The Singular Adventures of the Style Council

New Musical Express
...[F]or those who long for the return of naïve ambition and righteous soul in pop, plus a few nice fashion crimes to keep things amusing, this five-CD box set boasts the unenviable achievement of collecting virtually everything Paul Weller and friends recorded in their short lifespan, including the long-lost, unlamented 'House' album from 1989 which Polydor refused to release, effectively ending the band.

The Singular Adventures of the Style Council,The Style Council,Polygram Records,New Wave,Pop,Popular Music,Rock,Rock/Pop,Sophisti-Pop

The Singular Adventures of the Style Council

Average customer rating:

Fine But Rather Flawed Introduction to an Underrated Band
Some excellent stuff here
PAUL WELLER'S FAILURE
An Excellent Introduction!
An Excellent Introduction!

The Singular Adventures of the Style Council
The Style Council
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Confessions of a Pop Group
Introducing the Style Council
Cafe Bleu
In Concert
Our Favourite Shop

ASIN: B000001FQ3
Release Date: 1989-05-19

Tracks:

You're The Best Thing
Have You Ever Had It Blue (12in Version)
Money Go Round (Parts I & II)
My Ever Changing Moods (12in Version)
Long Hot Summer (12in Version)
The Lodgers
Walls Come Tumbling Down!
Shout To The Top!
Wanted
It Didn't Matter
Speak Like A Child
A Solid Bond In Your Heart
Life At A Top People's Health Farm
Promised Land
How She Threw It All Away
Waiting

Customer Reviews:

Fine But Rather Flawed Introduction to an Underrated Band.......2007-03-08

Let's start with the cons before we hit the pros. For one thing, as Kevin O'Conner noted, some key tracks appear in re-recorded form. "You're the Best Thing," strangely, sounds better in this new version. However, the compilation committed a cardinal sin by giving us "Long Hot Summer `89 Mix" without even telling us. For shame! The packaging would have us believe that this is the 12" mix from 1983. Alas, that's not the case. And sadly, the 1989 version pales in comparison to the original. The seductive synthesized bass line is terribly subdued in the new version. Also, there's all this terrible clattering percussion that's all too prominent in the mix. Lastly, Weller re-recorded the vocals; this doesn't help, since he sounds detached when he's supposed to be pleading. Sad, sad, sad. There are other quibbles, though. All good compilations should be in chronological order. This one isn't. The longer mixes are stuck in front, the middle is mixed up and the end consists of two bonus tracks that presumably weren't on the LP/CD. But still... no chronological order is just a poor practice.

Now, the pros! For one thing, the music on here is great! They give us the cream of The Style Council's marvelous crop. Should we do a run-down?

You're the Best Thing [Re-recording]- Better than the album version! Why? Because the synthesized bass is audible. It's very much like the bass used in the good version of Long Hot Summer.

Have You Ever Had It Blue? [12" Version]- This song is cool, in a jazzy way. The atmosphere that this tracks creates is a languid one, tremendously laid back, but also very sensuous. The horns and the bass seem more Brazilian than R&B. Perhaps that's what makes this vibe so hip. The percussion and delivery do indeed bring one close to Rio. The doo-doo-doo back-up singers add a further jazzy dimension to the mix. It seems as if Weller could be starring at a club in Copacabana once his voices pops up. Great chorus, too. Fun fact: Musically, this is the same song as "With Everything To Lose," from the band's second album.

Money-Go-Round, Pt. 1 & 2 [Remix]- From what O'Conner said, this is a remix or re-recording. Overall, this track's lyrics are pretty cynical. And the production is too slick and revels in 80s clichés. It doesn't gel too well. And worst of all, the chorus will stick with you.

My Ever Changing Moods [12" Version]- A classic. This is the version we know from that goofy video with the bike race. "Daylight turns to moonlight/ better look my best" is a fantastic opening line for a groovy song that bears rock, jazz and soul influences throughout. Great guitar work all over, spot-on drumming and well-honed production completes the package. A career highlight.

Long Hot Summer '89 Mix- An aberration. Blasphemy. Uninspired. Dated. The main reason why I deducted a star off this album.

The Lodgers- Good soul-influenced track. Cuts off the album version's intro, but that's not really a problem.

Walls Come Tumbling Down!- Pseudo-royal organ intro explodes into soul bombast! Stylish piano and horns follow. "You don't have to take this crap/you don't have to sit back and relax" barks Weller. The backup singers note "You can actually try changing it". The frantic pace never lets up. The chorus is raucous. The song takes many detours that would make 60s soul proud. Key line: "They take the profits/you take the blame."

Shout To The Top!- Strings and piano hit you at once, and this powerful duo of sound forms the backbone of the song. A steady galloping beat helps keep it focused. Its sophisticated but also danceable. Weller is in tip-top shape here, as his delivery is flawless. Dig the chorus and the way it grabs you, too. Talbot's work with the strings and pianos is classy to the max.

Wanted- Latter-era Style Council. The 80s clichés have been absorbed and mixed with rather faceless soul.

It Didn't Matter- See "Wanted."

Speak Like a Child- The beauty of early Style Council lies in its unabashed admiration for 1960s soul, sweeping choruses and a knack for melody. Made darn good use of horns, too.

A Solid Bond in Your Heart- Kinetic drums, piano, a funky scratchy guitar buried in the mix and an energetic delivery. Catchy and wondrous.

Life at a Top Peoples Health Farm- No apostrophe on this 1988 track. This comes off the reviled "Confessions of a Pop Group" album. Many say that the album is too pompous, way too angry (lyrically) and too badly produced. This track, in my opinion, is a flawed masterpiece off a flawed album. The lyrics are infallible: "Mother's playing bingo/she's hoping for the big win/she buys her daily newspapers/to see how ten percent live." Aye, the working class, in its economic misfortunes, still seems to love seeing the juicy lives of the rich. More fun abounds with "Brother's got new glasses/ shaped like Leon Trotsky's/they look very nice on the mantelpiece/next to the Royal Family." Scathing indictment of British society! And the arrangement is great. There's a great soul influence in the horns that just add life to this bitter track. But, alas, the production turns this into a dated object. Clangy, clattering drum machines make too much late-80s noise. Darn. Despite its production flaws, this is still a nice hidden gem in the Style Council's catalogue that mustn't be overlooked.

Promised Land- What on earth happened? Why are they doing house? Gospel-influenced house with hippy lyrics? Not the best way to go out.

How She Threw It All Away- A poppier (and better produced) track from 1988. Catchy, but rather vacuous. It lacks the musical genius of early Style Council, and it also lacks the depth of LifeAtATops. Good fun, and its got a weird flute that's just goofy. A bonus track on the CD, it seems.

Waiting- The other bonus track. Starts out with a dark acoustic-like guitar. It's kinda like those Metallica songs that start off brooding and the intensify. This one goes the other way. The guitar then leads to a mellow 80s R&B track that's not too memorable.

Overall, the amount of great tracks here outnumbers the bad ones. Plus, you need the bad ones to provide a full picture of the band's career anyway. But the flaws! Re-recordings and no chronological order! As sad as that is, however, the overall satisfaction level I derive from this compilation makes me give it 4 stars. The absence of the original 1983 mix of Long Hot Summer is what killed it for me. But everything else is marvelous and well chosen.

If you're curious about The Style Council, get this compilation or Style Council - Greatest Hits. Or just pony up more dough and buy the The Complete Adventures of the Style Council box set, already!

Some excellent stuff here.......2006-03-08

Paul Weller made some excellent, melodic pop music with the Style Council. Tunes like "You're the Best Thing," "My Ever-Changing Moods," and "A Solid Bond in Your Heart" are pure winners and a joy to hear. Unfortunately, there are quite a few lesser efforts as well, most notably the unbearable "Money-Go-Round." Thank God for MP3 players--I can load the good stuff, forget the rest, and I'm good to go.

PAUL WELLER'S FAILURE.......2004-08-17

Ok, don't get me wrong I'm a major Paul Weller fan, since 1977, but apart from a couple a gems like 'Solid Bond' and 'Shout To The Top' this is Weller at his worst.After the rise and rise of The Jam, he tries to go all soulful and funky and misses by a mile.Don't waste your money on this rubbish, go buy The Jam boxset and listen to Weller at his most powerful and leader of the greatest band EVER!

An Excellent Introduction!.......2003-08-01

Even if you own all the Style Council's original studio
albums you'll need this for non-album tracks such as "Promised
Land",Have You Ever Had It Blue" and "A Solid Bond In Your Heart"
-the former two being exciting forays into house and jazz-style
pop.Also if you have this and the "Here's Some That Got Away"
album it'll save you from having to buy the "Introducing The
Style Council" 1983 EP-between the two containing all seven cuts.
Highlites from the EP here are the chunky,rebellious Brit-Funk of
"Money-Go-Round",the exquisitly lovely modern soul classic
"Long Hot Summer" and the sumptous "Your The Best Thing".Another
highlite is the radio version of "My Ever-Changing Moods" with it's cascaing horns and upbeat melody,it's deservadly the bands first (and unfortunately only) American Top 40 hit.Even if your a 'Council completist like myself "The Singular Adventures Of" is a necessary,essencial addition.

An Excellent Introduction!.......2003-08-01

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