NEW RELEASE OF THE WEEK

PAUL WELLER - 66

As the title and artwork by Sir Peter Blake indicates, Paul Weller’s new album marks the completion of his 66th journey around the sun and is released on May 24 – the day before his 66th birthday.

The 12 songs on 66 were worked up in Weller’s Black Barn studio over the course of three years with a host of guest musicians. In the recent past, Weller has been an enthusiastic collaborator, and his latest release is no different.

Here, there are lyrical contributions from the likes of Suggs, Noel Gallagher and Bobby Gillespie (“Ship Of Fools”, “Jumble Queen” and “Soul Wondering” respectively). 66 also sees the co-writing return of Erland Cooper and duo White Label with string arrangements from Hannah Peel.

Additionally, there are two collaborations with French producer and recording artist Christophe Vaillant (Le Superhomard), while acclaimed Brooklyn trio Say She She add vocals to ’n Full Flight’.

SOUND PICK

CYMANDE - PROMISED HEIGHTS

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Cymande’s Promised Heights, a record that closed out an historic three-album run of seminal early '70s Afro-soul.

Promised Heights solidified Cymande’s place in music history and contains some of their most-beloved and most-sampled tracks such as “Brothers On The Slide”. As children of the Windrush Generation, Cymande were part of the first wave of innovators and originators of the fledgling Black British music scene.

Taking influences from their Guyanese and Jamaican roots, the band fused reggae bass lines, Afro-tinged Nyabinghi percussion, psychedelic rock touches, and American style funk instrumentation into a unique sound they dubbed ‘Nyah-rock’.

Promised Heights was recorded following the band’s US tour with Al Green, which had firmly planted Cymande in the ears of an adoring American audience.

The featured alums are available from Sound Records which can be found in Wellington Street, Douglas.