Paul Weller

Saturns Pattern

Parlophone

The much commented upon absence of the apostrophe in the title of Paul Weller's 12th solo album is, I'm going to guess, a nod towards Finnegans Wake. Which is not to suggest that it in anyway resembles James Joyce's modernist masterpiece as a magnum opus, although a highly sophisticated piece of "mod" it may well be. More recent Weller albums have perplexed some for their lack of obvious pop songs from a man so adept at writing them in his earliest musical years, but I'd similarly wager that a man who aped sixties song structures with The Jam and The Style Council with a skill that his own followers of the Brit-Pop generation can only admire, has simply become bored of that format and looked to other ways of expressing himself.

It is not that radical, however, and White Sky, Phoenix and Pick It Up all have obvious antecendents in the r'n'b cannon, while elements of the production are obviously shamelessly influenced by Brian Wilson and Stevie Winwood. But where some have found the album disjointed, others will hear only a joyous diversity in a set that sounds like a man having a lot of fun. If only the lyrics were quite as happy-go-lucky, instead of just a little on the smug side.

It was a wonder that Weller's music did not feature in Bradley Wiggins' Desert Island Discs last week, but perhaps he also hopes the best is yet to come.

Keith Bruce