Yep Roc

Former Jam singer Paul Weller takes a creative leftturn on his adventurous eleventh solo outing. Enlisting the help of such prolific pals as ex-Oasis axe Noel Gallagher, Blur guitarist Graham Coxon and Sean O’Hagan of The High Llamas, Sonik Kicks is a 14-track jaunt through the more experimental ends of his record collection. “Kling I Klang” is Krautrock rewired for German beer garden sing-alongs. “Study in Blue,” a duet with wife Hannah, recalls Weller’s ‘80s group The Style Council – albeit with King Tubby at the controls. “When Your Garden’s Overgrown” evokes Syd Barrett if he followed David Bowie’s career trajectory. Though not as directly exemplary as 2010’s Mercury Prize nominated Wake Up the Nation or his 2008 double fantasy opus 22 Dreams, Sonik Kicks is quirkily quintessential Modfather nonetheless.