The modfather delivers after a a spell of writers block and disappointment over slow sales of his last record. Through this adversity he triumphs and continues to break new ground. Double album over 70 minutes in length with spoken word and a song dedicated to Alice Coltrane. Ricky Ross isn't the only one pushing it to the limit!
There are some very pastoral elements to this -the folky stuff he has been dabbling with, the artwork, etc, but his photos are pure unbridled mod brilliance. I dare you to rock that haircut at 50! A lion in winter perhaps?
The battle lines are drawn with Mr.Weller. You either got off the train at the Jam or you have hung in through the Style Council and his last 8 solo records. If you are still a follower, you will not be disappointed. I think my biggest fear is that he will turn into some kind of Gen-X Michel McDonald, but so far he handles the singer songwriter and blue-eyed soul thing with little problem.
Highlights for me are "cold moments", "push it along", "song for alice" which has some amazing piano work and a nice understated funky groove, "echos round the sun", and "a dream reprise" which has massive Stax review horns battling with some backwards masked tape loops and a wicked groove. So good. Plenty of nods to the orchestrated psych-pop of the English past. The "spoken word" thing is more Streets than Ginsberg and not too bad.
Cold Moments video here.
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