In many ways,
Stanley Road
is Wild Wood, Pt. 2, a continuation of the laid-back, soul-inflected rock that dominated his previous albums. Named after the street where he grew up,
could be seen as a return to
Paul Weller
's roots, yet his roots were in
the Who
and
the Kinks
, not in
Traffic
. (At this point, the sound of
the Jam
matters little in what this music sounds like.)
Weller
's music has always had R&B roots -- the major difference with both
Wild Wood
is how much he and his band stretch out.
in particular features more jamming than any of his previous work. That doesn't mean he has neglected his songwriting -- a handful of
classics are scattered throughout the album. Unfortunately, too much of it is spent on drawn-out grooves that are self-conscious about their own authenticity. Still, he has the good sense to revive
Dr. John
's "I Walk on Gilded Splinters" and invite his disciple
Noel Gallagher
(
Oasis
) along to jam. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine