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Paul Weller - Heavy Soul Audio CD

A fair review of the Paul Weller "Heavy Soul" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Paul Weller reviews here, or go back to the Paul Weller tabs.

Paul Weller Band: Paul Weller
Title: Heavy Soul
Rating:
Release Date:
Media: Audio CD

Tracks:

The End of an Era
A must-have for all fans of Jam/Style Council, Oasis, and similar musical styles. This is the third in a series (1993's Wildwood's, and 1995's Stanley Road) that helped define Paul Weller's musical career in the 1990's and cement his legendary status.


A Different Side of Weller
So I missed The Jam, the Style Council, and the first part of Paul Weller's solo career. During the punk era and on into the nineties, I was heavily into jazz and tango. My introduction to the music of Paul Weller came via an article in a business magazine (of all places) that highly recommended Illumination. The commentary in the recommendation was so intriguing that I ordered that and subsequently a couple of other Weller recordings. But it wasn't until my purchase of the great As Is Now that I became a confirmed Paul Weller fan.
A couple of months ago, I spotted Heavy Soul and a couple of other Weller CDs I did not have at a good price in a favorite Encinitas record store and decided to buy the bunch. Well, Heavy Soul turned out to be the "heaviest" of the group. When you compare it to the music Weller is best known for, the style is very different.
Some reviewers complain about elements of psychedelia in the music. The classic late-sixties style of lettering on the CD sleeve should have tipped them off that Heavy Soul is not the typical Weller album, if indeed any one is. The open-minded fan should find a lot to like here. There is some great rock and roll, some funky jive-honky soul, and touches of psychedelia throughout.
My favorites are the title cut, Peacock Suit, Up In Suze's Room, Brushed, Science, Golden Sands, and As You Lean Into the Light. If you listen carefully, you will notice that the bass line on Driving Nowhere is evocative of early Love, while the introduction to Heavy Soul Pt. 2 sounds like a slow-motion lead-in to Neil Young's Southern Man.
Those Weller fans who do not yet have Heavy Soul should take a chance on it. The CD is accompanied by an attractive booklet containing pictures, lyrics, and pertinent album information. And judging from the offerings here, the price is right!.


Heavy Soul

It's still got great songs though, and the 1970s look to the cover sells it too. Having thought "The Gift" was the Jams' best album (and hence unlikely to bring about their disbanding), I was hoping for a similar sound in "Heavy Soul," but my personal tastes wouldn't rate this as Paul's best work.


Flows well, then grows on you
A definate 4 / 4. Really strong piece of work, different from Wildwood and Stanley Road with more electric guitar and bass/drums. 5 disc, only a couple of "weaker" (i. e. repetitive) songs, but Brushed, Inspire You, and Peacock Suite are some of his strongest works. I also like Lean Into the Light quite a bit. If you're a fan of this highly-skilled musician, you really need this for your collection. This guy is way, way talented.


Fantastic songs, bad production.
Production-wise, however, it's too cluttered. Lyrically, Heavy Soul is one of Paul's best albums. Brendan Lynch put too much psychedelia onto some of the songs, and it takes away from the whole product in the end. Peacock Suit is a good example of that, with those weird chirping noises. The songs aren't allowed to speak for themselves when they're being truncated by all the noise!.


You can see a complete list of all Paul Weller discography, or go back to the Paul Weller tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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