If 2002's
Illumination was a warm, laid-back record,
Paul Weller's 2005 sequel,
As Is Now -- a likeable but unremarkable covers album,
Studio 150, appeared in the interim -- is its flip side, a lean, hard-hitting soulful rock & roll album. Not that
Weller is returning to the sound of
the Jam: he's still with the same band that he's been with since
Wild Wood, anchored by drummer
Steve White and featuring
Ocean Colour Scene members guitarist
Steve Cradock and bassist
Damon Minghella, and he's working the same musical territory, grounded in
Traffic,
Humble Pie, '60s soul, and guitar pop. There may be absolutely no surprises here -- even the change of pace "The Start of Forever" is reminiscent of many of his gentler folky tunes, echoing
Illumination's mellow vibe -- but for as familiar as
As Is Now is, it never sounds lazy; it's a tighter, better record than most of his late-'90s albums. The closest antecedent to
As Is Now in
Weller's solo catalog is
Heavy Soul. Like that 1997 effort, this is a straightforward, no-frills record, heavy on rockers and with few pretensions, but where that album could drift, this is focused and exciting, boasting a stronger set of songs and livelier performances, plus a greater variety of colors and textures in the production. Those subtle differences wind up making a huge difference in the overall effect of
As Is Now -- on the surface, it certainly sounds familiar to what came before, but thanks to
Weller's muscular, memorable songs and musicianship, it stands apart as one of his more satisfying solo albums.