Paul Weller - Just A Dream

And it might well have just been a nightmare of a year... In May 2008, much was made of Weller turning 50. To a generation of Jam fans, it felt like a watershed; an admission that we’re all middle-aged. Woking’s finest, however, belied this with his most adventurous album for two decades, 22 Dreams: a new band, new spirit; a breath of fresh air. It topped the charts and the BBC responded with this 90-minute TV special.

Weller’s 50th year also had two darker chapters: his much-publicised fling with backing singer Hannah Andrews leading to the breakdown of a long-standing relationship; and the sad death of his father/ manager John. As such, Just A Dream arrives with a sense of occasion, capturing Weller’s most turbulent year. The BBC session includes six previously unseen performances, the band taut and exciting, refreshingly free from the lumpen moments of old.

It also boasts a session recorded for Channel 4, videos for the uplifting, Curtis Mayfield-like Have You Made Up Your Mind and the dense psych of Echoes Round The Sun, plus a candid interview. The deluxe edition adds a CD recorded at Brixton Academy, including past glories Shout To The Top and The Eton Rifles. Perhaps the past year or so felt like a dream; though on occasion, maybe it was more akin to a nightmare?

Island | 2703056 (DVD+CD)

Reviewed by John Reed
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