| It's a curious dichotomy: long one of rock's most literate songwriters, Paul Weller's always been at his best when it sounds like he's just knocked a song out. Whether with the Jam, the Style Council, or on his own, the Modfather's most pleasing tunes are his most natural. Think "In the City", think "You're The Best Thing", think "Wild Wood" or "Uh Huh Oh Yeh" or "Into Tomorrow"--and try not to think too much about the times when it sounds like he's been crafting a song for ages. That's the biggest problem with Heliocentric, a (don't say it!) ambitious album that features string arrangements by Robert Kirby (who has also worked with Nick Drake, the Strawbs and Elton John) and a drum solo (the horror!) on "Picking Up Sticks". That's not to say that there's not a lot to like on the album--there is, particularly the slow-burn tenderness of "Dust and Rocks" and the back-to-basics love song "Sweet Pea, My Sweet Pea". On Wild Wood, Weller asked "Has My Fire Really Gone Out"?; on Heliocentric, he shows that it still burns, just not as bright. --Randy Silver |
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