![]() But collected on Introducing…, available as a European import in autumn ’83, the extent of Weller’s transformation became clear. While The Style Council had been manifestly born out of “a hatred for the rock myth and the rock culture” and conceived by Weller and new partner Mick Talbot as an attempt to marry the Small Faces and the Modern Jazz Quartet, debut 45 “Speak Like A Child” wasn’t the radical departure many expected. So, with the back catalogue newly remastered and reissued on beautifully hued vinyl, is it time to give The Style Council their due? It’s hard to imagine a debut more likely to infuriate the green-parka army of betrayed Jam fans than Introducing… (1983). Since that night, all manner of supposedly outdated ’80s ideas have gained a surprising new currency. On record the scathing lyric was strung up in needless orchestration here it was stripped back, delivered with rueful urgency. ![]() Ignoring calls for “Eton Rifles”, Weller revisited “A Stones Throw Away”, from the Council’s 1985 state-of-the-nation address, Our Favourite Shop. You could sense fresh bearings last December, when he persuaded Wyatt out of retirement to join him and Danny Thompson in a people-power trio for the first Concert For Corbyn in Brighton. It’s to Weller’s credit that he’s still evading the main road even as he approaches 60. Sometimes the most important part of what you do comes out of the moments when you sidestep the main road.” “I know some people think of it as Paul’s period in the wilderness, but the wilderness is a very underestimated place. “I really empathised with The Style Council,” said Robert Wyatt. There was one distinguished dissenting voice. The post-Britpop narrative still had it that the ’80s were a regrettable detour for Weller – a decade of pretensions, anodyne funk, questionable politics, dodgy haircuts and toe-curling sleevenotes. But you'd be missing out if you were to ignore it.When Uncut published its Top 30 Paul Weller songs 10 years ago, it was no surprise that only five tracks from The Style Council made the cut. Rounding out the album are the lurvely, romantic "Walking the night", and the so-called 'hidden track' (it wasn't listed on the UK LP) "A woman's song", a stinging piece based on a children's lullaby.Ĭould this have been a better album? Sure. Additionally, "Fairy tales" (politics aside, a party tune) was mixed by the great Curtis Mayfield. Not only do these two songs come the closest to achieving the soulful sound TSC appeared to be striving for, but they're also the most passionate songs on the album - not to mention the most political. The real highlights of the album, in my view, are "Heavens above" and "Fairy tales". "It didn't matter" was the biggest hit from the album though slightly droney, its passion carries it through. ![]() However, the title track suffers from a needlessly clunky arrangement (a much-improved, re-recorded version was released later that year as the b-side of "Wanted"), "Angel" is a bit lackluster sounding, and "Waiting" was Weller's first single in many years to miss the UK top 40. Only the group's decision to bring in different people (among them Curtis Mayfield) to mix each song was in keeping with this tradition.Īs far as the songs go, the only serious misstep is "Right to go", ruined by some embarrassing (and dated) "rappin" by The Dynamic Three. It was also the first Style Council album to boast a proper band lineup, whereas the group had previously been Paul Weller and Mick Talbot with an ever-shifting cast of Honorary Councillors. The overall sound of the album seemed to reflect this, lacking the spirit of its predecessors. Unlike the previous TSC albums (including the US mini-LP compilation, Introducing The Style Council), which had come out in either spring or summer, The Cost of Loving came out smack in the middle of winter. The first problem with the album was the timing of its release. However, many folks feel the need to dismiss the album altogether this is too bad, because, though the album is decidely flawed, there really are some fine songs to be found here. You'd be missing out if you were to ignore it.Ĭompared to the rest of the group's catalog, this is a fair assessment.
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