Paul Weller: True Meanings review – A return to form and focus

There have been occasions in the past 40 years of Paul Weller’s career when ambitions have outstripped results, but there’s no denying the dedication of his true-blue work ethic.

While his perceived status as God’s gift to songwriting is overstating the case (too much of Weller’s solo output runs close to Noel Gallagher’s as being conspicuously average), there have always been times when he gets it completely right.

That most of True Meanings hits the mark is due to its cohesiveness. It is Weller's singer-songwriter album, acoustic and reflective in tone, and carefully, delicately textured.

Long-time fans will know he has always had a soft spot for evocative, bucolic tunes (Tonight at Noon from This Is the Modern World; English Rose from All Mod Cons) but on True Meanings he excels with a sequence of songs that stylistically reference traditional and contemporary folk (from Britain's Martin Carthy to Ireland's Conor O'Brien) while touching on moods that range from physical and earthy (Come Along) to cerebral and intimate (Gravity, May Love Travel with You, Glide).

A welcome return to form and focus.