Pitchfork

As many of you are already well aware, Paul Weller is responsible for some of the most intelligent, fist- pumping punk anthems ever. Weller fronted the Jam and brought a much needed flash of brilliance to late '70s mod- revival rebellion. In the 1980s, Weller's work in the Style Council was polished politico-pop-- it made socialism and sedition downright danceable. As a solo artist, he's largely de-politicized his songwriting. He's gone slightly mellow and just a tad psychedelic on everyone, while gleefully playing up the white- soul singer side of himself. Oh, and kids, did I mention he sips pints with Oasis?

Weller, as a singer, has arguably become the closest the Anglo-Saxon race will probably ever come to having a Reverend Al Green. And even though the Jam covered soul standards like "Heatwave" and "In the Midnight Hour," it wasn't until Weller's 1992 eponymous solo album that he began to truly wear his love for Motown on his sleeve. On Heavy Soul, though, Weller turns his guitar up in the mix, adds some psychedelic flourishes here and there, and also lashes out with some of the fiercest solos of his career. He continues to construct tight, catchy songs that betray a mature, more poetic voice that's long since lost punk's rage, but certainly retain the passion and conviction.

Weller is still virtually peerless in the way he's able to consistently shuffle and arrange meager handfuls of simple chords to often astounding compositional ends. Even in the most elementary of chord changes, as the two- chord outro on "Friday Street," for example, you can't help but immediately distinguish that indelible Wellerian stamp. Weller has always come up with the kind of terse riffage that causes widespread slapping of palms on foreheads, and "deh, why- didn't- I- think- a'that?" wonderment from guitarists everywhere.

It's true that, lyrically, Weller has occasional pedantic tendencies. But here he comes off more like a caring father- figure passing on some urgent wisdom-- rather than some tired, sour old ex-punk delivering senile finger- pointing gibberish. On the soul- searching "I Should Have Been There to Inspire You," there's the pain of coming to terms with residual guilt from a past relationship. There's more Weller word magic on the heartfelt "As You Lean Into the Light," ("If I could be rain/ I'd rain from your eyes/ And I'd wash away the emptiness inside"), and the possibility of simple, everyday transcendence on the rousing "Friday Street." "Science" deals with self- actualization and picks apart the destructive illusions and delusions we humans love to create for ourselves.

And of course, Weller's one of the few 20th Century songwriters who can actually get away with rhyming "see" with "thee." Spirituality, truth- seeking, faith, inspiration, redemption, and salvation... it's all here, baby, on Heavy Soul. So stand up, clap your hands, shake your collective asses, and testify, people-- Reverend Weller's preachin' his gospel again. Amen.