What Are You Listening To?

[Ruby]

im a huge Weller fan, have been since around 1980 when i first heard The Jam's "thats entertainment"...been hooked on the guy ever since!
i like that stripped down acoustic version, but still prefer the original piano version....
"stanley road"....
named after the street he grew up on in Woking,Surrey....
probably the most "complete" album he ever made,whereby every track has something different to offer,very eclectic recording IMO, and the people of England thought so also, making it the biggest seller of his career out there...
the track "you do something to me" is also the most played 'wedding song' played at UK weddings since 1995 when it was released...
love his cover of Dr.John's "walk on gilded splinters" on the album also.

personally i do prefer his previous 1993 album "wild wood"...have you got that one Ruby???
its very 'earthy','rootsy','folky' in places and a bit of blues also....

his last three or four albums really havent hit the mark in that theres been a bit of filler on each album(even for a Weller-phile like myself)
Paul is set to release a new album in either march or april of this year...word has it that it almost borders on 'prog',either way, it cant be any worse than his last effort "sonik kicks" IMO....

gotta give his respect if only for the fact of his longevity in the industry, making two successful comebacks after The Jam and that he is always trying something new and trying to find new sounds like Neil Young does(the problem with both artists is that it doesnt always work, but when they get it right...its brilliant stuff!

Ruby,
have you read my Paul Weller 'beginners guide' thread in the 'beginners guide to...' section of the forum?
he was listening to a lot of artists like Neil Young and Nick Drake around that time.

CH – thanks for the pointer to your ‘beginner’s guide’. There’s a lot of thoroughly comprehensive info there! Good job!! Had to skim it for now, but will be sure to read properly when time allows.

I don’t have anything else of Paul Weller’s and I picked up Stanley Road a couple of years ago – not even sure why, not having been a big Jam, or Style Council fan – I think I was more into prog at that time. I’m very happy to have it though, and based on your recommendation, will stream Wild Wood to check it out. I like his voice and that ‘stripped down’ clip shows, IMHO, that he has that enviably elusive and innate musical sense – doesn’t miss a key change, great timing, and so on. I’m enjoying Stanley Road even more after a couple of spins and I agree on your choice of favourite track. I may be a convert!