Track Listing

1. Light Nights
2. 22 Dreams
3. All I Wanna Do (Is Be With You)
4. Have You Made Up Your Mind
5. Empty Ring
6. Invisible
7. Song For Alice
8. Cold Moments
9. The Dark Pages Of September Lead To The New Leaves Of Spring
10. Black River
11. Why Walk When You Can Run
12. Push It Along
13. A Dream Reprise
14. Echoes Round The Sun
15. One Bright Star
16. Lullaby Fur Kinder
17. Where'er Ye Go
18. God
19. 111
20. Sea Spray
21. Night Lights

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5783 in Music
• Released on: 2008-06-02
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 69 minutes

Amazon.co.uk review
It's never too long between Paul "The Modfather" Weller albums. Yet the starlet's prolific solo output over the last decade or so hasn’t often reached the artistic heights of his work with The Jam or The Style Council. While consistent enough, recent projects have been marred by a certain complacency - a tendency to settle for the middle ground instead of the soaring, surprising heights of yesteryear. But on 22 Dreams, some of the old punk fire returns. Buoyed by a stellar Britpop cast including former Blur guitarist Graham Coxon and Oasis members Noel Gallagher and Gem Archer, 22 Dreams is the sound of Weller finally taking an unexpected artistic leap after a series of steady steps. Working across a wide range of genres--rock, funk, soul, free jazz, krautrock, classical music, electronica, even spoken word--Weller presents an hour-plus odyssey full of eccentric surprises and loveable chaos. From the blue-eyed soul of "Have You Made Up Your Mind?" and the eerily brilliant "Echoes Around the Sun" (a Weller/Gallagher collaboration), to experimental offerings such as "111" and acid-folk opener "Light Nights", Weller digs deep into his magician's hat, and pulls out rabbit after rabbit. Some of the more off-the-wall moments--"God" for example--won't be for everyone, but the way everything collides together in a haphazard, devil-may-care manner serves to remind us that we should never write off our beloved veterans – you never know when they’re going to take an unexpected artistic risk.--Danny McKenna

CD Description
'22 Dreams' is the ninth studio album from "The Modfather" Paul Weller. Recorded at Weller's Black Barn Studios in Surrey and produced by Simon Dine and Weller himself, the album is a mix of classic British indie rock that takes inspiration from Weller's three decades of musical output. Guest appearances come from the likes of Oasis' Noel Gallagher and Gem Archer, Ocean Colour Scene's Steve Cradock and ex-Blur guitarist Graham Coxon. The double A side single 'Have You Made Your Mind Up/Echoes Around The Sun' is included.

Customer Reviews

I Like This One
I actually bought the Deluxe version, but as I haven't listened to the second CD, I've decided to review the single disc edition.

I can understand the disappointment some have voiced over the first new Paul Weller album in three years, 22 Dreams. You always get hype with Weller releases; reading Mojo a couple of months back you would have thought this album was on par with Rubber Soul, Pet Sounds, Travelogue and other rock 'n' roll greats. Don't get me wrong it IS a little disappointing, but if it was perfect then Sir Paul would give up wouldn't he? And we wouldn't want that.

The range of musical styles on here is breathtaking; from ballads, full on rockers, garade/psych hybrids to mock-Italian restaurant background muzak.

The single, Have You Made Up Your Mind is great, especially the Phillyesque backing vocals in the chorus, strange as I remember reading a Weller interview where he called the Philly sound of the 70's "insipid" or something similar.

Other highlights are the Weller/Gallagher psych-monster, "Echoes Round The Sun". You may find it hard to believe that this is our Paul singing, but it is.

The title track is also a cracking tune, but I can't help singing "I had too much to dream last night", a classic from the Electric Prunes...just a coincidence, I'm sure.

Nice one, Paul.

Weller breaks free & delivers the album he's threatened to make...
This album will alienate many fans who expect a Stanley Road or All Mod Cons, this is Weller doing what he should have done 3 albums ago.....which is indulge his own passions for the type of music he loves, and so here we have 22 dreams which skips 'literally' thru the seasons & along the way takes in inspirations from Mayfield,Mingus & Alice Coltrane not to mention forays into psychedelia & folk music aswell...I wont bore you with a run down on each track but would only add that nearly all songs on the album is something different from what you would expect of a more recent Weller outing & for a guy who's been around as long as he has this is a testament to his passion & a need to stay fresh when most if not all of his contemporaries have long faded away. Stand out tracks for me are Cold moments,All I wanna do,Push it Along,Have you made up your mind & Empty Ring.....the songs which will generally divide the few are obviously the instrumentals & I'm sure most people wouldn't enjoy sitting thru 111 on repeat!! But in the context of the album it does fit in & when 'Sea Spray' kicks in its all the more joyous & I can see the idea,the only let down for me is the spoken word track 'God' which I just don't get & should have been left as a scrap book poem....but for an album of 21 songs this is forgiven, in an age when `indie guitar rock' can irritate and bore even the most patient listener Weller is a breath of fresh air, as with All Mod Cons,Confessions of a Pop Group & Wildwood this album is another landmark in an amazing career.

summer dreaming
22 Dreams
This CD sums up the influences of Mr Weller, there is soul, jazz, folk and biting lyrics. This is a grand album, taking the listener on a magical tour of England, and all it offers, the songs roll into each other like chapters in a book, everyone will have a favourite, mine being "empty ring" a powerful song with sad lyrics set against an upbeat Curtis Mayfield style beat, this set is Weller at his best, taking chances and playing it like it matters, buy and play this with the knowledge that you will return to it time after time.

peace