Paul Weller - Illumination [Limited Edition w/ Bonus DVD]

While Paul Weller veered from the Mod-obsessed, early-Who-inspired successes of the Jam to further explore the R&B and Motown roots of those influences with Style Council, his solo career has continued down that restless creative path with wildly disparate results. This 2002 collection strives to both showcase that diversity and further focus Weller's voice and songwriting sense to the spare, forceful vehicle that's brought him back to the top of the U.K. charts. There's an echo of the savory rootsiness of Rod Stewart's "Gasoline Alley" on tracks like "Going Places," the title track, and "Now the Night Is Here," but the album's back-to-the-future R&B sense (exemplified by the single "It's Written in the Stars") is often a deceptive tease. Weller's guitar-driven conscience tears into "A Bullet for Everyone" and "Leafy Mysteries" with the abandon of old, and his muse leads him as far a field as the wordless, raga trance of "Spring" and the acoustic folk of "Bag Man." Throughout it all, Weller's pop instincts remain strong, if prickly, as the music-hall-inspired "Push Button" and Mellencamp-esque "Talisman" (two of the album's three bonus U.K. B-sides) well attest. --Jerry McCulley Amazon.com

My Introduction To Weller

Back when Illumination was first issued, I read a laudatory article about it in a business magazine, of all places. So since I always have my ears open for something new and interesting, I ordered the Limited Edition as my introduction to Paul Weller. Well, I'm pretty busy so I had forgotten that it was supposed to come with a DVD and wasn't reminded of that until recently when preparing to review it five years after I bought it. So I ordered another and this time, the correct edition arrived.
Well, five years on this still sounds great. It is not my favorite Weller solo album, but there is a lot to like. My favorites are: the coolly romantic Going Places; the sad but true A Bullet For Everyone; the delightful One X One; the suave All Good Books; the driving Call Me No. 5; and all three of the bonus tracks, each of which shows a different side of Weller. And as it turns out, while the DVD is enjoyable, it is not essential to the appreciation of this recording.
I enjoy Illumination a great deal, but I like Wild Wood, Stanley Road and As Is Now even more! So if you are a solid Paul Weller fan, be sure to add them all to your CD collection if you have not already done so. July 3, 2008

CLASSIC WELLER AT HIS BEST

I've had this album for a few months now and it has only gotten better and better with each listen. The melodic hooks are brilliant, the lyrics are genius, and Weller sounds as fresh today as in the late 70s. I would put this album on par with Wild Wood and Stanley Road. If you are a Weller fan, I think you'll definitely dig this one. February 16, 2005

A Great CD!

Why is it reviews of Weller always mention The Jam and Style Council? They were great bands, and I'm certainly a fan of them. Regardless, it's 25 years on, and let's listen to Illumination for what it is rather than the what it's not. I'll also applaud Mr. Weller for making music on his terms rather than cashing in on past glory.

Mr. Weller is a rare musical talent. His songwriting on Illuminatin reflects universal thoughts and emotions. It is recorded with minimal technological interference. This gives it a very laid back vibe, and an almost live feel. In a time where music recording electronically modifies pitches so everything is perfectly in tune, this is a welcome change.

Mr. Weller doesn't like to revisit old material. He challenges the listener to go with him. Most of his albums are growers. This is no exception. I've probably changed my favourite song off this CD 25 times.

I intended to write a song by song analysis, but my comments were all sounding the same. I'll just say I have an emotional connection to every one. Mr. Weller expresses his thoughts extremely well, and I've shared the same feelings. It's a that's-what-I-was felling perspective. Or a I've hoped for that too thing. There are several guest appearances. Each guest leaves you with a happy to play with Paul emotion. It's rare you have collaberations like this which are focused on music not dollars. For listeners not familiar with Brit music, you'll be enticed to investigate the Stereophonics due to Kelly Jones' collaberation

The bonus dvd is a wonderful extra. As a US fan, chances to see Weller live are minimal. The DVD illustrate the power, beauty, and passion in his songwriting.

A must buy for any music fan. January 17, 2005

King Mod

Few pop stars age gracefully. Some descend into irrelevance (Elton John) or are canonized on the basis of recordings made during the Stone Age (Clapton). Sting, whose outfit the Police was roughly contemporaneous with the Jam, re-invented himself as a crooner of schmaltz and composer of TV commercial soundtracks. It's enough to not trust anyone over 40.

Enter Paul Weller and and 2002's Illumination. Whether a soulful ballad or guitar-saturated rocker, Illumination has an edginess often lacking in today's hipster bands. "Going Places," the CD's opener, is a gentle yet stubborn paean to mutability in an era of diminished expectations. After more than a quarter century in the business, Weller has moved beyond the youthful anger of the Jam's Setting Sons, yet Illumination proves that Weller has retained that most elusive of accolades -- street cred. He manages to pull off a seemingly insipid romantic ballad like "Now the Night is Here" with a passion & directness unusual, perhaps, for a man in his forties. Not since the Flying Burrito Brothers' little-known gem, "Here Tonight," has a love song sounded so uncontrived and sincere.

The "bonus" songs, especially the Kink-ish "Push Button, Automatic," blend right in, unlike most CD add-on tracks. The DVD is an appropriate finale, with strong live performances of "Sunflower" and "You Do Something To Me," from earlier solo albums, and Illumination videos, including the Squeeze-like "It's Written in the Stars."
December 22, 2004

Great Songs, Great Bonus, Middling Production

Now that I've had this disc for a year and half. And I've let it settle in. It dawned on me that the material is superb. But the production ... especially overlayering of many multitracked parts instead of relying on more "live" performances ... is heavy-handed and kind of sucks the life out of the performances. I couldn't quite put my finger on it when I first bought this disc in London while visiting on business. I, too, was a Jam fan since finding a cut-out of "This Is The Modern World" in a small record shop during the summer of 1979 (oh yeah!). So ... Weller is a long, long standing favorite of mine. In the end, I enjoy spinning this disc now by enjoying the songs and Weller's song craft. These tunes hang with his best. November 12, 2004

More reviews at Amazon.com ...