Despite the unplugged boon of the '90s,
Paul Weller
steadfastly refused to succumb to the acoustic trend until the decade rolled over into the new millennium, and he did a solo tour shortly after the release of his fifth solo album,
Heliocentric
. This actually turns out to be a blessing in disguise, since
Weller
sounds relaxed and ready to confront his daunting back catalog, as happy to perform
Jam
tunes as he is to revisit his solo signatures. This results in a better solo live album than imaginable, since
is not only relaxed, he's loose and animated, giving an added dimension not just to his old
warhorses but from later
favorites. But the best thing about this album is that it sounds intimate and alive, as if he was performing his favorite songs in your living room -- an immediacy that's more apparent in these stripped-down arrangements than they are in full-fledged band versions. This doesn't necessarily result in an album that's packed in revelations for the doubters, but if you've spent any time with
's career, from
the Jam
to his solo albums, this will be a warm reminder of why you've grown with
-- and why it was worth it to devote the time. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine