With the Style Council, former Jam singer - guitarist Paul Weller has turned to the intimate emotional glow and sophisticated tunefulness of classic American soul music for inspiration. Weller's angry bark, which capped such savage Jam assaults as "Eton Rifles," has been sanded down for a cozier effect – note his romantic meditation in "The Paris Match" and the frustrated moan of "Long Hot Summer." But Weller puts enough heart into his singing to be quite convincing.

"Speak like a Child," the Style Council's debut U.K. single, is the finest cut on this mini-LP. The delight in Weller's voice is emboldened by the rippling enthusiasm of partner Mick Talbot's Hammond organ and the brassy zap of a guest horn section. "Long Hot Summer" is a subtler pleasure; its sad, almost vaporous quality gradually condenses into a stark, electropop version of a Philadelphia International weeper. Elsewhere, the duo leaves too many obvious clues, which lead back to vintage Booker T. organ raveups (Talbot's showcase, "Mick's Up") and Sly Stone-type protest funk ("Money-Go-Round"), though both tracks swing as hard as the original articles.

In the end, Weller's originality, or lack of it, is not the issue. The shotgun approach of this record–basically a collection of British singles and B-sides–suggests he's just having a little soul holiday while searching for a way out of the Jam's dead end. Offering thirty-three minutes of music for the price of a minialbum, Introducing the Style Council is a worthwhile look over his shoulder. (RS 409)

DAVID FRICKE