Paul Weller’s tenth solo album contains his first collaborations with bassist Bruce Foxton since the early-’80s breakup of the Jam. Yet, with its hurtling tempos and noisy textures (some courtesy of My Bloody Valentine mastermind Kevin Shields), the aptly titled Wake Up the Nation hardly feels like a nostalgia trip; in the taut, two-minute boogie-punk number “Fast Car/Slow Traffic,” Weller could be describing himself in relation to his heritage-rock peers. One cut destined for any career overview: “Aim High,” a psychedelic-soul rave-up with a block-rockin’ beat.
LISTEN: Paul Weller, “Aim High”
