Paul Weller

Although Mr. Weller has already released a live album, Days Of Speed (a line from the Jam's "That's Entertainment") is something a little different. Here we have the modfather all by himself in acoustic form, running through 18 tracks that cover his entire career, including songs by the Jam and Style Council - some of which he hasn't played live in ages. The recordings themselves were made at various venues throughout the world in 2001 and, fortunately, the album flows seamlessly without a blip in quality or mood. Weller went to great effort to select recordings that best captured these solo performances and he has succeeded brilliantly. Although it might be starting to strain a bit with his age (and heavy smoking), Weller's voice is still in great shape, and the timeless songs work really well in this unplugged style. His renditions of older material like "English Rose," "That's Entertainment" and "Headstart for Happiness" are great to hear, and he even treats us to a lot of material from his much overlooked, outstanding self-titled debut album from 1992. Although not necessarily essential for casual observers, Days Of Speed will be a treat for followers of Weller's illustrious career.