Paul Weller recently released the album “On Sunset.” The 62-year-old musical chameleon, best known for his seminal punk pop band The Jam, his new wave duo The Style Council, and countless solo work that covers rock, soul, R&B and electronic music (to name a few), was spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. With his tour discontinued, he focused on putting out new music now heard here, his 15th offering.
“On Sunset” opens with “Mirrorball,” a nostalgic-sounding song. It eventually picks up, criss-crossing between electronic and pop---and beyond.
He croons, “Mirroball you shine so bright/Illuminate the ways of our sight/‘Til everyone’s a shining star/The moon’s a balloon and we’ll go far.”
Next up is the bouncy, old-school R&B on “Baptiste.” He attests his love for music whatever form it takes, singing “I never used to pray /I never been to church/ but when I hear that sound /It goes to my heart / straight to my soul.”
“Father Tyme” is funkier, and comes with sage advice – “In this time of confusion/Hang onto what is real/Hail the love around us/See how deep it feels.”
It’s a Style Council reunion with Paul Weller commissioning his former bandmate Mick Talbot to play keyboards on the organ-heavy “Village.”
Not to be missed is the groovy jam on “More.” And the elegant mish-mash of styles on the title track.
Also check out the electro-dance-funk on “4th Dimension,” and the poignant folk ballad “I’ll Think Of Something.”
An instrumental version of “Baptiste” closes the set.
Like fine wine, Paul just ages so well.