Paul Weller (Deluxe Edition)

Album Review

Generous as it may be, the Deluxe Edition doesn’t exactly deliver a lot of surprises for the hardcore Weller collector, but that’s only because this well has been tapped many times over, with all the stray tracks appearing as bonus discs in various territories, as part of B-sides collections — everything except an album-specific expansion, which this 2009 double-disc set is. Weller’s 1992 eponymous debut grows by 25 tracks here, with all the B-sides — including “Fly on the Wall,” the lengthy jam “That Spiritual Feeling,” and a prescient cover of Traffic’s “Feelin’ Alright” that pointed the way toward Wild Wood — spread over the two discs, along with a hefty dose of demos, alternate and acoustic versions, and the Lynch Mob beats version of “Kosmos” that helped bolster his ties to Britain’s underground club scene. Again, none of this material is unreleased, but this may be the best way to hear it all, as it’s presented in historical context and it’s sequenced in a smooth, entertaining way that enhances this already excellent album, turning it into a richer experience.