Customer Reviews

As Is Now

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

That Paul Weller is extremely talented is not news, whether you caught up with him back in The Jam days, around the time of Style Council, or since he chose to go at it solo, that has been made abundantly clear.
At every stage, his singing -part gutsy rocker, part blue-eyed Soul "heart in his sleeve"- has offered songs to remember and, at times, albums that hit the mark from beginning to end. I'm thinking here of the romantic grit of "Wild Wood" -his solo best in my opinion- or the fury and passion of "Stanley Road" or the acoustic showstopping versions in "Days Of Speed."
Still, when you look at his extensive discography, particularly since the Style Council, you may find that the list of great albums is short. Of course, you can always find some great tracks -"Heliocentric," "Illumination" or "Heavy Wood" had them- but the memorable always has found an equal counterpart in the forgettable.
This album is, without a doubt, a solid effort, akin to "Illumination" in tone and sound, but also willing to reach back and offer some of the raw energy and heartfelt confessionals of older recordings. "Blink," "Come On/Let's Go" and "From The Floorboards Up" are strong numbers showing Weller can still play hard, and some ballads -"The Start Of Forever," "Roll Along Summer" and "Savages"- prove, without reservations, that he still has a stirring voice.
So, again, this is a solid album, not a classic. If you are looking for more of what Weller had to give in the past, you'll find some new favorites, If you are looking for something that stretches the boundaries of what he's done before, you may be a bit disappointed.

I recently took in a Weller show at the Avalon in Boston; most of the front two rows was filled with fans who had seen him in New York the night before and they were still shaking their heads in amazement at the energy and passion Weller displayed. This is an artist at the peak of his creative powers - he truly was a man on fire, and as another reviewer stated, could teach many a 20 or 30-something what a real rock star looks and sounds like. His voice is strong and soulful with a tinge of cigarette-induced rasp; his guitar work is muscular and passionately nuanced (he's vastly underrated for his guitar work). Simply, the new album is one of his best. My favorite solo efforts are the hippy-trippy Paul Weller and more soulfully introspective Wild Wood. The material is nicely balanced between urgent rave-ups and soulful ballads. It can't be left unsaid just how much Steve White and Steve Craddock contribute respectively to the overall sound - White's wonderfully galloping, jazz-influenced drumming style and Craddock's elegant guitar leads and fills are now part and parcel of the Weller sound. There are the usual unpredictable production flourishes that we've come to expect from Weller, as well as nods to the Who, the Beatles, and an awkward but credibly funky tip of the hat to Nile Rogers. Some tracks crackle and hum right out of the box (Blink, From the Floorboards); others take a while to grow on you (Pan, On A Misty Morning). This has been my experience with Weller - he takes so many chances, ventures down unexpected paths - that it takes a few listens to let it all sink in. There are a few weak tracks, but really strong material overall. Having followed Weller's solo career with much more interest anything he did with the Jam or Style Council, Weller's current work combines elements of his Traffic/Small Faces infatuation, his affection for soul music, the urgent passion and fury of the Jam years, and the more playful Continental musings of the Style Council - and he wraps it all together with skill and artistic maturity. It's criminal that he gets so little press recognition stateside. By all means - if you ever get a chance to catch him in concert, get there however you can! He's ferociously good. This album is a great primer for those new to Weller. The expanded edition of this release has some video clips, a short film, and a booklet - thoughtful extras for the true fan. On a final note, even though the Modfather is approaching the big 5-0, this guy is a stone cold Super Fox. We should all age so well. WELLA 4-EVAH!

While last year's Studio 150 may have been a stop-gap for Paul Weller as he took a break from songwriting and regained his muse, it was an extremely important record for him. It was the freshest sounding record of his solo career. It was crisp, varied, and marked the best production of his music since his late Jam and then Style Council days with producer Peter Wilson. It felt like Studio 150 marked the beginning of a new phase of his illustrious career that is going on 30 years.

As Is Now comes a year after Studio 150 and is arguably Weller's best solo album. It simply sounds better than his other releases. The string arrangements on 2000's Heliocentric were wonderful, but certain tracks retained that plodding, hushed production. His other records just didn't cut it sonically. Thanks to co-producer Jan "Stan" Kybert, the new Weller sound is a lot like the old Weller sound - old meaning pre 1992.

For the first time on a solo record, there are songs here that would have been at home on Jam and Style Council records. This is a varied album, fitting for the man with the ever changing moods. He has always included a few brilliant songs on every record, but this one consistently delivers with just a few trite efforts. Here's a track by track listing:

Blink And You'll Miss It - Solid rocking opener. This album's Sunflower. But the guitars sound better on this one.
Paper Smile -Melodically challenged. Sort of more in line with some of his lesser solo material. Not bad, just nothing for him to write back to Woking about. I often press the skip button on this one.
Come On/Let's Go - That's Entertainment 25 years later. Excellent and infectious. Jam-like and fresh sounding.
Here's the Good News - Pleasant and light-hearted fare from an oft-alleged curmudgeon. Piano-based horn-tinged number is a nice change of pace.
The Start of Forever - This proves he can still write ballads. Understated and effective. Sincere vocals and a nice melody make this one a keeper. They should have, however, done without the guitar insert tagged onto the end of the song. This unnecessary flourish has plagued many of Weller's solo records.
Pan - Haunting and wonderful. It harkens back to the Style Council - offering one of his best, most hummable melodies since the mid-80s. The arrangement is nice, and Weller's piano playing has gotten excellent. Odd subject matter, though - the goat-man of Greek mythology.
All on a Misty Morning - Good playing and sort of Wildwood- esque, but I can't really get into this one as much as I'd like. Some fans say it is the best on the album. Not bad, mind you, but a little limp.
From the Floorboards Up - Turn this one up to 11. Jam-ish rock and rock at its finest. It's only fault is that it's too short. A great one to turn up in the car and roll your windows down.
I Wanna Make it Alright - Slight but pleasant enough.
Savages - Quintessential Weller. He takes on violence and terror and all who attack "those whose love is growing." Great tune with great vocals.
Fly Little Bird - OK, so it's repetitive. But it has a lilting, soothing tune that makes me care less about the refrain. It feels like a song about healing.
Roll Along Summer - The Style Council meets the pastoral solo Paul. Great playing although it doesn't pack an emotion wallop.
Bring Back The Funk - Truth is, most critics and fans really don't like this one, but a few seem to praise it readily. I'm with the group who likes it. It is very Style Council, and it really works. People have written that it's very white soul. Not sure what the problem is with that. It has a good groove, and the band sounds great. Very different from his sometimes rigid solo sound.
The Pebble and the Boy - This could have fit nicely on the Piano Paintings side of The Style Council's Confessions of a Pop Group album. It is as brilliant as a pop song can be. Piano, voice, and strings swell to provide a musical opportunity for introspection. Classic Weller.

With a new producer and a reignited fire, Paul Weller once again rises to the top. He is a mature artist whose work reflects that. Hopefully, this time even the US audience will take notice.

The Modfather has done it again. This, the seventh consecutive fine record from Mr. Weller (after a somewhat musically lost period dating back to the Style Council), sees (hears) him covering all the bases. From the straight-ahead punk rock of "From the Floorboards Up" to funk ("Bring Back the Funk" to the olde folk stylings of "All on a Misty Morning," it's quite an assemblage of soulful musical stylings. If you haven't heard him in a while, you'll be surprised at how good this stuff is - and his band on this and the previous couple of records is a juggernaut, with Steve Craddock and Damon Minchella borrowed permanently from Ocean Colour Scene, and longtime drummer Steve White still expertly plying his craft. For the first time ever as far as I know, PW is listed as the rhythm guitarist, testimony to his maturity and his band's greatness.

"Come On, Let's Go."

Paul Weller's As Is Now is a strong recording from start to finish. It ranks as his third best solo recording (behind Paul Weller (1992) and Wildwood (1993)). It strikes a nice balance between sharp rockers and pastoral rollers.

There are a couple tracks that really stand out: Savages is an instant classic and is part of a mini suite including Fly Little Bird and Roll Along Summer. All On A Misty Morning has a nice acoustic guitar hook that draws you in and wouldn't sound out of place on a Traffic album.

As Is Now is a continuation of the roots style he has developed over the past ten years or so. Some songs harken back to earlier periods. Paper Smile could easily have appeared on Heavy Soul and Come On/Let's Go on Illumination. But the overall quality and cumulative effect of one good song after another makes As Is Now one of the best.

Note: There is no slap-bass on Bring Back The Funk. The song is similar to funky instrumentals on various b-sides except he added lyrics.

[DW]

That Paul Weller should still be cranking out new and exceptionally good music some 30 years on from his angry young man/Jam days is an amazement. Far more popular in his native U.K. than here in the Top 40 obsessed U.S., Weller could teach the young guns of today a thing or two about how to craft a set of solid songs and deliver them with uncompromising style. As Is Now is no exception, with Weller in top shape several records deep into his solo career. As Is Now has him coming back full circle in some ways to the vitriol and pent up energy of the youthful musical blast he demonstrated as frontman for the Jam, the seminal group on the lips of everybody who knew what was coming down the wire (largely unnotied stateside) from Britain in the wake of the second "British Invasion" of the 70's/very early 80's. Nobody else sounded like Weller then, and nobody does now, with his uncompromising brand of muscular, souful rock and roll. As Is Now and his recent (2005) too-brief tour of the U.S. reveal the reasons for his elder statesman status -- the man can still unquestionably bring it home. An obvious must-have for his fans, and a worthy and fairly accessible introduction to Weller's World.

I'm a big Paul Weller fan- have been for years- but I have had trouble "getting into" some of his more recent records. Not so with "As is Now"- this is an incredible record with intense guitarwork, fantastic production, and poignant lyrics. All of those things that we love Paul Weller for in the first place.

Weller mixes intense songs like "Floor Boards Up" - reminiscent of The Jam and and songs off of "Town Called Malice", with more thoughtful orchestrated pieces like "Misty Morning"- evoking a sense of his more recent, contemplative work. Not only is every song a great tune in it's own right, but the entire record works well as a cohesive work of art.

Rarely these days do artists manage to pull together a collection of diverse songs musically that fit together so well lyrically- when it happens it's like magic, and this record is "magic". It reminds me of a time when albums were released that told a story, at the very most giving us compelling narrative, at the least giving us a glimpse into the psyche of the artist. This record gives us a BIG peek at what Weller has on his mind these days and what he feels compelled to write and sing about, loss, regret, atonement, yet coupled with tenacity. All on the same record. All from the same voice.

Buy it - it will be the hipest thing you do all year, Weller is a 'cat' in the true sense of the word and deservedly so, he's worked hard to get where he is at - "As is Now" is his climax artisically in my opinion. Not to mention he is still one of the hottest old men in Rock and Roll- and the fashion! Don't even get me started on the fashion- look at the cover!

Weller's hardest rocking album since "Heavy Soul" boasts terrific song writing and a strong, band-focused sound. This album finds Paul Weller in articulate and firey form, both lyrically and melodically, featuring some of the hardest rocking numbers of his solo career ("From the floorboards up"), as well as some of the most impressionistic writing of his entire career ("Pan", which also shows his growth as a pianist). His long-time band, honed by a great deal of live performance, delivers spirited support to one of the best performers and composers in pop music for the past thirty years. (The deluxe version features a DVD with a ~15 min film (which interviews the producers and the musicians and is interesting and well done), 2 videos, and 2 in-studio clips, but contains no extra music beyond what is on the CD. The DVD version is probably of interest only to the more devout fan.)

The only problem with this album is that it makes most of his last few albums pale in comparison. This is by far the best Weller has sounded since he struck out on his own. It definitely ranks up there with his 1st solo effort, Wild Wood, and Stanley Road. It is probably better in many respects to each of those. The 1st three songs (plus Floorboards) are instant classics and worth the price of admission. The rest of the album sounds similar but somehow better then most of his work over the last decade (keep in mind, I like and own most of it). No doubt we are witnessing yet another resurgence of Weller. Afterall, he is the changing man, built on shifting sand..As OF Now, he has definitely shifted in the right direction!

There are songs on "As Is Now" that are as good as any song he as ever written. And that includes The Jam. This album is his best in years. The previous few were a real pleasure and I honestly didn't expect this one to be so much more, but it is. In a world full of recycled Rolling Stone bollix ain't it grand to have the real deal?