Illumination - Paul Weller
Illumination Image
Metascore
79 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 8 Ratings

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  • Summary: The former Style Council and Jam frontman returns with a solo album, and finds Weller producing and playing most of the instruments himself, with the help of a few celebrity guests such as Noel Gallagher, Kelly Jones and Aziz Ibrahim.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. Launch.com
    90
    Illumination is heartfelt, lost-in-the-'60s songcraft, so perfect in style and sound you might think you’re in the cavernous halls of London’s BBC studios, home to a zillion performances of the Beatles, the Stones, the Faces, and yes, the Jam. When the past sounds this good, why not revel in it?
  2. Stylus Magazine
    80
    Easily the most satisfying album of his decade-plus solo career, Illumination marks the first time in ages that Weller has sounded at ease in his own skin: mellow, upbeat, yet aggressive and gritty in all the right places.
  3. New Musical Express (NME)
    80
    Britrock's grumpy uncle has regained his gnarled spirit here and fans will feel all the better for it.
  4. Rolling Stone
    60
    The ex-Jam frontman careens from folky piffle to respectable bar-band stomp.

See all 12 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 1 out of 3
  1. GaryW
    10
    After a couple of disapointments in Heavy Soul & especially Heliocentric, Weller has come up with his most spectacular album since the Jam�39;s epic All Mod Cons in . Every track is a gem. A beautiful work of art.… Expand
  2. Barbara-
    9
    just listen to it. esp. steve cradock's guitar parts. amazing.
  3. erat
    2
    Boring, superficial & laughable. Overrated.

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