Post by jp on Jun 4, 2021 21:31:04 GMT
it's the thread chrissie predicted!
so the terribly named FATPOP has set off a real weller obsession in me. i've spend the past couple of weeks revisiting his solo albums and have come up with my personal ranking. please discuss and provide me with your own thoughts!
ps my dear friend karl mahoney recommended a paul weller podcast called desperately seeking paul and i have started listening to that. i've never bothered with podcasts of any kind before. that's how deep my love for weller is currently.
1, heavy soul
never previously thought of this as my favourite but on recent listens its fucking brilliant. every song is a fucking TUNE
2, wild wood
beautiful album. maybe guilty of being slightly long. title track is one of the best songs hes ever written. STUNNING.
3, on sunset
the more i listen to this the more i think it is a fucking classic. old man weller sounding relaxed, soulful but still full of spunk.
4, true meanings
mostly highlights the more folky nick drake influenced side of weller's game which i happen to really like. some real special songs on this such as aspects and movin on. this is a lovely one to stick on late at night with a few beers.
5, 22 dreams
the album that got me back interested in weller after a bit of an early 00s slump. this is fucking great.
6, a kind revolution
another more recent album from where weller has been on a cracking run. solid. like this a lot.
7, heliocentric
awful artwork, good tunes. never spent too much time with this one. probably due to the artwork. surprisingly very good though.
8, stanley road
i know lots of people consider this his best album. i never have done. still great but he's done a lot better.
9, sonik kicks
was a bit surprised at my recent verdict on this. i properly loved it when it came out and prior to revisiting all the lps would probably have said it was in my top 3 weller solo albums. i still enjoyed it but not to the extent i remember.
10, fat pop
was disappointed on first listen but have ended up loving it. still think it is slightly inconsistent but has some huge standout tracks.
11, paul weller
i forgot how much this still sounded like the style council. still finding his feet as a solo artist but good shit.
12, wake up the nation
weller with a bit of fire back in his belly. short and snappy tunes that are good but i find a bit forgettable.
13, saturns pattern
lots of wellends think this is one of his best late period albums. i think the opposite.
14, as is now
i really love come on/lets go but the rest is fairly forgettable. like a less good version of wake up the nation.
15, illumination
i remember getting this on cd on release day. it came out in the middle of weller's dullest period for me. one x one is lovely though. the duet with kelly jones isnt.
16, studio 150
mostly dull covers.
17, jawbone
ballad of jimmy mccabe is lovely. the rest is forgettable soundtrack stuff.
what a run of solo albums. throw in several jam classics and style council lps and he is undoubtedly the finest act this country has ever produced.
WELLER4EVA
so the terribly named FATPOP has set off a real weller obsession in me. i've spend the past couple of weeks revisiting his solo albums and have come up with my personal ranking. please discuss and provide me with your own thoughts!
ps my dear friend karl mahoney recommended a paul weller podcast called desperately seeking paul and i have started listening to that. i've never bothered with podcasts of any kind before. that's how deep my love for weller is currently.
1, heavy soul
never previously thought of this as my favourite but on recent listens its fucking brilliant. every song is a fucking TUNE
2, wild wood
beautiful album. maybe guilty of being slightly long. title track is one of the best songs hes ever written. STUNNING.
3, on sunset
the more i listen to this the more i think it is a fucking classic. old man weller sounding relaxed, soulful but still full of spunk.
4, true meanings
mostly highlights the more folky nick drake influenced side of weller's game which i happen to really like. some real special songs on this such as aspects and movin on. this is a lovely one to stick on late at night with a few beers.
5, 22 dreams
the album that got me back interested in weller after a bit of an early 00s slump. this is fucking great.
6, a kind revolution
another more recent album from where weller has been on a cracking run. solid. like this a lot.
7, heliocentric
awful artwork, good tunes. never spent too much time with this one. probably due to the artwork. surprisingly very good though.
8, stanley road
i know lots of people consider this his best album. i never have done. still great but he's done a lot better.
9, sonik kicks
was a bit surprised at my recent verdict on this. i properly loved it when it came out and prior to revisiting all the lps would probably have said it was in my top 3 weller solo albums. i still enjoyed it but not to the extent i remember.
10, fat pop
was disappointed on first listen but have ended up loving it. still think it is slightly inconsistent but has some huge standout tracks.
11, paul weller
i forgot how much this still sounded like the style council. still finding his feet as a solo artist but good shit.
12, wake up the nation
weller with a bit of fire back in his belly. short and snappy tunes that are good but i find a bit forgettable.
13, saturns pattern
lots of wellends think this is one of his best late period albums. i think the opposite.
14, as is now
i really love come on/lets go but the rest is fairly forgettable. like a less good version of wake up the nation.
15, illumination
i remember getting this on cd on release day. it came out in the middle of weller's dullest period for me. one x one is lovely though. the duet with kelly jones isnt.
16, studio 150
mostly dull covers.
17, jawbone
ballad of jimmy mccabe is lovely. the rest is forgettable soundtrack stuff.
what a run of solo albums. throw in several jam classics and style council lps and he is undoubtedly the finest act this country has ever produced.
WELLER4EVA
