Good but not that good
Smeg
I have been a loyal fan of weller since day one, although I lost touch a bit
at the end of the Style Council. But His first Album (solo) was shit hot,
and the second, third, fourth.......fifth....well I'm not so sure.
Don't get me wrong cause it still pisses over anything around today but I
feel like he is just churning out songs now. All of the Jam albums were
totally unique (all bar Modern world), and each song was a story. But now
they seem to be just songs. Now I don't know if it's just me getting on a
bit now (37) but the Jams songs stay forever burned into my brain so I am
actually there when he's singing them, could it just be that every one feels
the same about songs from their youth or is it just me.
Please do not think I am slagging Weller off cause I aint, to me he is the
most underrated artist of our time and should be up there with Lennon & Co.
He has styled my whole life from 13 years old (although he would probably
hate this). But I just miss the energy and aggression that used to come from
the Jam.
I know you can't turn the clock back and we all have to move on, but I
remember Weller saying once, "people seem to compromise as they get
older".....has he?
By the way has anyone seen the Jamm as they are playing near me soon any
comments greatly appreciated.
Sorry if I offended no offence was meant.
sandy
Smeg wrote in message ...
> Just thought I'd air my views on the new Weller album.
>
>
> Don't get me wrong cause it still pisses over anything around today but I
> feel like he is just churning out songs now. All of the Jam albums were
> totally unique (all bar Modern world), and each song was a story. But now
> they seem to be just songs.
I am totally in agreement - although it does grow on you - I've listened to
it several times now (without the kids running around my feet so I've been
able to properly listen to it) and some of the tracks are really good. The
drum beat is very similar though. However, while following the lyrics I
ended up thinking "what the **** is this track all about". Some of them just
don't make sense.
> I know you can't turn the clock back and we all have to move on, but I
> remember Weller saying once, "people seem to compromise as they get
> older".....has he?
I think it seems a bit like that.
> Sorry if I offended no offence was meant.
None taken. And I am still really looking forward to seeing him live. As
long as he sings some of his older songs too.
Dan Hartland
born when The Jam broke up (though I still love them folks!), and yet
Weller still seems terribly acessible to me. I know where folks are
coming from with this "churning out songs" business - I often find that
on the first few listens Weller albums flow into one. I just think
Paul's creating albums now, instead of songs. To find a story, in my
view, you have to look at the ALBUM, not the individual songs. Stanley
Road is the story of nostalgia tinged with change and a discomfort with
that, Heavy Soul is just plain Weller pissed off. I'll admit I've yet to
buy Heliocentric - I'll prob'ly get it sometime next week, having
previewed some of the tracks on Later ...
He's not going to have the heat he had when he was in The Jam ... he's
"too old for that [the attitude] stuff" now, as he recently said in MOJO
magazine.
I don't think he's compromised at all. He's just different. And in part,
of course, that's what modernism's about - providing another option to
the obvious.
And let's fall back on the old artist's stand-by - just because *we*
don't understand a song, doesn't mean it hasn't got a meaning. We're
just reading it wrongly.
Dan
--
You can't become someone else without stopping being who you are.
- Julian Barnes
grazz
is a reflection of a more melancholic weller. The Jam's songs were writen
and sung with a belly full of fire, the Style Council reflected a more
romanticised era of his life, then the solo career has tracked his growing
maturation. I feel that some of the anger returned in Heavy Soul, but this
album is more of a reflection of his life. I personally like this album
because it has more soul and feeling to it, although it lacks some of the
passion of his earlier work. It almost feels like a continuation from where
Wings of Speed left off. Anyway this is just my opinion, I would hope that
he gets the credit due to him as one of the foremost musicians of our time,
and hope that the next album doent take as long to come along. I envy
everyone who has a chance to see him live, as I have to work when he is in
Glasgow, and I dont have the oportunity to travel to see him play elsewhere.
Andy Ferguson
Weller !!! So am I !!! I'm in roughly the same position as you , having
grown up with The Jam and it being a guidebook for my life (it's not sad by
the way) . But I can tell you one thing , Heliocentric hasn't left my
turntable (yes , vinyl folks!) since 9.45am Monday morning and it sends
shivers down my spine . Yes , you're entitled to think he's churning out
songs , when really there's very little on Heliocentric that you've heard
from him before . The differences are subtle , but if you look you will
see - give it time .
Love and respect to all , see you City Hall , Newcastle on the Wednesday if
anyone's going . I'll be posting my review of the gig here Wednesday night ,
maybe Thursday ( depending on the ale!)
Later...
"grazz" <gra...@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:8d5du9$mjg$1...@uranium.btinternet.com...
misterbryn
hearing(liked the first 3 songs straight away) ...but after a couple of
listens it definitely sounds better each time.....although I would agree
with some that Steve White seems to have forgotten all but one drum
pattern....
Still it's leagues better than most of the crap that's taking up radio time.
Jonesy
"Andy Ferguson" <an...@cheesemaker.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:8d5kh3$7cr$1...@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Well , you say you're 37 and not as young as you used to be Smeg , so is
> Weller !!! So am I !!! I'm in roughly the same position as you , having
> grown up with The Jam and it being a guidebook for my life (it's not sad
by
> the way) . But I can tell you one thing , Heliocentric hasn't left my
> turntable (yes , vinyl folks!) since 9.45am Monday morning and it sends
> shivers down my spine . Yes , you're entitled to think he's churning out
> songs , when really there's very little on Heliocentric that you've heard
> from him before . The differences are subtle , but if you look you will
> see - give it time .
Just what I think.
Just stumbled across this NG, been a Weller fan since I was 15 and bunked
school to queue up for The Gift (already had the earlier stuff, but that was
the first LP released when I was a fan).
I grew up with Weller as the soundtrack to my life - he's grown just a few
steps ahead of me, like a big brother.
I met him many times when my best mate's brother joined his band (Mick
Talbot) I appeared in a Style Council video, met him for the first time then
and he was solid and real. A hero that never let me down.
I was in the front row of his first Paul Weller Movement gig at Dingwalls
where he started playing guitar again (and played a few Jam songs)...
Anyway, back to the plot ;)
Heliocentric is not only Weller's best LP to date, but I believe THE best
LP.
I can't stop listening to it.
I may add my deeper thoughts at some point, but that LP fits my life, loves
and hopes.
To my ears, Weller has finally got the blue-eyed soul thing together. Tracks
on this LP range from Jam-like, through TSC sounds to Philly sounds. As for
the strings - never bettered.
Hats off to you Mr Weller - bang on this time.
Jonesy
5'O
Jonesy
"5'O" <Jus...@tesco.net> wrote in message
news:8ffkn3$bop$1...@epos.tesco.net...
> Which one are you in the Solid Bond video then mate?
The one in the light green short sleeve button down outside Woking FC at the
end (and dancing inside although we were not supposed to be in that scene).
I was mates with Steve Talbot and we were both into the Northern Soul scene.
Weller wanted us to be 'the new breed taking over from him & Mick' (his
words). Hence I look rather dodgy and not as Mod as I now do :0)
Notice Weller crash the scooter? He smashed the fuck out of it - I pity the
geezer who lent him it! (it was a TV 175 for the record).
Jonesy