Illumination [Limited Edition w/ Bonus DVD]

Paul Weller

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 14, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Yep Roc Records
• ASIN: B00007J4SZ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #119,832 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
While Paul Weller veered from the Mod-obsessed, early-Who-inspired successes of the Jam to further explore the R&B and Motown roots of those influences with Style Council, his solo career has continued down that restless creative path with wildly disparate results. This 2002 collection strives to both showcase that diversity and further focus Weller's voice and songwriting sense to the spare, forceful vehicle that's brought him back to the top of the U.K. charts. There's an echo of the savory rootsiness of Rod Stewart's "Gasoline Alley" on tracks like "Going Places," the title track, and "Now the Night Is Here," but the album's back-to-the-future R&B sense (exemplified by the single "It's Written in the Stars") is often a deceptive tease. Weller's guitar-driven conscience tears into "A Bullet for Everyone" and "Leafy Mysteries" with the abandon of old, and his muse leads him as far a field as the wordless, raga trance of "Spring" and the acoustic folk of "Bag Man." Throughout it all, Weller's pop instincts remain strong, if prickly, as the music-hall-inspired "Push Button" and Mellencamp-esque "Talisman" (two of the album's three bonus U.K. B-sides) well attest. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just keeps getting better, January 25, 2003

By A Customer

This album is a huge accomplishment, a diverse and brilliant collection of songs. Paul Weller plays most of the instruments himself, and doesn't waste much time with studio work. I was a little thrown at first listen, expecting something more Stanley Road-like, but I keep having to hear it again and again. Buy it now, then go to ticketmaster and check him out live on his US tour in February. Twenty-five years of making music, and he's still one of the greatest out there. All hail the Modfather!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WELLAH......WELLAH......WELLAH.....WELLAH...., April 25, 2003

By	Sean Holland "Boy About Town" (Hog City) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you're reading this review, I am fairly certain you recognize the contributions Mr. Weller has made to the world of pop music. The Jam are one of my Top 5 of all-time, and now that Joe Strummer has passed, Weller is probably my nomination for 'Coolest Man Alive.' Weller is a living legend. But I digress.....

Weller's solo albums see him getting back to rootsy mod-sy rock-n-soul. And Illumination may be his best solo outting yet. I must admit, I've been somewhat disappointed with his last few. "Wild Wood" and "Stanley Road" are untouchable, obviously, and this joins the fray. The album ROCKS with a fierce sense of purpose. From the opener "Going Places" to the quieter moments of "Now the Night is Here" to the in-between's "Standing Out in the Universe" to the VERY Kinks-y "Push-Button Automatic" This album is classic.

Paul's usual dark themes and his curmudgeonly tone seem to have been replaced by an almost 'positive outlook' and the album flows along like a spring through the Woking countryside on a sunny day. A summery pastiche of songs that rock and roll as well as relax.

Perfect Weller. I'm so impressed with this record, so let's get the terrace chant going for the Modfather:

"Wellah....Wellah....Wellah...."

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Consistently fine quality, May 13, 2004

By	Daniel Friedman "dfja17" (Harrison, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've followed Paul Weller from The Jam to Style Council and through his solo career and the thing that astounds me the most is that not only are his records almost always completely listenable but also that he was able to switch styles and genres so effortlessly and still put out a quality product. Illumination is a very good album. I wouldn't put it in the same category as Wild Wood or Stanley Road, my two favorite Weller solo discs, but it's got some great hooks, catchy melodies, thoughtful lyrics, and excellent production. I like Leafy Mysteries, Bag Man, It's Written In The Stars, and the bonus track Push Button, Automatic the best myself.

Paul Weller always seemed to fall into that great underappreciated songwriter category, like Neil Finn, Peter Case, or Chris Isaak and once again he doesn't disappoint. The biggest mystery to me is how still relatively unknown he remains to the U.S. audience but I get the feeling that is gradually changing and all it will take is one breakthrough song to remind former Jam and Style Council fans that Paul is alive and well and recording.