| With three decades of acclaimed songwriting behind him, former Jam frontman Paul Weller knows a thing or two about knocking up a catchy tune. It may come as a surprise, but Hit Parade is Weller's first major career retrospective, combining material from his Jam and Style Council days, as well as from his last 15 or so years as a solo artist. Released to coincide with a high-profile full-length BBC documentary, Hit Parade features his biggest hits. Seminal Jam anthems such as "Town Called Malice", "Going Underground", "Eton Rifles" and "Down In The Tube Station", sit surprisingly well next to Style Council selections like "Shout To The Top!" and "You're The Best Thing", connected of course via Weller's distinctive, raw vocals and his dual passion for soul and rock. Not all of his solo albums are represented, but most of his best loved records are here; "Wild Wood" and "Sunflower" (from Wild Wood), as well as songs from Stanley Road and 2005's As Is Now. It's a compelling profile of a man whose unique sound has proved not only thoroughly consistent, but also impressively enduring. --Paul Sullivan |
|
