Days of Speed

by

Paul Weller

Edit

Critics divide over this. In the UK he is a rock n roll god. In the US, they just don't get it.

First a few admissions: I don't usually like live albums. Also, I don't usually like acoustic unplugged albums (most have been just godawful, especially the MTV efforts). And, true fans self-select and write reviews with 5 stars, which distorts the rating scale; I am a true fan but I'm not exaggerating this one.

I thought this would be something like what the Amazon review said. But I found myself absolutely taken with this CD. Somehow, using just voice and guitar (usually acoustic, sometimes subdued electric) he manages to capture the essence of some of his best songs from the Jam, Style Council and later solo stuff. I wouldn't have thought it possible until I was about one third of the way into this. I kept waiting for it to sound 'wooden' or 'bloated' like some critics said. Instead, I relived all those songs from the Jam, Style Council and his solo stuff and actually felt like, at least a bit, that I was in the audience as he was doing.

Thanks again Mr. Weller.

I saw him as far back as '80 with the Jam and again solo in '90. I'm afraid this is no landmark album. A true test of a live album is whether it stands up as an introduction to an artist rather than providing fans with striped down versions of songs they already love. The thing that strikes me is how unremarkable the performances are. They feel run of the mill. No 'magic'. I wouldn't be surprised that if Paul played incognito in a pub, most people would just talk over him - so ordinary are his renditions. Average busker quality strumming, and a voice that while brilliant on album is very par here, this album amounts to an obvious purchase for a completist fan but it's rather forgettable if you don't know him. While he may [be great]as a rock guitarist he completely lacks acoustic fidelity on this solo effort. Sorry Paul but despite being a huge fan, I'd have to say this is not worth the [money].