Thirty years since The Jam first crashed into the charts and Paul Weller is still around. Now following his release of his greatest hits album Hit Parade last year and a triumphant set at Glastonbury this year, he's formed an unlikely partnership with ex-Blur gone solo indie-geek Graham Coxon on this latest limited edition release for the Regal Singles Club.
Add in Oasis drummer Zak Starkey and Primal Scream's Mani on bass and you have to wonder whose idea it was to get them all together. It really works quite well though. At first This Old Town sounds like a Weller song with Coxon on lead vocals (Weller provides the harmonies), but then you're not quite sure as you hear some quirky chord changes that can only be down to Coxon. Ultimately this is a collaboration that draws on the distinct talents of both of them.
The song itself isn't going to change the world. But it's a solid track dominated by Weller's crunching guitar and injected with enough pace to take it above the dreary. It'll find its place in the collections of fans of both artists and will surely be a good addition to live gigs.
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