Paul Weller – ‘66’ album review: twee, soulful and spiritual

Name: Paul Weller - 66
Rating: 3

Jordan Potter

Wed 22 May 2024 16:04, UK

Paul Weller - ‘66’

THE SKINNY: Paul Weller joined the fray in the late 1970s as the singer and bandleader of The Jam. Thanks to a raw, riotous sound full of energetic riffs and stage jumps, the band became engulfed by the concurrent punk wave, yet Weller was never comfortable with this label. The so-called Modfather’s education in rock music was primarily rooted in the British invasion era, with bands like The Zombies and Small Faces remaining long-lived favourites.

Over time, Weller became increasingly infatuated with soul artists like Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder. This, coupled with an appreciation for jazz, led to his brazen decision to abandon The Jam in 1982 and form The Style Council with Mick Talbot. Since then, Weller has led a career of unwavering commitment to his diverse taste in music.

When forming The Style Council, Weller stated in reference to Talbot, “he shares my hatred of the rock myth and the rock culture”. While he never abandoned rock altogether, traces of its influence have grown scarce as we embrace Weller’s 17th solo album, 66. The album panders to tastes in crooning jazz-pop, soul, psychedelic rock and even electro.

The title references Weller’s 66th birthday, which falls on Saturday, just a day after the album’s launch. Accordingly, the record is reflective, sentimental, and, in places, spiritual. For the most part, Weller sings with a warm optimism that only meets doubt on a couple of occasions for comparatively introspective ballads.

The lyricism exhibited in 66 doesn’t come up to the standards of some of Weller’s classic releases. Still, a characterful croon reaches a pleasing harmony in several highlight tracks, framed throughout by well-produced instrumentation.

For fans of: Frank Sinatra, The Jimi Hendrix Experience and luxury cruises.

A concluding comment from Alan Partridge: “It’s no Stanley Road, but I’m sure it’ll grow on me like an attractive moss.”

66 track by track:

Release Date: May 24th | Producer: Paul Weller | Label: Polydor Records

‘Ship of Fools’: Paul Weller embarks on this latest voyage with a tone of optimism. ‘Ship of Fools’ is sentimental and nostalgic, driven by a gentle acoustic rhythm and treated discerningly with keys, flutes and xylophones. [3/5]

‘Flying Fish’: The second song takes a jarring detour into synthesised beats. ‘Flying Fish’ maintains the positive tone introduced in the opening track, but for me, Weller’s vocals are better suited to traditional soundscapes. [2/5]

‘Jumble Queen’: This is the first track we could describe as rock music. In a refreshing flourish, Weller’s echo-treated vocals are soulful and punchy, complemented by brass accents and a tasty guitar solo. [3.5/5]

‘Nothing’: If ‘Jumble Queen’ honoured Weller’s rock influences with energetic guitars, ‘Nothing’ is a more concise tribute to his soul influences. The song is mellow and seductive, highlighted by Weller’s vocals that appear to be ageing like a fine wine. [3/5]

‘My Best Friend’s Coat’: I was half expecting a lyrically altered cover of The Cars’ 1978 single but was pleasantly surprised by this tumbling piano and acoustic guitar-driven ballad. Orchestral and poetic, the song is introspective and ruminative, with a nod to Weller’s love for fashion. [3.5/5]

‘Rise Up Singing’: Using familiar instrumentation, Weller throws back to the jazz and soul-infused years of The Style Council. ‘Rise Up Singing’ is defiant and powerful, both musically and lyrically, as Weller sings: “Rise up singing to the sky […] So glad I opened my eyes”. [3/5]

‘I Woke Up’: Bringing the tone down a shade from defiant jubilation, ‘I Woke Up’ is an emotive ballad accentuated by cascading orchestral strings. “I woke up / And everyone had gone / And I’m not to say how long / So I stepped into the sun,” Weller sings through a haze of sleep inertia. [3/5]

‘A Glimpse of You’: In another sentimental, string-clad ballad, Weller seems to address an elusive lover: “I’ll find a wooden seat where I can wait / Till the end of the world / Just for a glimpse of you”. [3/5]

‘Sleepy Hollow’: Since the 1980s, Weller has honed a soulful croon that helped him to distance himself from his punk roots as the frontman of The Jam. In ‘Sleepy Hollow’, these vocals come out in full force for a Sinatra-styled evocation of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. [2.5/5]

‘In Full Flight’: As the title suggests, this is another of the album’s soaring ballads. Weller cuts blissfully through the clouds with the help of some choral backing singers. The song also benefits from a psychedelic guitar solo at the halfway mark. [3/5]

‘Soul Wandering’: This intense and percussive track is less soulful than some of its neighbours but hears Weller searching his soul for theological answers in an apparent plea to a lover. “And I want to believe / In something greater than me / And I’m humbled by the majesty of the sea / And the stars and your love,” he sings in the third verse. [3/5]

‘Burn Out’: Weller bows out on the album’s most psychedelic note. Ethereal slide guitar runs meet kaleidoscopic orchestration at intervals throughout the track. “I’m not tired of living,” Weller sings during the late crescendo, suggesting that he is far from burning out. [3.5/5]