Paul Weller - Studio 150

This CD is an album of cover versions that are given the unique Weller take, adding on his own influences to give these songs a unique twist. A lot of the tracks I didn't know before buying this album, but they are so Welleresque that you'd never know.

If I Could Only Be Sure (originally Nolan Porter) is the first track and is very much jazz influenced, this is followed by the better known Wishing On A Star (originally by Rose Royce) where he has speeded it up and very much made it his own, in a lovely drum beat led ballad with a great guitar solo.

Next up is Don't Make Promises (originally by Tim Hardin) which wouldn't be out of place in any Blues bar if it were played. The Bottle (originally Gil Scott Heron) gets full on jazz treatment, with a complete brass section. Next up is the folk style ballad Black is The Colour. I am not a big folk fan but it is done well and simply with Weller's croaky vocals.

One of the more interesting covers is that of The Carpenters' Close To You, the jazz influence is there as is the influence of classic soul on the backing vocals. Another folk track is Early Morning Rain, which is OK as folk songs go, but that is my personal taste. He also covers Oasis' One Way Road and the intro sounds like it should be on Bugsy Malone as there is a strong trad jazz influence. Hercules is another song that I didn't know, again jazz is a big influence with an assortment of brass instruments stylishly playing in the background.

Another interesting cover is Sister Sledge's Thinking of You which is slowed down from its disco roots and sang over sweeping strings. Also featured is Hendrix's All Along the Watchtower, which could do with the rocky, punchiness of the original. The CD finishes with Neil Young's Birds, a classic piano ballad.

There is an extra EP available with live versions of five of the tracks on the album plus a cover of The Beatles' Come Together, which I really like, so I elected just to buy that track from iTunes. He does credit to it with the funky, rocky guitars and the vocals work well.

A very good buy.