Paul Weller to reissue “Days Of Speed” (2001) and “Illumination” (2002) for the first time on vinyl

"Live acoustic brilliance from the master songsmith.”  - NME, 4.5/5 (Days Of Speed)

"The trinity that opens his sixth solo album is his best work in ages, by turns love-besotted, politically outraged and burning with spite. What a surprise - just when you thought Weller would never do it again, he goes and does it.” - The Guardian, 4/5 (Illumination)

 The long-awaited vinyl reissue releases of Paul Weller’s early ’00s long-players Days of Speed and Illumination will be released on October 15, 2021. The original vinyl versions of these fan favourites have been much sought after over the years. Craft Recordings are finally and faithfully re-releasing both albums in beautifully packaged 180-gram black vinyl sets. 

The pre-order is available now at https://found.ee/PaulWeller-solovinyl.

Originally released on Independiente in 2001, Days Of Speed is an acoustic, double live album featuring songs which were performed solo and acoustic at various venues around Europe. The tracklisting features old classics which sit beautifully with Paul’s later catalogue and include The Jam’s ‘That’s Entertainment’, The Style Council’s ‘Headstart for Happiness’ and solo hits ‘You Do Something to Me’ and ‘Wild Wood’. This is Weller presenting his songs unplugged and in the raw. Here he sounds intimate and alive, as if he were performing his favourite songs in your front room. 

Originally released in September 2002 on Independiente, Illumination was Paul’s sixth solo studio album and his second solo number one. With soul taking center stage and displaying effortless production and songwriting, Illumination includes the hit singles ‘It’s Written in the Stars’ and ‘Leafy Mysteries’ and features guest performances from Carleen Anderson, Jocelyn Brown, Kelly Jones and Noel Gallagher.  

These 2021 reissues feature faithful original packaging replication. The double album Days of Speed has a gatefold jacket, printed inner sleeves and a one-page insert. Illumination has a gatefold jacket, printed inner sleeve and a 16-page booklet.

Both were cut at London’s Metropolis Studios.  

Today, Paul Weller remains a true British icon, with a career in music spanning six decades. Weller has now had 50 top 40 albums across The Jam, The Style Council and his solo releases, including seven number ones—the latest, Fat Pop, was released in May 2021. 

Track Listing

Days Of Speed  

Side A 

1. Brand New Start
2. The Loved
3. Out Of The Sinking
4. Clues

Side B 

1. English Rose
2. Above The Clouds
3.You Do Something To Me
4. Amongst Butterflies
5. Science

Side C 

1. Back In The Fire
2. Down In The Seine
3. That's Entertainment
4. Love-Less 

Side D      

1. There's No Drinking After You're Dead
2. Everything Has A Price To Pay
3. Wild Wood
4. Headstart For Happiness
5. Town Called Malice 

Illumination 

Side A 

1. Going Places
2. A Bullet For Everyone
3. Leafy Mysteries
4. It's Written In The Stars
5. Who Brings Joy
6. Now The Night Is Here

Side B 

1. Spring (At Last)
2. One X One
3. Bag Man
4. All Good Books
5. Call Me Up No. 5
6. Standing Out In The Universe
7. Illumination

About Craft Recordings: 

Craft Recordings is home to one of the largest and most essential collections of master recordings and compositions in the world. Its storied repertoire includes landmark releases from icons such as Joan Baez, John Coltrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Celia Cruz, Miles Davis, Isaac Hayes, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, R.E.M., Joan Sebastian, and Traveling Wilburys. Plus, the catalog recordings of celebrated contemporary acts including A Day to Remember, Evanescence, Alison Krauss, Nine Inch Nails, Taking Back Sunday and Violent Femmes, to name just a few. Renowned imprints with catalogs issued under the Craft banner include Fania, Fantasy, Fearless, Musart, Nitro, Panart, Prestige, Riverside, Rounder, Specialty, Stax, Vanguard, Varèse Sarabande, Vee-Jay and Victory, among many others. Craft creates thoughtfully curated packages, with a meticulous devotion to quality and a commitment to preservation—ensuring that these recordings endure for new generations to discover. Craft is also home to the Billie Holiday and Tammy Wynette estates which preserve and protect their respective names, likeness and music through day-to-day legacy management of these cultural trailblazers. 

Craft Recordings is the catalog label team for Concord Recorded Music.

For more info, visit CraftRecordings.com and follow on: 
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