REVIEW: Paul Weller Find El Dorado

Throughout his vast patchwork quilted career Paul Weller has been known to dip into the behemothic back pocket of music pulling out glorious ditty’s that have no doubt touched a nerve triggering his prolific juices into action.

It’s a natural consequence being an artist to be inveigled by your contemporaries and those that are earnest searchers of their own souls constructing moments of magic. This no doubt commenced for Weller growing up in a house of music, his young mother Ann Weller (RIP) playing the latest hits of the time on a gramophone to the impressionistic young Modfather which clearly influenced The Jam as they played their own punked up versions of Slow Down (Larry Williams), Give Me Just A Little More Time (Chairmen Of The Board) and Sweet Soul Music (Arthur Conley); crossing over to TSC with their heart and soul versions of Move On Up (Curtis Mayfield), Meeting Over Yonder (The Impressions) and One Nation Under a Groove (Funkadelic).

Carrying on into his solo career Feelin’ Alright (Traffic), My Whole World Is Falling Down (William Bell) and Rock the Boat (The Hues Corporation) had his fans no doubt trawling through record stalls to find original vinyl copies. We were also treated to the full-length long player 2004’s Studio 150 featuring a mixed bag of unexpected remodeling’s of The Carpenters, Lee Dorsey and Oasis compositions. Leap forward 20 years another feast of reworkings only the astuteness of Weller could create, with the help of his long time collaborative partner Steve Cradock along with a batch of specifically picked candidates, Find El Dorado gets unleashed via Parlophone Records 25 July 2025.

What has been achieved here is more educated, contemplative and calculated than 2004’s effort, rich stunning arrangement choices, heavenly elected instrumentation and astute vocals, timely invited guest musicians, matched by delicate yet prodigious production, this collection is one for the ages and should attract praise front, back and center. From the outset Handouts In The Rain (Richie Havens) comes fresh out the blocks with swish atop of a mountain sounding acoustic guitars, ‘you can talk about your neighbour’ chimes Weller whilst the duet with Declan O’Rourke has your hairs up on your knuckles blot upright; Small Town Talk (Bobby Charles) is yet another deep soul cut finding Weller encouraging ‘you gotta believe in me’ similar instrumentation leanings would no doubt have been created by The Fabs; title track El Dorado (Eamon Friel) has familiarities to New Malden’s finest John Martyn 1969 folk top ranker Just Now, Weller showing a rich unique depth of voice, Noel Gallagher adding his own brush strokes to the showdown.

One Last Cold Kiss (Christy Moore) reverberates yet more standout acoustics patterned in a similar folk vein to The Basement Tapes with unparalleled vocals be Amelia Coburn along with John McCusker concocting almost incomparable Violin / Cittern / Harmonium vibes; Never The Same (Lal and Mike Waterson) brings a warm homespun sound reminding you of Woman’s Song from TSC ill-fated Orange Album; Journey (Duncan Browne) has preeminent chord changes that so richly served David Bowie well on tracks such as Speed of Life; Daltry Street (Jake Fletcher/PP Arnold) brings the curtain down on proceedings with yet more prepossessing strumming which again seem proficient but can only be conjured up by the virtuoso hand of Cradock.

With the added bonus of yet more special patrons including Robert Plant, Steve Brookes and Awoifaleke along with added compositions by Ray Davies, The Bee Gees and Willie Griffin, this vast bag full of makeup applied on a sculpture ready to premiere in the hearts and homes of the Woking wonders followers, this masterpiece should go on to have limelight’s shone brightly from aloft multitudes of personal lighthouses.

PRE-ORDER FIND EL DORADO HERE