Style: classic rock, live
Label: Epic
Year: 2001
Home: England
Members: Paul Weller ~ vocals/acoustic guitar
PW might have become famous for experimenting with everything from punk to folk to pop to worldbeat to soul via his solo career, the Jam & the Style Council, but us fans know that beyond the catchy hooks the real secret to his music is his wonderful lyrics. In this live concert supporting his fifth solo album, Heliocentric, it's just PW & an acoustic guitar ... & a spotlight. Yes, it's the well worn out unplugged gig that became the rage in the 90's, but this is well after the movement had hit its peak & faded. But, here PW brings us back to its peak with a delightful intimate show barren of everything except the essentials & doing exactly what the unplugged craze was meant to do - bring out a new side to the songs. Outside of the lyrics the songs are almost unrecognizable with just strumming, having been streamlined of everything even minor melody plucking. Trust me, you may miss it but you'll be so wrapped into this concert you won't miss it for long. PW is an under-rated songwriter & this clears up that for anyone who doesn't already know. Listening to it I recall the first few Bob Dylan albums where it was just him & his guitar & where we all were enchanted by the lyrics. I would highly recommend discovering songwriter PW through this album, while delving into the Style Council, particularly the debut, & his solo career for his musical creativity. Sorry, I'm not much of a Jam fan outside of a few songs. Though, note, this is a mellow attack to the songs, so its certainly recommended that a new fan not stop here or thing they're hearing the live versions of the songs just slimmed down. These are truly different in feeling. He does go electric for "Amongst Butterflies", "Science" & Style Council's "Headstart For Happiness" & it doesn't hurt the mood, but creates a nice little breathing moment, even when the microphone's echo kicks in for the chorus ... something used in good effect also in the acoustic "Everything Has A Price To Pay."
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