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Paul Weller doesn't try anything explicitly new on his sixth solo album, Illumination, or at least it seems that way at first. It's firmly grounded in the soulful singer/songwriter style that he etched out on Wild Wood, but there are several subtle differences that give it its own character. As it turns out, Heliocentric was indeed a bit of a creative rebirth, signaling a return to stronger songwriting plus a willingness to play around with the arrangements. During the Stanley Road/Heavy Soul phase, it would have been unthinkable for Weller to loop a horn sample for a song's main hook as he does on "It's Written in the Stars," but he not only does that, he offers it as a lead single. And the horn sample is a good indication of where the sound of Illumination lies. There is little of the British folk and prog overtones of Heliocentric here, and soul takes the center stage; even when a track isn't explicitly soulful, it has a warm, welcoming vibe reminiscent of late-'60s/early-'70s soul. When the album drifts, as it does on the largely instrumental "Spring (At Last)," it's for atmosphere, enhancing the open, warm feel of the record. Even when Weller tears loose on occasion -- flashing violent rage on the rampaging "A Bullet for Everyone," for instance, or fiercely playing his guitar -- it functions as an effective counterpoint, emphasizing the comforting feel of the majority of the album. Best of all, it all feels effortless (unlike, say, the labored efforts of his peer, Elvis Costello, on his 2002 release When I Was Cruel), from the production to the songwriting. This is unlikely to be a huge hit, like Stanley Road, nor will it likely win many new fans, but that's not the point of Illumination. This, like any Weller album, is a snapshot of Weller's mood at the time, and it finds him aging gracefully and appealingly. Anybody who's gone this far with him will surely find it very satisfying.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Paul Weller, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Damon Minchella, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Metcalfe, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Weller, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Steve White, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Jan Kybert, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Charles Rees, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Kevin Metcalfe, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Weller, Producer, Ambient Percussion, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Steve White, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jan Kybert, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Charles Rees, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Stan, Charles & all, Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc., The copyright in this sound recording is owned by Independiente Limited. All rights of the manufacture and of the owner of the recorded work reserved. Unauthorised copying, hireing, lendi
Damon Minchella, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Metcalfe, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Weller, Producer, Vocals, Music Production, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Brendan Lynch, Glockenspiel, AssociatedPerformer - Steve White, Drums, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Simon Dine, Producer, Co-Producer, Bass Trombone, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Steve Cradock, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Charles Rees, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jan "Stan" Kybert, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Paul Weller, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Steve Cradock, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Paul Weller, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Simon Dine, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Paul Weller, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Aziz Ibrahim, Tambura, Sarod, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Noel Gallagher, Drums, Bass Guitar, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Kevin Metcalfe, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Weller, Producer, Guitar, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jan Kybert, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Charles Rees, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Gem Archer, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Paul Weller, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Damon Minchella, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jocelyn Brown, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Carleen Anderson, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Weller, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Aziz Ibrahim, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Kelly Jones, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Paul Weller, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Damon Minchella, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jocelyn Brown, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Carleen Anderson, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Weller, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Steve Cradock, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Paul Weller, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Paul Weller, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Simon Dine, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Paul Weller, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Steven White, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Seamus Beaghen, Organ, Electro-Acoustic Realization, AssociatedPerformer - Damon Minchella, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Weller, Producer, Recording Producer, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Steve Cradock, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
Album review
Paul Weller doesn't try anything explicitly new on his sixth solo album, Illumination, or at least it seems that way at first. It's firmly grounded in the soulful singer/songwriter style that he etched out on Wild Wood, but there are several subtle differences that give it its own character. As it turns out, Heliocentric was indeed a bit of a creative rebirth, signaling a return to stronger songwriting plus a willingness to play around with the arrangements. During the Stanley Road/Heavy Soul phase, it would have been unthinkable for Weller to loop a horn sample for a song's main hook as he does on "It's Written in the Stars," but he not only does that, he offers it as a lead single. And the horn sample is a good indication of where the sound of Illumination lies. There is little of the British folk and prog overtones of Heliocentric here, and soul takes the center stage; even when a track isn't explicitly soulful, it has a warm, welcoming vibe reminiscent of late-'60s/early-'70s soul. When the album drifts, as it does on the largely instrumental "Spring (At Last)," it's for atmosphere, enhancing the open, warm feel of the record. Even when Weller tears loose on occasion -- flashing violent rage on the rampaging "A Bullet for Everyone," for instance, or fiercely playing his guitar -- it functions as an effective counterpoint, emphasizing the comforting feel of the majority of the album. Best of all, it all feels effortless (unlike, say, the labored efforts of his peer, Elvis Costello, on his 2002 release When I Was Cruel), from the production to the songwriting. This is unlikely to be a huge hit, like Stanley Road, nor will it likely win many new fans, but that's not the point of Illumination. This, like any Weller album, is a snapshot of Weller's mood at the time, and it finds him aging gracefully and appealingly. Anybody who's gone this far with him will surely find it very satisfying.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 16 track(s)
- Total length: 00:58:11
- Main artists: Paul Weller
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Craft Recordings
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc. ℗ 2002 Craft Recordings, a division of Concord Music Group, Inc.
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