Customer Reviews

Catch-Flame!

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This album is absolutely fantastic! Paul and the band are incredibly tight and sound great together. Paul sounds very loose and like he's having a lot of fun - not as serious as some live shows I've heard.

The songs focus mostly on his solo records, with some Jam and Style Council mixed in (all on disc two). Wisely, only five of the twenty three tracks are from "As Is Now" and they're the uptempo ones - it's not a hard sell by Yep Roc to make you buy that album if you don't already have it.

The extended jams for "Porcelain Gods/Broken Stones," "In The Crowd" and "Foot Of The Mountain" (one of my favorite solo tracks) all are focused and don't wander so they keep your attention. The crowd is energetic and into the show and are very appreciative when the Jam and Style Council classics get into the mix (although the sing-along to the album closing "Town Called Malice" is pretty lame).

I haven't listened to the somewhat difficult to find "Live Wood" concert disc for a while to give a good comparison. However, since "Catch-Flame" covers all his solo discs instead of only "Paul Weller" and "Wild Wood," this is a more balanced collection. Highly recommended!

personal highlights:
Blink And You'll Miss It
Up In Suze's Room
Porcelain Gods/I Walk On Gilded Splinters
In The Crowd
Foot Of The Mountain
That's Entertainment
Broken Stones
Long Hot Summer
Shout To The Top

Paul Weller is one of those rare artists who combines classic soul, rock, R&B and British pop in one highly satisfying package. His songs are thoughtful and introspective, smart and wise, powerful and rocking. His records have remained consistent with these attributes over the years and "Catch-Flame!" is no exception. With his first proper live recording, Paul's career comes full circle with this commanding two-cd set. There's everything for the curious new listener as is for the old fan - energetic electric arrangements as well as acoustic-band renditions of old favorites, all backed by his very potent and talented band. Sonically, the recording is clean but not too polished, much like his studio outtings - a bit raw, capturing the full essence of the night which adds to the intensity and genuinity of Paul's music. Of course, old fans will be basking in the glory of these new takes on old classics. Also, I highly recommend this release to any fan of classic rock, soul & pop and/or to anyone who is inquisitive about this highly underrated and multi-talented artist. "Catch-Flame!" will be a strong addition to any collection.

Yes it is "another live album" but Weller is beginning to acknowledge his past and returns here to a couple of Jam classics. The music is well performed, passionate in a few spots. Well worth the investment if you're a fan, if you are only curious get Modern Classics first.

The industry reviewer has it right: Paul Weller just keeps getting better as he gets older. While I can't claim to have been a fan of his since the days of The Jam, I did come aboard several years ago and since that time have come to discover that Weller is one of the few musicians performing good, basic, solid, blazing hot quality rock and roll for the adult listener. Not that kids can't enjoy his music, they can and many do, but Weller's mature approach to his music is one that is rarely heard in the rock and roll genre.
My conversion has come gradually but became complete with the issue of Weller's As Is Now. Since then, I have been picking up others I have missed. On Catch-Flame, the listener is treated to live and powerful renditions of twenty four songs that span his career. There is nothing here that is not extremely entertaining, save the final song which one reviewer mocked for its "sing-along" segment. I concur on that.
Since there is so much that's good here, I will point out only those songs that particularly fired me up. They are: Blink and You'll Miss It, Paper Smile, Going Places, Up In Suze's Room, the Porcelain Gods/I Walk on Gilded Splinters segued medley, the supercharged rendition of In The Crowd, Come On/Let's Go, Wild Wood, The Pebble and the Boy, Long Hot Summer and the soulful Shout to the Top. If you like intelligent, high quality rock and roll, then Paul Weller is the man you should hear and Catch-Flame serves as the perfect vehicle for a broad overview of his abilities.
WARNING: I have been through three copies of this. In each package, the CDs' holes were too large for the tines to which they are supposed to be attached. I had a spare 2-disc holder laying around, but the holes are too big for it as well, so the problem appears to be a manufacturing defect. The playing surfaces of the CDs were undamaged so the "floating" discs are just an annoyance.

For an artist who has been in the public eye for nearly three decades, Paul Weller sounds as fresh and vital today as he did when he burst onto
the musical stage with the Jam back in 1977. A very good live performance from one of Britain's best.

I've been a Paul Weller fan since The Jam. This is the best live work Paul's ever done. It's amazing how his voice improves with age. The version of Long Hot Summer is the best I've ever heard. I highly recommend Catch-Flame.

I saw Weller in L.A. for the "Hit Parade" tour, and this album expertly captures the spirit of the concerts. Weller is in top form here, and his updating of old Jam and Style Council classics is fantastic! His new stuff, especially the 3 best songs off of "As Is Now," "From the Floorboards Up," "Paper Smile," and "Blink") sound terrific, and really rock. The old songs, especially "Long Hot Summer," "That's Entertainment," and "Shout to the Top" have never sounded so good; the cover version of "Wishing on a Star" is so much better live than on the studio album. If you only buy one Weller album, I guess you go with "Hit Parade," but if you want to hear the genius live, this is a must-have! Anyone who doesn't love this album should have his/her hearing checked -- it is fantastic!

Live double CD, includes occasional covers and Jam/Style Council songs. (Personally I prefer the original versions of those).