Paul Weller
Catch-Flame
(YepRoc)
Worshipped by Britons but hardly more than a cult favourite on this side of the Atlantic, Paul Weller's career longevity and capacity for reinvention have made him a hero to the likes of Blur and Oasis. This blistering double live album, recorded at London's Alexandra Palace, finds the Modfather and band in a rootsy, soulful and exuberant mood. While the set list is drawn mainly from his '90s career revival, with six tracks taken from his 1995 masterpiece "Stanley Road," Weller reaches back to his days as frontman of seminal punks the Jam for classics like "That's Entertainment" and even dusts off the long-neglected Style Council catalogue for a few numbers. A must for fans and a great introduction for the uninitiated.
—Dan Clahane