Wake Up the Nation by Paul Weller
Wake Up the Nation is the tenth studio album from Paul Weller and was released on 19 April 2010. It was nominated for the 2010 Mercury Music Prize. It is the first of Weller's albums since 1982 to feature contributions from Bruce Foxton, formerly of The Jam. Weller told Mojo magazine: "We'd both lost loved ones and without getting too spiritual that was the spur of it. I spoke to him this time last year when his wife Pat was ill and that broke the ice, then I invited him down to Black Barn (studio). There was no big plan, it was easy, a laugh, and nice to see him and work together again. We just slipped back into it."
With the majority of its tracks clocking in at less than three minutes, <i>Wake Up the Nation</i> doesn’t give any sound or theme a chance to get comfortable. “Andromeda” is a ‘70s rock throwback, with psychedelic guitars pulling at each other; the sparse “She Speaks” has Weller howling over a tense beat and twinkling piano. The title track is heavy and relentless, guitars attacking from every angle. Weller sounds determined here, getting in and getting out, but doing beautiful damage in the meantime.
