Wrapping up his contractual commitment to
Go! Records
,
Paul Weller
delivered
Modern Classics: Greatest Hits
, his first compilation of solo material, late in 1998.
Modern Classics
plays it safe, collecting all of his singles and adding a fine new song,
"Brand New Start,"
which may not at first seem live up to its title, but eventually reveals itself to be a weightier ballad variation of the
trad rock
of
Heavy Soul
. Regrettably, the album is not sequenced in chronological order, but there was a consistency to
Weller
's solo work that makes the compilation hold together well. And while it certainly confirms that his solo work is easily his most conservative music to date, it also proves that it wasn't slight -- these singles are uniformly solid, whether it's the driving
"Into Tomorrow,"
the rugged
soul
-
pop
"Uh-Huh Oh-Yeh,"
the passionate
"Sunflower,"
the ersatz
ELO
tribute
"The Changingman,"
or
ballads
like
"Broken Stones"
and
"Mermaids."
Like
Snap!
The Singular Adventures of the Style Council
is a testament to
's strength as a singles artist and a terrifically enjoyable listen in its own right. [The U.K. edition of
included a bonus live disc, culled from various shows, which was every bit as good as
Live Wood
.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine