Return of the 'Modfather'

Paul Weller's latest release seems to have gone tragically unnoticed. This time out, the former frontman of '70s/early '80s "mod" rockers The Jam has combined his love for soul music and early British rock with the punk flavorings of his former band. Illumination stands out by itself as being one of the best straightforward rock albums of the past few years. On the title track, Weller delivers a pure, simple love song and later an instrumental track proves that he's learned to use his voice as an instrument as well as a vehicle for his great songwriting. A good deal of the album focuses on a sort of updated style of traditional British rock that leaves most of his contemporaries in the dust. Illumination works because it's smooth enough to ring clear for days after just one listen, but the production never masks the sincerity of Weller's voice or energy of the band itself. It's well worth your time to hunt down the copies that include the five-track DVD as well as several bonus tracks on the original disc. The DVD features videos for the two singles and stellar live recordings of two of Weller's solo favorites, "Sunflower" and "You Do Something To Me"