Hellocentric

HIS FIRST studio album since the (decidedly unsoulful) Heavy Soul, and first release since the immodestly titled greatest hits collection Modern Classics, Heliocentric finds Weller settling even more comfortably into the role of UK rock's Mr Everyman.

As on previous outings, several members of Ocean Colour Scene make up the studio band here. And guess what? It sounds exactly like Paul Weller fronting OCS! The fun, as always with Weller, is in playing 'spot the influence'.

The opener 'He's The Keeper' is a meaty, beaty, big and bouncy tune with burning riffs, and searing Neil Young licks aplenty. 'Frightened' a piano-led, moody and mellow slow burner that Robbie Williams would die for, is arguably one of the best things here. 'Dust & Rocks' a plodding acoustic throwaway, finds him in CSNY mode, while 'Picking Up Sticks' harks back to his beloved Small Faces persona complete with a dreadful drum solo ('Picking Up Sticks' - geddit?)

If there is a theme running through Heliocentric, it's a celebration of the all-new, non-drinking Weller who's spoken publicly about his tendency towards over-indulgence in that department. It's a shame, then, that he couldn't have articulated it with a tad more lyrical skill. With an opening riff stolen from Duran Duran's 'Girls On Film', 'There's No Drinking After You're Dead' is quite possibly the clumsiest anti-drink song ever written: e.g. "Dive and swim in the amber ocean, see all that you can in this new emotion".

On the plus side his voice has never sounded better, more like Procol Harum's Gary Brooker than the Traffic-era Steve Winwood growl he's affected throughout the '90s.

On the requisite closing, epic ballad 'Love-Less' he sounds more like a younger Robert Wyatt as he pleads for understanding and compassion: "I've gotta need to be loved/yes I want to be loved."

Nothing new under the sun, then.