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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Days of Speed, recorded live and acoustic at various shows during his 2001 global tour, will do little to further Paul Weller's standing among critics, who have a blind spot when it comes to Paul Weller. How is it, they want to know, that the man responsible for one of the most inspirational commercial punk-era bands (The Jam) and the cosmopolitan verve of the early 1980s nouveau jazz/pop Style Council is so seemingly content spending his twilight years turning himself into a third-rate Eric Clapton? Clearly, he's not lacking in talent (or fervent support, as the applause on this album proves). Yet he insists on singing in a wooden fashion--you could kindly compare him to Steve Winwood, if Weller wasn't so clearly his own man--and writing songs that continue to ignore the outside world. Contrast the older songs here--a lacklustre "That's Entertainment", a desultory "Headstart for Happiness" from the Council's excellent 1984 album Café Bleu, "Town Called Malice" divorced of its driving Motown beat (surely its main part)--with the newer version of Weller, a "mature" Weller, a Weller that clearly thinks the concerns of the world are no longer his. "You Do Something to Me" (from 1995's successful Stanley Road) still shimmers above the hedgerow, "Amongst Butterflies" (from 1992's Paul Weller) possess a certain naïve charm, but on the whole this is heavy going indeed. One indistinguishable love song follows another. The fall and fall of Weller certainly adds fuel to the fire of those who believe rock & roll to be a youth music, but really it comes down to one simple test for old Jam fans: which song did you prefer, "Going Underground" or "That's Entertainment"? --Everett True
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This album is a faithful record of Weller's recent accoustic tours. It finds the man in good humour and equally good voice as he dips into his extensive back catalogue. At last he has started to embrace the calls for Jam and Style Council numbers, realising that far from being a millstone around his neck, they should be celebrated. And celebrated they are; English Rose, Down in the Seine, Headstart for Happiness, That's Entertainment and Town Called Malice sound fresh and sit well alongside the solo material. Talking of which, this is fully explored from the sublime Above the Clouds from his eponomous solo debut through to the equally sublime Love-Less from last year's Heliocentric. Along the way clasics singles such as You Do Something to Me and Wild Wood are surrounded by popular B-sides and stripped down versions of album tracks. I've always wanted Weller to do this kind of tour, and this album will serve as a lasting tribute to the fact that it was a brave but ultimately rewarding idea. Now that's entertainment.
48 of 51 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
2001 saw Paul Weller embark on an accoustic tour of Europe, USA and eventually the UK. Contained on this album are the definitive live versions from this tour collected. What makes this album unique is that Weller returns to his past, something he has never liked to do before. What the listener gets is unique versions of classics like Town Called Malice and English Rose from his Jam back catalogue and Headstart for Happiness and Down in the Seine from his Style Council past. This is Weller presenting his songs unplugged and in the raw, he has added new sparkle to old classics, breathed new life into some great songs. Live albums never sounded so good!
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I've owned Days of Speed for three years and never tire of it - it's easily the most played CD in my collection. Most of the songs sound better live - and from Weller's mature chords - than they do on the studio albums. There are many stand outs but Science and English Rose in particular are real gems. I read Amazon's review and what a pile of old bollocks from the maudlin git who wrote it. If you only ever get one Weller album, make it this one. But once you've bought it, I doubt you'll be able to stop at just one and you'll soon be back for the entire discography. Disclaimer: I'm a sad old Weller freak and own just about anything the man has ever produced.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Days of Speed
`Days of Speed' is probably one of my favourite Weller albums. You get an amazing selection of his tracks performed live and acoustic and this format really does them full... Read more
Published on 13 Mar 2009 by Spider Monkey
Charming and surprisingly touching
Mr Weller's songwriting credentials are not up for question in most quarters. What has troubled many of late has been the trudging, stodgy, wholegrain guitar music that has been... Read more
Published on 29 Aug 2006 by Merry Terry
Beautiful, just, beautiful
Paul Weller is at his best when he does acoustic, soothing Music. His Motown and Soul/funky music is good, but you cannot beat this album. Read more
Published on 15 Feb 2005 by Mrs. L. J. Stockwell
Never too late...
Being too young to have hero-worshipped the Jam, i have always respected Paul Weller more than i have enjoyed his music.
BUT... Read more
Published on 14 July 2004 by "bugsonglass"
A Brilliant Live Album
I agree with the reviewer who thought that some of the other reviewers must have been listening to a different album to Wings of Speed. Read more
Published on 5 Feb 2004 by C. Blackburn
Are the other reviewers listening to the same album?
Are you sure you're listening to Days of Speed? Maybe it's personal, but this album ranks among my all time favourites - simply superb mastery of the guitar, wonderful to listen... Read more
Published on 16 July 2003 by Ian Grace
Absolutely dreadful - but it isn't Paul's fault!
As I'm sure most Weller fans will agree, the Jools Holland special which was broadcast just before this album was released was absolutely magical, and not only was Paul playing and... Read more
Published on 22 Feb 2002
Big disapointment
Right I've been a Weller fan ever since I picked up Wild Wood all them years ago and have bought most of his stuff from the Jam and The Style Council and his other solo releases. Read more
Published on 16 Feb 2002 by P. M. Dalton
Paul at his best
I have been a long time Weller fan and in the last few years have been dissapointed in the concerts. But Paul this time over has won me over again for the 3rd time. Read more
Published on 25 Dec 2001 by G. J. Blore
To the point and effective...
Days of Speed is great. It's not meant to be a monumental masterpiece, and Weller does not try to put that across in anyway. Read more
Published on 22 Dec 2001 by K. J. Seal
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