Paul Weller
Find El Dorado
(Parlophone)
★★★

NOW able to collect his state pension, Paul Weller continues to work at an impressive rate — Find El Dorado is his 14th studio album since the turn of the century.

Produced by long-time collaborator Steve Cradock, it’s a set of covers — “songs that have long lived in the back of [Weller’s] mind” — according to the press release.

To my ears they are all deep cuts, including the tracks from big names (Bee Gees, The Kinks), with many from the fertile early 1970s. El Dorado is a reflective cover of a song penned by Derry singer-songwriter Eamon Friel, with Noel Gallagher joining on acoustic guitar. I particularly enjoy hearing Weller going country on White Line Fever by Merle Haggard, while his take on Duncan Browne’s 1973 hit Journey sounds great.

Relaxed and wistful, the Modfather remains on good form.

Wet Leg
Moisturizer
(Domino)
★★★★

FORMED by Rhian Teasdale (vocals, guitar) and Hester Chambers (guitar) from the Isle of Wight, Wet Leg’s 2022 debut album quickly established them as the indie band du jour.

Whip smart and a lot of fun, their second album will likely lengthen their reign.

Having expanded to a five-piece, they’ve retained their knack for writing poppy tunes, from the heart attack opener CPR (“Oh I’m in love/ And you’re to blame”) to the relatively gentle lovelorn single Davina McCall.

The set separates into either love songs or kiss off songs like Catch These Fists (“Some guy comes up says I’m his type/ I just threw up in my mouth”). And this being Wet Leg the romantic tunes are a little crazed — “Every night I fuck my pillow I wish I was fucking you,” Teasdale sings on Pillow Talk.

Dino Saluzzi, Jacob Young, Jose Saluzzi
El Viejo Caminante
(ECM)
★★★★

WHAT a treat this record is.

One of the many things German contemporary jazz label ECM excels at is bringing together highly talented musicians for memorable collaborations, and El Viejo Caminante (The Old Wanderer) does not disappoint.

Now 90 years old, Argentinian bandoneon player Dino Saluzzi is joined by his son Jose Maria Saluzzi on classical guitar, and Norwegian Jacob Young on acoustic steel-string guitar and electric guitar.

Organically shifting between musical genres, the laid back, soulful instrumental set takes in jazz, folk and tango and no doubt other influences I’m not aware of. Buenos Aires 1950 is apparently a nostalgic nod to when Saluzzi was a junior member of the Orquesta de Radio El Mundo.

Overall, the gentle, sometimes whimsical atmosphere brings to mind another ECM classic — Anouar Brahem’s French-influenced 2002 album Le Pas Du Chat Noir.