Album Review: Paul Weller, Find El Dorado

From gobby upstart to elder statesman of Brit-rock, Paul Weller has had quite the career. The 67-year-old’s 18th solo album, Find El Dorado, is a collection of covers produced by Ocean Colour Scene guitarist Steve Craddock, which sees Weller roping in a wealth of special guests, including Noel Gallagher, Robert Plant and Declan O’Rourke – of whom the Jam man is a big fan, having produced his 2021 album, Arrivals.

Many of these songs date from the early 1970s, when the young Weller was in his teenage years, including Bobby Charles’ 1972 track, ‘Small Town Talk’, complete with soulful vocal and a brilliant brass section; White Plains’ swaying ‘When You Are A King’ from 1971; and ‘Pinball’, a bluesy shuffle that was a 1974 one-hit wonder for actor and musician Brian Protheroe.

Originally released in 1969 by The Guerrillas – a short-lived French outfit – ‘Lawdy Rolla’ wallowed in obscurity for decades. Here, though, it’s a heady brew of toe-tapping, finger-popping R&B that’s amongst the best things Weller has ever recorded.

Elsewhere, Richie Haven’s 2002 track, ‘Handouts In The Rain’, feels like it’s never been more relevant – a powerful duet with Declan O’Rourke, its folky fugue tackles poverty, inequality, racism and the maltreatment of refugees.

It’s not the only Irish influence. ‘One Last Cold Kiss’, here featuring Amelia Coburn, was made famous by Christy Moore on his 1999 Traveller album, while the title track, ‘El Dorado’, was written by Derry singer-songwriter Eamon Friel. Weller’s voice is rich and resonant throughout, and augmented by sweeping strings, Noel Gallagher on guitar and Derry’s own Ciaran Carlin adding low whistle.

A fine and fascinating LP.

8/10

Out now