“My Ever Changing Moods” – The Style Council
(Words/music: Paul Weller, available on Café Bleu, Polydor 1984)
Many are quick to cite Pete Townshend’s undeniable influence on Paul Weller, an influence that goes beyond both of their bands’ mod roots and a terrific 2000 duet on “So Sad About Us.” Still, reading some old reviews of Jam albums might paint the band as Who disciples, Weller’s influences as a songwriter go beyond Townshend. Equally as important, especially towards the end of the band’s tenure, was the influence of soul and R&B on Weller’s compositions. These influences manifest themselves both in Weller’s own compositions (and expanding sonic pallet on the last few albums) and the variety of cover songs in The Jam’s catalog – “In the Midnight Hour,” “Move on Up,” and “I Got You (I Feel Good” among others. Once the band dissolved, Weller explored these influences deeper through The Style Council, his collaboration with keyboard player Mick Talbot.
“My Ever Changing Moods” pays homage to some of Weller’s soulful forebears, probably Curtis Mayfield in particular (the percussion reminds me of the excellent instrumental breakdown in “Move on Up” and Weller’s voice at times tries to mimic Mayfield’s inflection). The song’s biggest strength is the constant harmonies and the spotless arrangement – all of the different musical voices work together without overpowering each others. Weller adds in horns when needed, moves the organ up in the mix when it complements the vocal harmonies, and lets the electric guitar solo briefly just to change things up. While Weller was the creative center with The Jam, his work with the Style Council turned him into a band leader in the complete sense of the word – it could almost be The Paul Weller Orchestra if it was recorded in the 1950s rather than 1980s. Still, it’s not a complete retro piece as Weller imbibes the song with the energy of his previous group – it’s not a punk-like romp like some of the early songs, but it’s not a slow ballad by any means. Additionally, Weller’s command of language lets him (like Mayfield before him and many afterward) craft a song that sounds political without being preachy or partisan. Weller’s calling for change in a subtle way by describing the uncertain times through an idealistic lens – he hopes for an era of accountability and goodness while still acknowledging the implausibility of his desires. Still, you won’t even think about the lyrical themes for the first few listens because there are so many other engaging and enticing parts of the arrangement that will demand your attention the first couple of times through.
More on The Style Council: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm
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