure. wild wood was THE stand out track.
Great Album
Fantastic.. nothing less
loved it
This is soulful, sometimes jazzy, rock. I’m digging it. Good music to play when hosting a social gathering at home. Not too lowkey, not too loud.
Paul Weller crafted an album that is indeed a nice journey to a wild wood, with ups and downs, drama, and personal struggles. I love how easily he mixes the soft and the harder tones. This albums definitely deserves its status as a classic.
cool
Phenomenal - how have I never heard of this man? Very chill bluesy type vibes.
He’s got a really interesting career trajectory Paul Weller. From his Punky teens and early 20s. His “pretentious” late 20s (I do still like the Style Council btw). Now we find his more mellow and “mature” mid-30s stuff and it works for me. He’s a great song writer and I like his tone. Good mix of acoustic tracks and upbeat blue-eyed-soul. Stuck between a 4 and a 5 but let’s stick this one in the top marks club.
It's probably his best solo album.
Great work vibe
Glad to see a favourite in this list!
Fantastic artist that I’m surprised I haven’t found out about earlier
All the pictures on the wall is a classic. Hadn’t heard it for over 20 years till this site brought me back
Really enjoyed it.
This was a great album, loved all the songs. It's pretty energetic and has a good rhythm all the way through. Solid rock album.
Boa vibe. Wild Wood e Country pode ser interessante revisitar.
Great album, somewhat reminds me of Yusuf Stevens Best Track: Can You Heal Us (Holy Man)
Wonderful - so happy to be introduced to this artist!
Love this album filled with classics like wild wood and sunflower especially loved the drumming, and the acoustic guitar. My favorite track was wild wood
Really tough to devide whether it was a 4 or a 5 as its somewhere in between. There are plenty of fantastic songs here, Can You Heal Us (Holy Man), Sunflower, Wildwood, Country, Shadow Of The Sun and Hung Up. The instrumentation is really great, Paul Weller is a truely gifted songwriter and apart from a couple songs too many, this is really flawless. Personal enjoyment was also very positive here.
Yep, this impressed me alot more than I anticipated. Its a bit dad rock but turns out I quiet like that. The first song immediately got it turned up
Look, I loved Weller well before the masses searched him out due to Oasis + Stanley Rd radio airplay. This has one of my favourite tracks on - and is just glorious to listen to from start to finish. Not a masterpiece, but in many ways perfect
My dad loves it
really cool album, 9/10 I like his style it sounds familiar tho, I should look him up to see what other stuff I know from him
Absolutely loved it, he has such a great voice.
J’aime tomber sur de bon album comme ca que je n’avais jamais entendu ni meme entendu parler. Ca vaut vraiment la pein . 4.95
Great find for the exact type of music I really am into at the moment
Entonces esto es protopunk? Todos mis respetos.
One of his best.
I liked him a lot anyway but there were some real gems in here.
Un disco muy cálido y agradable. Me gusta este Weller más maduro.
Uy, voy a decir esta vez que este disco me gustó mucho, aunque quizá no sea buenisisisísimo. A mí me movió y es, creo, una buena mezcla de rock con country (muy acertado el título para la canción que suena más a ese género). No conocía a Paul Weller ni de nombre, pero sospecho que uno de mis hits de adolescente, Butch Walker, sí lo conoce. Disfruté la escucha, tres veces y me convencí de que estoy ante un disco al que quizá regrese varias veces y que me dan ganas de escuchar más de Weller. Sonidos suaves, ligeros, dulces, con uno que otro momento explosivo y de repente una que otra buena letra. Mis favs: "Sunflower", "Has My Fire Really Gone Out?", "5th Season" y "Shadow of the Sun". También destaco buenas canciones de apertura y cierre. 9/10
Actually a good album
[WHO IS THIS MAN? A perfect album. Not Crosby Stills and Nash perfect though. Perfect with an edge. So listenable] - This was my original review notes after first listen this morning. Listened again on the way home and still think it's great but not as great as that. Interesting how my first impression suffers from second listen scrutiny.
Perfect
Mod father is doing well.
This was a wild ride. I'd never heard of Paul Weller before today, but I think I really like his stuff. His voice (both literally and metaphorically) is really interesting and varied and he reminded me of Rick Astley and Lou Reed at times. I couldn't really pin down his style or genre, which I kinda enjoyed, and I was humming along and enjoying listening pretty much the whole time. I'm not sure if I'd listen again, but I've developed a healthy respect for it. Four stars.
Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Great - Great return to form for Weller. I'm not a big fan of The Style Council but this is closer to the level of The Jam. Sunflower and Wild Wood are both brilliant, classic tracks early on. The next section is also strong, with Has My Fire Really Gone Out? Country and The Weaver are great too. Shadow Of The Sun is fantastic and the Holy Man reprise is a great touch. Moon On Your Pyjamas is really good and Hung Up wraps things up nicely. Fantastic album.
Decent 4
4/5
Very enjoyable album but the middle part isn’t that great.
4/5
So underrated by me but really enjoyed
Whether it’s with the Jam, Style Council or on his own, Weller always delivers. Calmed me down while sat in a very long traffic queue to get into Warwick university
One of those albums that's a soundtrack to an important stage in your life and therefore difficult to be objective about. But it still sounds fresh after all these years. Love the mature songwriting and retro rock vibe. A nostalgic 4*
Immaculate vibes, but a little messy.
This reminds me of the Todd Rundgren album I had on here. Really good guitar based almost-progressive pop music.
I'm convinced that modern albums written in vintage styles are some of the best music out there. The 70s got a lot right about music, and when that ethos is refined by modern production and sensibility, the product is often exquisite. This album sounded like a 70s album. It had the same soulful quality found in Derek & the dominoes and many other albums we've heard from the time. The instrumentation and songwriting were very good. I was surprised to learn this was one half of Style Council, because I found Weller's sound to be different from what I knew of theirs, but I think the talent for composition is carried over. Everything is just in such good taste; would love to listen again
Very glad to see this one pop up! Had forgotten that I own this CD, possibly because it's filed under "W" in my tall CD rack, which means it's near the bottom. ;) I've been a big fan of Paul Weller since discovering The Jam in college, and then The Style Council came along in 1982, in a totally different (but also good) direction. This one (from 1993) initially escaped my notice, but I have a vague recollection of hearing (at some point - later) that it's good, and picking it up somewhere, probably a used CD store. But, to be honest, I haven't listened to it much. I've listened to it 2 or 3 times today, though, and/but I'm having a little difficulty rating it. It's very good, but I don't think great. Not sure if it's the record's fault, or if I'm just unfocused today, but it has tended to recede into the background, a little bit. But I suspect it would hold up pretty well to repeated listens? And, as I said, the overall quality is very good. And the variety, too. I like the 2 little instrumentals, as a way to . . . mix things up? Cleanse the palate? It's between a 3 and a 4, and I'm gonna perhaps give in a little bit to nostalgia, and transferred positive feelings from The Jam and The Style Council, and give it a (low) 4.
Pretty solid
Pleasant
This is one of those albums where I don’t understand the low rating of, but at the same time I kind of do. Sure, this isn’t a very 90’s sounding album, but it was really good regardless, so whatever. That’s such an odd complaint that I saw more than a few times. If this is something you’d hear in a doctors office, send me to that doctor immediately, I’ll pay them extra. Not going to lie to you, this album surprised the hell out of me. Never heard of Paul Weller before, and I do agree with the review that says you probably don't need to listen to every album that England ever released between the years of 1960-2020, but this one really hit me in a good way. Love his voice, love the guitar playing, and just love the overall vibe. You could consider this both a positive and a negative, but for being released in the early 90's, this was unique for sure. I'd have guessed it was released in like the 70's or something. It's kind of timeless in that sense. This guy was in 2 other bands I've never heard of before, so I kind of want to compare and listen to what he sounded like back in the day, as this album came out much later in his career. While others have mentioned how unremarkable this album is as a whole, I strongly disagree. I thought virtually every song was catchy as hell, and found this easy to play on repeat, with a terrific production, and a great sound overall. I had many favorites on this album that I added to the usual rotation, but the ones that really stood out to me are "Has My Fire Really Gone Out?", "Can You Heal Us (Holy Man)”, "Sunflower", and my personal favorite song on the album, "Shadow Of The Sun". Something specifically about the guitar solos just hits perfectly. It's not that I dislike the singing, the singing is fine. Arguably it's the weakest element of the album, keeping it from a 5. Whenever the guitar hits though, it's unbelievably good and keeps me coming back for another listen. I will be checking out more from Paul Weller, and I'm very glad to have heard this today. Excellent album here.
Paul never topped The Jam, but he's one of the greats.
I swear I will listen to it later.
I guess Paul Weller is kinda well known. I wasn't in the know. It's Joe Cocker-ish, very pleasant. Fantastic voice, great production. This is a pleasant surprise. I'm seldom a fan of slow songs coming out jams, so Moon On Your Pyjamas was a bit too shmaltzy. Nice wrap up with Hung Up. A solid choice if you enjoy to Joe Cocker and all of his adjacent sounds. the guitar work is solid as well.
This album seems to be consistently good, but it doesn't exactly make it special. It feels like it needs some nostalgia attached to it to give it that extra umph
Excelente álbum, me encantó
super !!
*Wild Wood* This is about as 70s as it gets... But with a 90s production. Paul definitely found his inner Seals & Crofts, and dare I say a bit of Nick Drake influence on this album. I can't call this "essential", but it is a very good album (8.25) ★★★★
Nice pop/rock. 4 stars
It isn’t very good in the dark, dark wood. The Wild Wood on the other hand is great. After the disintegration of Style Council where they tried to submit a deep house record to the label and got rejected and a pretty flat, unremarkable soul-heavy self-titled solo debut in 1992, Weller really goes back to his roots here and weaves a super rich, earthy blend of classic rock, moody mod and even a bit of folk that ever so presages the entire Britpop movement. Lots of Beatles. Lots of early Steve Winwood. Pinch of Zep. The eerie title track is an obvious go-to stunner but The Weaver is an especially walloping mid-album highlight and the vintage guitars and keyboards just sound fantastic and crunching throughout. 4.5 stars. This and Stanley Road should both be in the book.
Pretty enjoyable!
2026.05.20.
Leuk album. Luistert makkelijk weg.
not the best Weller but still decent
Has a nice deep voice and good delivery. Reminds me of Jon Hiatt.
i like the passion behind this one. not my usual cup of tea but a nice listen overall. was surprised to hear some more alternative sounds mixed in there.
I enjoyed this one!
I enjoyed this album - very 1970s rock.
Unexpected but not unwelcome. 3.5
luv! great sunday listen
Polished and engaging, great road listening!
Love this album. Listened to it as lot back in the 00's. Great to hear it again
Cool! I'd never heard anything from Paul outside of The Jam... great, another discography to explore. 4 stars
Knowing nothing about Paul Weller, his songs have a sharpness to them. They have a bit of bite, as if Paul really knows what he is singing about. Definitely one to explore more.
Yeah I really liked this one. Reading about it, some point to it as the bridge from grunge to Britpop. It sounds more like a throwback to Neil Young/60s folk rock with some 90s influence to me, but either way I enjoyed it.
Pleasantly surprised, my only complaint is that this album drags just a bit for my liking
The Modfather at his prime period of his solo albums
Not someone I'm familiar with, but I really enjoyed this one. Sounded soulful and earnest. Can see myself adding it to the weekend afternoon rotation.
Interesting production. Details here and there that keep the interest flowing.
Very different from the Jam or the Style Council, but solid enough to just about get a four.
easy to listen to
completely new to me and though it's not my jam, I'm impressed with Weller's writing and playing. Very nice laid-back tunes expertly played.
Buen descubrimiento
Favorite Track: Wild Wood
This was an album where I literally didn’t know anything about it or the artist, and it was actually really good. I loved Sunflower, Foot of the Mountain, and Shadow of the Sun. Wild Wood, Instrumental (Pt. 1), and Hung Up were all good. Other than that, nothing was bad, but nothing really stood out to me. Overall, I’d give it a fair 3.9/5!
In 2014, I went to a festival where Paul Weller performed. Out of habit, I decided to listen to some of his discography before the concert, and I didn't understand his music at all. I barely remember the concert either, so when I saw this album today, I automatically expected an hour of something lackluster. But the album turned out to be very good! There's nothing here from Weller's native The Jam, of course, but it does have what I'd call "proto-Britpop" — melodic, often semi-acoustic songs imbued with the atmosphere of 1960s England, yet still freshly listenable today. Everything sounds calm, but not depressing; melancholic in places, but not oppressive. The record is superbly recorded and mixed; the hour flew by, even with a few instrumentals and occasional two-minute outros. If you enjoy the Noel Gallagher side of Oasis, then Wild Wood is definitely worth checking out.
I just realized that Wild Wood is one letter away from being Wild Woody and now I'm laughing at the cutscenes for Wild Woody on the Sega CD. Look up "Wild Woody Cutscenes" on YouTube for a good laugh. Don't worry, it's not NSFW at all. Trust me. Now the kart racer that the character of Wild Woody officially showed up in a few years ago? That's a different story, but don't worry about the original game's cutscenes. What was I supposed to talking about? Oh yeah, Paul Weller. I've heard a few albums from this project with this guy's named attached to it, namely one each from his bands The Jam and The Style Council. I thought both were good, though I definitely preferred the Jam album, Sound Affects. Here we have a solo album of his from 1993. I'm not sure why this on the 1001 Albums list, but I'm not too upset because I actually enjoyed this quite a bit. Dare I say it's better than the Style Council album? Hey, this one doesn't have Paul Weller poorly rapping on any of its songs, okay? He's staying in his lane for this one and I can respect that. This album isn't crazy or anything, but it's a respectable endeavor. It's got a bit of a folk-rock thing going on mixed in with a sorta 90s alt-rock-adjacent style as well and I like that. Paul Weller himself plays most of the instruments on this album and he does it pretty well. The man's got talent. His songwriting is solid. Nothing groundbreaking but nothing bad either. There are some instrumental tracks that are an interesting change of pace to say the least, but they're not really bad or anything. They're just different. The album's a little long, but when I enjoy the songs as much as I do, I can't complain that much. I think the title track is the best one here. It's got the best balance of every positive thing I've said thus far. Wild Wood is a nice album. Not exceptional, but thoroughly enjoyable. Low 4/5.
Du vieux indie guitare, j'aime
A grower!
eh it was fine! good instrumentals I think I saved like two songs. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed listening to it, but a bit confused why it was on this list, it felt pretty basic to me.
The interludes were probably the best part, but Weller’s songs were growing on me on the second listen. 3.5
Really good.
3.75 - That was a really enjoyable first listen.
Really cool blue eyed soul music. Definitely going in regular rotation.
Goed gezelschap bij een lange treinreis. Is what i WOULD say als de deutsche bahn me geen gigantische poets had gebakken,, heb de laatste twee nummers (nog) niet af geluisterd courtesy of DB <3. Oke maar terzake. Ik wil kunnen horen dat een artiest het naar diens zin heeft tijdens het maakproces van de muziek en mijns insziens klinkt dat bij deze plaat in veel nummers echt goed door. Enthousiaste percussie, funny synths en orgeltjes, hoge gitaarnoten, mondharmonica,,, bro was een goede tijd aan het hebben. Had dit album 16 tracks nodig? Niet echt — "Instrumental Two"; "Instrumental Pt. 2" is diabolical — maar ik zit elf uur in de trein dus een nummertje meer of minder vind ik vandaag geen big deal. (<-- this fool doesn't know what's about to hit them). Viel me op trouwens dat het niet heel erg jaren '90 klinkt op de kwaliteit van de opname na, maar dat is verder geen pro of con.
A very smooth (read: a bit too smooth) album, that I quite enjoyed!
damn. awesome.
Not bad, kind of southernish rock? I have not heard of them before today and I am having a hard time describing it. Great music and the guy is giving it his all on the vocals. This is the kind of album that I look forward to hearing on this set of 1001. I will be listening to this one again when I am in the mood for upbeat energetic rock that I haven't gotten burned out on yet.
Very pleasantly surprised by this one. Starts out like a little 90s mom rock, nothing too remarkable but it really opens up in the back half of the album and you can hear the genre being pushed to somewhere I’ve never heard it go. Very cool, very unexpected.
I'm glad I listened to this album before I died. Hopefully his other album is on this list.
That was unexpected. I had an opinion of Paul Weller formed many years ago that wasn't reflected in this album at all. I had him as an angry young man but if he once was it wasn't reflected in this album. Great guitar playing and his vocals were excellent too. Definitely an album to listen to again.
This was very smooth listening for me. It sounded like every other guitar-y worship-esque singer my parents enjoyed in the 90s. A solid 3.8.
C'était long mais j'ai beaucoup aimé, plein de pistes intéressantes
*1993. Engilsh singer-songerwriter. *Not familiar with this guy, but I really enjoyed the album. *Nothing groundbreaking, but solid. Sounded similar to Steve Winwood but in a good way. *Would revisit. RATING - 7/10
Prachtig
The vibe is surprisingly earthy. The instrumentation is consistently tight and keeps the energy high enough to stay interesting. It is a very familiar sound that you still hear today. It is a solid, well-crafted record that holds up remarkably well decades later. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Sunflower - Wild Wood - All the Pictures on the Wall - Hung Up
I was very late in finding Wild Wood. I was still pissed off with the way TSC came to an end in 1990, that I dismissed the early Weller solo output as treading water. How wrong I was. I'm pleased that it took me around fifteen years later to pick up on Wild Wood. The hype had died down, I was left with the music alone. Yes, it's rustic, laboured in places. Even bucolic. But that was the intention. A back to nature bollocks, yet still trying to plot a way forward for Weller, who was still very lost at the time. Yes he, ahem, found his way out of the Wild, Wild Wood. So did I.
Surprised by this album. Was expecting an average nothing burger, but this turned out to be a surprising alt/folksy rock album.
Tom Cochrane meets SRV - good stuff 3.8
Um bom álbum, ouvirei outras vezes.
Bastante entretenido como música de fondo. Como para estar chill de cojones como dicen los chavos.
Decent album, some good tracks, Stanley Road is better
Country, moon on your pajamas and all the pictures on the wall are so pretty
This is a solid Weller effort. Personally, I prefer his first solo album, but this is still pretty good. Liked Songs Added: Sunflower The Weaver Hung Up
Pretty enjoyable - never heard of this guy
Never heard of this guy but it was good
Never heard this before - opening track rocked, killer guitar toan. Vibe I got was rocked out soul. Didn't get dig all the tracks (moon), but a solid album. Cool sound and good song writing for a pretty straight ahead rock album with good song writing.
Excellent background music! Some good jams. A lot of it blended together but it sounded good so whatever!! A little too long but again, whatever.
Great production. Probably a bit long. A couple less of the weaker songs and it would a excellent album.
I was expecting bland 90s soft rock mixed with a little soul or jazz. And that's what I got, but it's better than I expected. This is exactly the kind of album I'd put on when I want to listen to music while concentrating on something else. 3.5
this was an enjoyable listen, this is a good album to put on in the background and chill to, and not really pay attention. My favorite track was 5th season
Really enjoyable album.
Liked it a lot. Surprised it was my first time hearing any of the songs. Saved a bunch!
Not remarkable for any trails it blazes, but rather for how faithfully and beautifully it recreates and revives an underutilized sound for its time. I had a lot of fun listening to this.
9/10
A long way from The Jam. If you like Paul Weller less angry and like his mrlodic voice then these laid back songs are perfect.
I had only heard the Portishead remix of the song "Wild Wood" before listening to this album today. Overall, I found Wild Wood to be a very solid effort all around. It's mostly '90s acoustic singer-songwriter fare, often accompanied by a full band, and sometimes with some trip-hop electronic elements thrown in. I enjoyed it, but it probably won't become a favorite. One special thing about this record is that it wears both its influences and the stylings of 1993 on its sleeve. The band is talented, but the sound is rooted in '90s alternative rock, which often sacrificed virtuosity for raw, passionate delivery. That's not a bad thing at all; it just makes the record sound a little dated as opposed to many similar recordings from the '60s and '70 where we got both. I can hear many shades of Neil Young and Cat Stevens in the songs. Those are some stellar influences, and nothing here feels derivative. Weller can call back to them while making these tunes all his own. Though it seems somewhat limited, I really like his voice and delivery. The songwriting is really good, but a little inconsistent. Likewise, the production is often, though not consistently, excellent. The record sounds like a live performance in a studio, which is a sound that I naturally gravitate towards. Some of the early tracks can feel hazy, almost to the point of muddiness; there is some deep bass for an acoustic album, and that sounds great in the car or over headphones, but it can make some tracks feel hazy on the hi-fi. For most of the album, the instruments are well separated, creating an in-the-room feel. When everything comes together, which it often does, the experience is fantastic. Wild Wood is an excellent, though imperfect, album. Four stars.
Chris Stapleton but in the 90's
This album really surprised me. It doesn't even sound British. If I hadn't already known that he was from England I would have sworn he was an American or a Canadian. In fact, they sound a lot like the Band. Every song on here was enjoyable
That was overall enjoyable! Easy listening. I didn't mind it too much. I saved "Foot Of The Mountain," and "Hung Up."
Liked but didn’t know.
The list is mocking me on my 48th birthday by giving me the most milquetoast middle aged dad rock in existence. Well played, list. Well played.
Delicious, had a great time
I heard the album many times. Really the rebirth of and the birth of the Paul Weller we all love. Wild Wood is a classic and the riff to sunflower is still powerful after all these years
# Album Name: Wild Wood # Artist: Paul Weller # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: A very enjoyable solo album by weller. Probably his solo stuff at his best. # Top Tunes: Sunflower / wild wood / all the pictures on the wall / hung up # Would I listen to it again? yes
Good stuff, never heard this before.
Gillar det här albumet. Tycker det är en skönt rytm och det svänger bra. Mycket skön röst. Det är möjligen lite repetitivt, men jag kommer nog lyssna mer på detta, iaf några låtar, som hamnar på en spellista! Kul.
Gitarrdriven rock med både bluesiga och souliga inslag är helt i min smak och dessutom har Paul en grym röst. Skivan börjar riktigt bra, men som helhet saknas någon typ av x-faktor. Har svårt att sätta fingret på exakt vad, men det blir lite för långt och trots flera försök har jag svårt att riktigt behålla intresset under 53 min. Stabilt rakt igenom dock, men når inte högre än fyra.
Perfect for this time of year
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Still the finest of the Modfather’s solo albums, this kicks off with my favourite Weller tune and keeps the top class songwriting coming. If we’re nit-picking (and I am, because I can’t give a five every time) it could do without the noodly instrumentals that push it towards being too long, but there’s not much to complain about here.
Skillful and distinct instrumentation that ranges across progressive sounds of blues, soul, and rock. It may sound somewhat dated for the 90's considering that much of the music seems influenced by earlier successes in those genres, but I thoroughly enjoyed this album and would listen to it again. Weller's vocals are aged and soulful, providing a sense of focused intensity, and the lyrical themes of introspection and self-discovery avoid becoming pedantic.
Great as always. His vocals are particularly good and the drums stand out but it's a consumate set of songs really well performed and a proper album
A great listen, i wanted to listen again which hasn't happened in a while on this list
This was a very pleasant album. I wasn't actively listening hard enough but whenever I keyed in on the music I found it extremely nice. Fave Tracks: Sunflower 4/5
When I first looked at the cover I thought Don McLean folk. I was pleasantly surprised! His voice has an honest depth and his musical influences are varied yet work together. The funny part is I heard a heavy influence of a later Sturgill Simpson, a little Bob Seager and a touch of The Boss in there too. It works! For me this is one of those albums that wouldn’t have appreciated as much until I was older, so like now compared to 1993. Key songs for me was Has My Fire Really Gone Out, especially that jammy bit at the end, and Shadow of the Sun. I want to come back here again. I really dug this album, hence listening to it three times before writing the review…
I listened to Stanley Road a lot in the 90s at the height of Britpop but never really listened to this album. The title track is one of Wellers best but the whole album is very John Martyn or Van Morrison. Superb fair play
I was entering this one without any expectations and really enjoyed it, although there are no hits on. Some weaker tracks ("Wild Wood", "Country", "Moon On Your Pyjamas"...) don't make it easy for me to decide between three and four stars. favourite: "Sunflower", "Can You Heal Us", "5th Season", "The Weaver" 3,5
Pretty good!
quite enjoyed this one tbh
I mean, it's a good sound... but when you really stop to think about it, what makes something "good"? Is it distinctiveness? Weller completely misses the mark in that regard; every track, from start to finish, could've been innovated (and in some cases dropped as a B-side) by countless other rock musicians. But there's a reason for this: it's a kick-ass sound. And there are definitely elements of interest that pop up in some of the stronger tracks. Sunflower's "descending" chords, unexpected bridge, and flute cameo. The Elton John-esque gritty piano-rock of Can You Heal Us (Holy Man). The soft strings that join the arrangement at the end of Country. The glorious, never-ending jam-session that is Shadow Of The Sun, accompanied by a slew of instrument drop-ins that leave a pleasant footprint before moving on. The piano part on this last song, while simple, is really enjoyable here. I also like the guitar solo that appears around the 6:20 mark and how everything slowly builds up from there. The extended instrumental outro of Has My Fire Really Gone Out? is great. In general, the music throughout the album does seem to noticeably improve once the vocals drop out. Well, maybe that isn't quite true. Weller doesn't add much, so the instrumentals shine whether he happens to be singing or not. 5th Season is a staggering exception though. I don't know if they hired a session vocalist or if Weller decided to go entirely ham for one song (and one song only). Having a song called Instrumental Two and a completely different song called Instrument - Pt. 2 is a goofy choice. Neither of them wowed me (in fact, they're the only two songs I didn't add to my Spotify Liked playlist.) 4/5 Key tracks: Can You Heal Us (Holy Man), 5th Season, Shadow Of The Sun
Quite liked this. Sounded rocksy and folksy and many songs leaned one way or the other or were a nice blend of the two. His voice sounded great, lyrics and stories were solid, overall very nice experience. Could stand to lose like 15 minutes but that goes for a LOT of albums on this list.
Yes, it’s a bit dad rock and it goes on a bit too long but there are some lovely moments here. It’s wild how much Weller has changed his style over the years. 3.5 rounding up
Came into this album with zero expectations, since I am completely unfamiliar with this artist or any of his songs. I was very positively surprised by this album, even though it is not one of my favorite genres. The entire album was very pleasant to listen to. However it could have trimmed just a tiny bit of fat of the album to make it perfect, not it falls just short of that perfect score. 4/5
Good album, surprised it came out in 1993... some of the fuzzed out tones and general style gives it a much earlier feel.
Excellent album. I'm familiar with Paul Weller from his work with the Jam. Top notch songwriter and this one is no exception.
Je ne connaissais pas, c'est un peu Paul Simon dans le style solo
I like Paul Weller, I like this. 4 Star
4/5
Way better as it goes on. Didn’t realize this guy sang “ Town Called Malice”. Liked a lot of it.
A bit bland, but a nice enough groove
Whats a pleasant suprise. Possibly a no skip album for me. Love the riffs on so many songs and really dig this general britpop vibe. The tone of the songs differ quite a lot and yet they work together well. Sunflower, all the pictures on the wall, moon on pyjamas and shadow of the suns are great.
Don’t get too Hung Up on this album. It’s a Sunflower at the Foot of a Mountain.
Good stuff. Fun, interesting, good.
This feels like a lesson in not judging a book by its cover. Saw the album cover, thought this has to be from the 1960s given the aesthetic choices. Refused to believe that it was from the 1990s originally when I saw that, thought it had to be a reissue. Finally was convinced it was from the 1990s, saw the genre was rock. Refused to believe that too. But then I listened. And boy was I pleasantly surprised.
I don't know that I've ever heard a Paul Weller song before today (I presumably have, on the radio or when out an about), but I found myself really enjoying this album. I'd describe it as really good dad rock; very much inspired by folk. A+++ Would Paul Weller again
Masterpiece
Know Paul Weller from The Style Council whom I like. Don't think I ever heard this before but am very glad I now have. Liked it a lot.
Excellent voice.
Oups, j'avais complètement oublié cet album, qui est pas mal bon d'ailleurs. J'aime l'énergie, pis sa voix me fait penser à un mix des Doobie Brothers et de Joe Cocker. En vrai, l'album en son ensemble a un big Cocker energy
Good classy music.
Got a lot of time for Paul
Paul gets one star just for showing up, wild wood is 2 stars by itself - yeah good album this
I like the vibe. Guitar and the music plays well. Never heard this album before.
Shrewder critics than me have remarked on Weller's decision to make what is basically an early Seventies Traffic album - but there's been relatively little discussion of *why*, out of everything he could have made (and this is a guy with a lot range) he made an early Seventies Traffic album. What need is he attempting to meet here? I wonder if the answer is found on this album's eleven o'clock number, "Shadow of the Sun," where he sings "I plan to have it all while I'm still young" multiple times - first quietly, then with more force and up an octave - before launching into an extended coda that fades out, then rises again to a sublime little solo. He's hearkening back to the bloozy hey-baby-hey era of his youth, looking for a purity and clarity of purpose to guide him in middle age. (Insert Erik Erikson cross-reference here.) It makes sense, because Weller occupied for Britpop the same role David Coverdale filled for hair metal - the wizened bloke who knows how to do this, can see where the form is going, and is willing to show the kids how. (My own first exposure to him, like probably most people my age's, was via his guest turn on "Champagne Supernova.") Lyrically in particular, Weller frequently hits the sweet spot between directness and abstraction - I would have definitely scribbled some of these lines in a journal alongside my thoughts about a crush at some point. (I love Oasis with all my heart but even I'll admit the Gallaghers could have taken a few more notes on that point.) Obviously, you may not have the same enthusiasm for Claptonesque guitar figures that Weller does, and if so that will limit your enjoyment here. But I find this a worthy effort, and not just for the inspration it gave to the aforementioned kids.
Really liked it
This is a good album. It sounds like something my dad would listen to, in a good way. It has a feel of 70s folk rock, it's well composed and well written. I admit I wouldn't probably seek it out, but I wouldn't skip if it came on again.
There were a few songs on here that were really good. It started off slow and didn't draw me in early but the second half was really good.
Is this the adult contemporary middle aged white guy music that I never knew that I was missing? This is some pretty good modern blues. Some moments remind me of Blues Traveler or Black Keys. The instrumentation is great with soulful grooves. Nothing is over the top or sensational but it all holds together well for a good listen. Favorites are Sunflower, Has My Fire Really Gone Out? and 5th Season (that one is funky!)
This sounds way more Americana than I expected, given that he is British. But I'm always surprised by who's British, so what else is new! There are a lot of musicians that come through my town with this same vibe, so while the sound feels familiar and not terribly original, I imagine this was a pretty innovative and modern take on the bluesy/folk rock/Americana genre when it came out in 1993. It's cool music overall, I feel like Ben Harper was the first artist I heard that was comparable to this, and I really dug his sound at that time (early aughts). This album is well done. I like his soulfulness and the instrumentation is rockin’. And this style of music has stood the test of time, I dug it!
Never gave a thought to listening to him thinking he wanted to reincarnate the Jam but man was i wrong. Excellent album. Hints of Derek & the Dominoes to Cat Steven's to Richie Havens. 4 star surprise.
Cool. I've only vaguely heard this guy or his Jam. Straightfoward catchy rock. I hear hints of Neil Young/Allman brothers - not style wise, but like real familiar chords and melodies. Maybe thats strong songwriting, maybe he got borrow happy? At its best on the less straightforward rockers.
It's a weird one. I've never bought a Paul Weller album, or ever downloaded anything of his. When any of his tracks come on I usually quite enjoy them, but I've never had the desire to seek out any more of his music. This was a really good album, some really good tracks. It did feel a bit drawn out and repetitive. I would happily listen again, but I'm still (oddly) not being driven to listen to anymore of music.
Very strong overall, rich and warm, if not quite My Ever Changing Moods. "Moon On Your Pyjamas" is lovely, one of best all-time songs about kids. "Sunflower" title cut and "Country" are all excellent, but there's quality and depth throughout. And don't sleep on Illumination, one of his later solo efforts.
Way more 70s soulful than I would have expected from the leader of The Jam. More 70s-era Steve Winwood than 60s-era Who. Still, I enjoyed it. Some very good tracks on here. My dad would've loved this.
Super distracted listen, but I enjoyed this quite a bit more than I expected going in. Surprisingly jammy and loose. Really enjoyed the guitar play throughout and the guys voice is really solid -- calming and familiar in tone. No specific notes, because I wasn't paying attention to song titles, but this was a solid 4 in my book.
Really solid rock album from a fella I have never heard of. Nothing wrong at all with this being almost an hour, I could have kept it going if it was longer. Really liked the random guitar shredding that came in every so often. Had a great mix of good singing and solid instrumentals. Would love to give this a re-listen, doesn't quite get to a 5 but a very high 4
Great album
I enjpyed this choice . I would go back to this when I am looking for somthing out of my usual.
I enjoy it a lot remind me of a bunch of different artists. The slower songs sometimes feel like Nick drake
Killer guitar tones and classic rock sensibility right in the middle of the '90s—how have I never heard of this guy?
Day 16- First listen- A pleasant album, I can see myself coming back to it time and again. (4/5)
Not an amazing album, but it grew on me as it went on and I had a pleasant time with it
I don’t see why this album has so much hate online. I was surprised it came out in the 90s because of its sound. It was groovy and fun to listen to! Enjoyed it more as it went on
Pretty cool album, lots of well played instrumentals. Could imagine this album would be cool to see played live.
Extremely solid. I've always enjoyed the title track but this is my first venture beyond that in any meaningful way. I can see how he's been so influential for British rock and indie music.
When I saw this was big in the UK, I expected either some whiney Oasis-esqe crap or else electro-synth pop garbage. Instead, this had a bluesy, but not quite, vibe that could be from some band that had been kicking it around I the south playing the bar circuit until they were discovered at some club in Beale Street. What was most striking was how similar his voice was to the guy in Blood Sweat and Tears that sang Spinning Wheel. Deep, but not too low, not quite gravely, but not quite clean either. All in all a pleasant surprise and would listen again.
This sounds like the type of rock you listen too after you hit rock bottom and you take a long car ride contemplating your entire existence. Unfortunately, I hit rock bottom once of month so this resonated with me 🤷🏾♂️.
It was fine! Better than fine, actually, but nothing that will stick with me.
This was pleasant but I definitely need to be in a specific mood to listen. Really nice discovering a new artist (to me).
How had I missed this - now understand the Paul Wellers standing after The Jam
So I’m not too familiar with Paul Weller, but after hearing this album, I’d say he’s pretty good. To me, it sounds like a combination of rock, Britpop, and singer-songwriter. One thing I really enjoyed was the use of organ and Mellotron. Sometimes it gives the music a loose, jam session feel. I’m not sure if it’s something I’d come back to often, but overall, it was a good listen.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Very pleasant.
Have not heard this before. Liked very much.
I was very ready to complain about us getting our, what, 20th? hour long boring album from the 90s in a row. But this was great!
Not so much breaking new ground as breaking old ground. Paul Weller seems to be inspired by the best of 60s blues and folk rock, and maybe psychedelic rock as well. He pulls it off so well and it sounds wonderful, like a world in which 70s soft rock and 80s hair metal never happened.
This is a really good album. I love how Paul Weller breaks into 92, in the middle of Grunge, with a folk album that is more alt than pop, and has a nice psychedelic rock underpinning. I love how he moves between solid folk/rock tracks and near anthems with control. He is strong lyrically, and dares you to engage with the narrators of his songs. I don't know a whole lot about his career, but he sticks the landing with Wild Wood and has fun doing it.
First listen to a really good album.
Is it weird that Sunflower had me thinking of Collective Soul? Well I listened to Gel and that song still kicks ass. Wild Wood didn’t hit me like the punchy riff on Gel, it was definitely a grower for me. There’s a lot of extra musicianship that elevates this album from a standard folk rock album to something a bit more with harp or a little organ, a subtle guitar riff. Aside from Sunflower and the title track I really enjoyed the lengthy Shadow of the Sun which truly showcases how well the band works together and it has the sickest guitar riffing. I thought this was great. 4 stars
have and like this album - it is a 3.5/5 - it will round to a 4 #albumsky #musicsky #musicchallenge
Mild Mood by Maul Mellow.
This definitely feels like the start of a new Weller period, his solo career proper, after the youthful post-punk of The Jam, the stylistic cul-de-sac of The Style Council, and the hangover that was his first solo album. Where it loses my interest less is when he slips into Dad rock, which I also find of Stanley Road here and there. '5th Season' has a Clapton feel - albeit Journeyman-era which I like a lot - with a blues bent, and gospel backing on the chorus. Steve Winwood hangs over all of the album it seems, but with that comes something of the MoRs. Overall, this feels a rebirth, pulling together elements if the Style Council and the Jam and producing something new. There are some classics here, there are some great album cuts - and there is some MoR. On balance, a great album.
I was not previously familiar with the artist or the album, but I really enjoyed this. Pretty accessible, would listen again.
I liked the Joe Cocker-like vibe.
As much as I like The Jam, Paul Wellers solo material has never clicked with me. I did enjoy this though so I will be more open minded listening to more of his stuff.
will wood
What an unexpected surprise this one was. Really solid tracks, covering many genres. A natural progression from The Jam.
Dog Stephans
Fun sound. (Full disclosure, I listened to this album on repeat while I tried to sleep on the flight to Magaluf surrounded by a stag, so any sound was an improvement. Upon closer inspection I had also only downloaded the first song on the album, so this review is coloured by listening to “Sunflower” approx. 32 times.)
The descriptor words thing said 'boring' which I think is very unfair. It has that 60s/early 70s blues rock feeling, which I don't think is totally abused, or too out of date (unlike that John Lee Hooker album). There's some really hard bluesey guitar lines like on the first song. There's also some more acoustic songs which I feel like could have inspired Jack Johnson and those later singer-songwriters. The instrumentation and little sprinkles of synth and organ and wind instruments are really good and refreshing - makes it feel well produced. I also really like the shorter instrumental songs which break things up a bit. Favourite songs: Sunflower, wild wood, instrumental - pt.1, has my fire really gone out?, country, instrumental two, moon on your pyjamas. Overall around 8/10
This is one that will sneak up on you. Nothing flashy, but some solid songs, strong lyrics. His voice is pretty middle of the road -the writing carries this album, and I would love to hear other artists takes on these songs. Second half is better than the first which was a pleasant surprise.
Blind album and artist. Wow, music to my ear holes. I genuinely enjoyed this more than I thought. Catchy tunes, great voice, nice chords and progressions. Very interesting but this is not my favorite album by far. Great listen though!
Irgendeie isch mir jetzt grad de René Weiler in Sinn choo - dä lueged immer äso truurig, wie wänner bald würd aafange brüele... sorry, tuet nüt zur Sach😂. Obwohl - mängisch scho chli melancholischi Musig und si erinnered mi chli an Style vom Eric Clapton und L,nard Skynyrd (die gfalled mer aber besser) Bi Foot on the Mountain blaset na än garschtige Wind. Eig ganz nice.
I think I might be going insane. The majority of reviews for this album seem to call it boring and dull. Just a generic rock album from the 90’s. Me, being an American not knowing who the fuck Paul Weller is, brace for the worst. However, after hearing this for the first time, I didn’t find it boring or dull. I’ve seen this generator give me boring and dull, from hour long electronic ambiance traps to the endless jazz to listening to the Allman Brothers fuck around live for 80 minutes at Fillmore East. The fifty minutes here weren’t even close to that. Sure, some of the album feels very one-note and lacks variety. In turn, it does make this feel a little bloated. But, most of this album was kind of a bop. I thought Paul sounded good here, having the kind of strength and range of any good 70’s rock singer. Honestly, most of these songs invoke more of a 70’s vibe than the 90’s. And his back up band rocks, too. Does liking this mean I have terrible taste? I dunno. Maybe to some. But this is my project, and I say this was pretty good. Favorite track: Can You Heal Us (Holy Man) Other hits: Sunflower, Wild Wood, The Weaver, All The Pictures On The Wall, Foot of the Mountain, Moon On Your Pyjamas
Really thought this was enjoyable. A little Jam, a little Cat Stevens, and some really heartfelt songwriting. A lovely surprise. Unexpected bangers: Sunflower, Has My Fire Really Gone Out?, The Weaver, 5th Season.
Fun mix of genres. Wild Wood is pretty awesome.
I was not familiar with Paul Weller. But I’m glad this was on the list. The album was pretty good front to back. Vocals and musically- it was solid.
About half the songs are really great. Like I really enjoyed them. There are some stinkers too, mostly the acoustic stuff, not backed by the full band. Overall, a very enjoyable listen.
Cool blend of folky, punky, rock
A great album. Sounds like a load of musicians who really know their shit playing in a room together. Weller's songwriting when it hits is soulful, raw, tender and in your face at the same time.
4.5!
A wild journey into the mind of Weller.
4 stars. Not memorable lyrics but his voice, sound, and beat is great.
I am familiar with the name Paul Weller. However, I had forgotten his music. Good opportunity to listen to it again now. I quite liked the album. It didn't really excite me, but I'm happy to listen to it again. 4/5
Solid album here. Not what I was expecting at all.
Some of Mr Wellers best songwriting. It feel emotional and candid
i’m not sure i have ever really listened to paul weller, but i truly loved this album! sunflower is my fave song of the album, what a banger. a rock solid 4/5
хорошо
8/10
Quite enjoyed it
I wasn't expecting much here, only because I got an album by The Jam yesterday which was ok. But I was pleasantly surprised! Much better than I expected really. I liked the guitar. A few songs started feeling a bit repetitive and long, but overall a good album 4 ⭐️
I’m a bit conflicted about this one. On the one hand, Paul Weller’s talent for writing a solid tune is undeniable—there’s a real knack for melody and catchiness throughout. The songs are nice, no doubt about that. But something about it feels a little of it’s dated, but not in a way that feels charming or timeless. It’s more like it’s trapped in a specific moment that doesn’t quite hold up. What really struck me, though, is how much this feels like Weller is trying to channel Steve Winwood. I can’t fully explain it, but I could easily imagine this as a Winwood album instead. It’s not a bad listen by any means, but it doesn’t feel particularly special, either. It’s like a lot of those records that 70s rock artists put out during this time—polished, competent, but missing that extra spark that makes it truly stand out. It’s like a decent brew that’s gone lukewarm; drinkable, but nothing to rave about.
Bluesy Brit rock from the godfather of mods. Great performances from many different instruments but Weller’s voice really commands authority while throwing flavour into his notes. Written in the early 90s, so looking back it gave Weller his own identity seperate from The Jam. He could sing and play the blues. Add some funk into the breakdowns and seasoned it with hints of electronica.
I have never heard of this singer before but i really enjoyed listening to this album, i especially liked the first few songs
Kudos for a really strong ending
Have never listened to this before. A really enjoyable album.
Ok
I listened to this album while I was in the throes of the flu. It was an anchor that held me sane while my fever-racked body was tossing and turning. The thundering headache was soothed by the plucking of Weller's guitar. Short of breath, with a stuffy nose, I nevertheless felt light listening to this album, floating on the gruff but charming vocals. So, in conclusion: Pretty good.
7/10. Some awesome transitions and instrumental at moments. But not as consistent.
Still probably Weller's best solo record.
I had never heard or heard of Paul Weller before, so this album was really a pleasant surprise. In reading some of the other reviews, I saw that some found this boring and I guess that I understand this point of view. But for me, the tracks varied enough from each other so this wasn’t a problem for me. I will save this one and will be listening to it again…a solid four stars.
This is Paul Weller in a good place. There aren't any hits here, but there are some great pop songs for sure. It's definitely better than his Style Council stuff (but not as good as The Jam). I would definitely add this record to my collection.
was shocked to learn that this dude was not 50 when he recorded this album. good shit though
Solid, nice guitars.
Nice, a surprise as I've never listened to Paul Weller (solo) before
I had to check that I was listening to the right album because I expected Paul Weller to not be so mellow. It took me a while to figure out what this album reminded me of, and it was Traffic from the 1960s/1970s.
4.5 need another listen stat
Simply beautiful
This was a new artist for me. I enjoyed it quite a bit and will return. There ate ways that this echoes many other artists with whom I'm slightly more familiar -- and I don't know who's influencing whom.
Bastante bien. Rock con carga setentera y una vibra sabrosa de rock de papás, muy disfrutable.
Really enjoyed his album. Heard a few tracks before - whole album good for chilling out with a beer too.