Stanley Road

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Use British English|date=July 2012}} {{Infobox album | name = Stanley Road | type = studio | artist = Paul Weller | cover = Stanleyroad.jpg | alt = | released = 15 May 1995 | recorded = | studio = The Manor Studios (Oxfordshire) | length = 52:10 | label = Go! Discs | producer = {{hlist|Paul Weller|Brendan Lynch}} | prev_title = Live Wood | prev_year = 1994 | next_title = Heavy Soul | next_year = 1997 | misc = {{Extra chronology | artist = Paul Weller | type = studio | prev_title = Studio 150 | prev_year = 2004 | title = Stanley Road (10th Anniversary Edition) | year = 2005 | next_title = As Is Now | next_year = 2005 }} {{Singles | name = Stanley Road | type = studio | single1 = Out of the Sinking | single1date = 1994 | single2 = The Changingman | single2date = April 1995 | single3 = You Do Something to Me | single3date = July 1995 | single4 = Broken Stones | single4date = September 1995 }} {{Extra album cover | header = 10th anniversary edition cover | type = studio | cover = Paul Weller Stanley Road 10 Anniversary.JPG | border = | alt = | caption = }} }}

'''''Stanley Road''''' is the third solo studio album by the English singer-songwriter and musician Paul Weller, released by Go! Discs in 1995. The album took its name from the street in Woking where Weller grew up.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Paul Weller |url=http://www.wokingymca.org.uk/paul-weller.htm |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827052059/http://www.wokingymca.org.uk/paul-weller.htm |archive-date=27 August 2014 |access-date=8 April 2024 |website=Woking YMCA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Lois |date=26 May 2005 |title=Paul Weller: How I became hip again |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/paul-weller-how-i-became-hip-again-5345505.html |access-date=8 April 2024 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> Weller's cover version of the song "I Walk on Guilded Splinters" was featured in the series ending montage of ''The Wire'''s fourth series end, "Final Grades".

On 30 May 2005, a three-disc 10th anniversary deluxe edition of the album was released by Island Records. The expanded edition included demos, live and BBC session recordings and a DVD documentary directed by Simon Halfon which featured interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and music videos.

==Artwork== The album's cover collage was created by the artist Peter Blake, co-designer of The Beatles' ''Sgt Pepper's'' album artwork (album package design for Weller was supervised by his long-term associate Simon Halfon).

==Collaborations== The album features contributions from several notable collaborators, including Noel Gallagher (then of Oasis), who appears playing acoustic guitar on "I Walk on Gilded Splinters", and Steve Winwood (formerly of the Spencer Davis Group and Traffic), who performs on the songs "Woodcutter's Son" and "Pink on White Walls". Weller is also joined by long-time collaborators Steve Cradock (co-founder of Ocean Colour Scene) and Steve White (the Style Council).

The album was co-produced by Brendan Lynch, who had also worked on Weller's previous two solo albums, ''Paul Weller'' and ''Wild Wood''.

==Critical reception== {{Album ratings | subtitle = Initial reviews (in 1995) | rev1 = ''Entertainment Weekly'' | rev1score = A−<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/1995/07/21/stanley-road/ |title=Stanley Road |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=21 July 1995 |accessdate=2 November 2017 |last=Mirkin |first=Steven}}</ref> | rev2 = ''The Guardian'' | rev2score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Paul Weller: Stanley Road (Go! Discs) |newspaper=The Guardian |date=19 May 1995 |last=Sullivan |first=Caroline}}</ref> | rev3 = ''NME'' | rev3score = 6/10<ref name="NME Review">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101000686reviews.html |title=Paul Weller – Stanley Road |magazine=NME |date=20 May 1995 |accessdate=2 November 2017 |last=Kessler |first=Ted |page=44 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000930045151/http://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews/19980101000686reviews.html |archive-date=30 September 2000 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Rolling Stone'' | rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="RS Review">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/paulweller/albums/album/165845/review/5943768/stanley_road |title=Paul Weller: Stanley Road |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=13 July 1995 |accessdate=15 August 2009 |last=McDonnell |first=Evelyn |author-link=Evelyn McDonnell |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070211223001/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/paulweller/albums/album/165845/review/5943768/stanley_road |archive-date=11 February 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev5 = ''Smash Hits'' | rev5score = {{Rating|1|5|full=U+25CF.svg|half=U+25D0.svg|empty=U+25CB.svg|rating=mark}}<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Gill|last=Whyte|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/57779449@N02/54313953941/in/album-72177720323683892/|title=Albums|work=Smash Hits|date=24 May 1995|page=59|access-date=13 February 2025}}</ref> | rev6 = ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' | rev6score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Danielson |first=Shane |title=Paul Weller: Stanley Road |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=10 July 1995}}</ref> }} {{Album ratings | subtitle = Retrospective reviews (after 1995) | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="allmusic review">{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/stanley-road-mw0000173495 |title=Stanley Road – Paul Weller |publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=15 August 2009 |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' | rev2score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Weller, Paul |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |title-link=Encyclopedia of Popular Music |last=Larkin |first=Colin |author-link=Colin Larkin |publisher=Omnibus Press |edition=5th concise |year=2011 |isbn=0-85712-595-8}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Record Collector'' | rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Record Collector">{{cite magazine |url=https://recordcollectormag.com/articles/the-way-of-weller |title=The way of Weller |magazine=Record Collector |accessdate=4 May 2020 |last=Reed |first=John}}</ref> | rev4 = ''Spin'' | rev4score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XJj9SR3-aSgC&pg=PA88 |title=Discography: Paul Weller |magazine=Spin |volume=24 |issue=7 |date=July 2008 |accessdate=26 December 2016 |last=Duerden |first=Nick |page=88}}</ref> | rev5 = ''Uncut'' | rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Paul Weller: Stanley Road |magazine=Uncut |date=2005 |page=120 |quote=[I]t's the warmth of ''Stanley Road'' itself which ultimately merits this lavish repackaging and ensures it a high-ranking place in the Weller canon.}}</ref> }}

Ted Kessler, in his contemporary, May 1995 review for ''NME'', felt that the album was "doggedly retro and straight ahead" – an "old fart rockin' blues record" in the style of Eric Clapton, though with "just enough edge to keep you tuned".<ref name="NME Review"/>

Evelyn McDonnell, in a July 1995 review for ''Rolling Stone'', noted the collaborations with musicians such as Steve Winwood and Noel Gallagher, commenting that "Weller's work supplies the connecting link between several generations of British rock and soul", and that Weller's session band were able to lay down "some admirably funky grooves". However, she felt that "Weller takes his musical bombast to Springsteenian levels at points. And his attempt to return to populist roots sinks well below Springsteenian levels of banality".<ref name="RS Review"/>

===Legacy=== In 1998 ''Q'' magazine readers voted it the 46th greatest album of all time.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}} In a retrospective summary for ''Record Collector'' in 2008, John Reed commented that "''Stanley Road'' remained the apex of Weller's career in terms of commercial success".<ref name="Record Collector"/>

==Track listing== All songs written by Paul Weller, except where noted. {{Track listing | headline = ''Stanley Road'' track listing | title1 = The Changingman | length1 = 4:02 | writer1 = Brendan Lynch, Paul Weller | title2 = Porcelain Gods | length2 = 4:51 | title3 = I Walk on Gilded Splinters | length3 = 5:24 | writer3 = John Creaux (Dr. John) | title4 = You Do Something to Me | length4 = 3:38 | title5 = Woodcutter's Son | length5 = 4:43 | title6 = Time Passes... | length6 = 4:56 | title7 = Stanley Road | length7 = 4:18 | title8 = Broken Stones | length8 = 3:16 | title9 = Out of the Sinking | length9 = 3:51 | title10 = Pink on White Walls | length10 = 2:39 | title11 = Whirlpools' End | length11 = 7:11 | title12 = Wings of Speed | length12 = 3:13 }} {{Track listing | headline = 10th anniversary edition (Disc 1: Bonus Tracks) | title13 = Sexy Sadie | writer13 = John Lennon, Paul McCartney | length13 = 2:41

| title14 = I'd Rather Go Blind | writer14 = Bill Foster, Ellington Jordan | length14 = 4:09

| title15 = It's a New Day, Baby | length15 = 2:12

| title16 = I Didn't Mean to Hurt You | note16 = Live | length16 = 3:51

| title17 = My Whole World Is Falling Down | note17 = BBC Radio 1 ''The Evening Sessions'' version | writer17 = Bettye Crutcher, Booker T. Jones | length17 = 3:21

| title18 = A Year Late | length18 = 4:18

| title19 = Woodcutter's Son | note19 = BBC Radio 1 ''The Evening Sessions'' version | length19 = 4:20 }} {{Track listing | headline = 10th anniversary edition (Disc 2: B-Sides and Demos) | title1 = Trident Jam | note1 = Take 3 | writer1 = Paul Weller, Steve White | length1 = 1:37

| title2 = Pink on White Walls | note2 = Demo 2 | length2 = 3:25

| title3 = Porcelain Gods | note3 = 8 track demo | length3 = 4:46

| title4 = Broken Stones | note4 = Demo 1 | length4 = 3:06

| title5 = Wings of Speed | note5 = 8 track demo | length5 = 2:42

| title6 = The Changingman | note6 = 8 track demo | writer6 = Brendan Lynch, Paul Weller | length6 = 4:21

| title7 = Everyone Must Have a Purpose | length7 = 2:38

| title8 = You Do Something to Me | note8 = Demo 3 | length8 = 3:32

| title9 = A Year Late | note9 = Demo 1 | length9 = 4:11

| title10 = Whirlpools' End/Steam | note10 = Alternative version | writer10 = Brendan Lynch, Paul Weller | length10 = 4:00

| title11 = Gtr + Moog Jam | note11 = Demo | length11 = 1:25

| title12 = Corrina, Corrina | writer12 = Traditional, arranged by Jesse Ed Davis, Taj Mahal | length12 = 2:52

| title13 = Out on the Weekend | writer13 = Neil Young | length13 = 2:58

| title14 = Time Passes... | note14 = Demo 2 | length14 = 3:21

| title15 = Time Passes... | note15 = Demo 3 | length15 = 3:33

| title16 = Wings of Speed | note16 = Demo 2 | length16 = 3:14

| title17 = Stanley Road | note17 = Demo 1 | length17 = 5:15

| title18 = Woodcutter's Son | note18 = 8 track demo | length18 = 3:48

| title19 = Porcelain Gods | note19 = Instrumental | length19 = 5:33 }} {{Track listing | headline = 10th anniversary edition (Disc 3: ''Broke 'n' Stoned – Stanley Road Revisited'')

| title1 = Broke 'n' Stoned | length1 = 30:15

| title2 = Out of the Sinking | length2 = 3:59

| title3 = The Changingman | length3 = 3:28

| title4 = You Do Something to Me | length4 = 3:44

| title5 = Broken Stones | length5 = 3:22 }}

===Vinyl version=== All songs written by Paul Weller, except where noted. {{Track listing | headline = Side one | all_writing = | title1 = The Changingman | length1 = 4:02 | writer1 = Brendan Lynch, Paul Weller | title2 = Porcelain Gods | length2 = 4:51 | title3 = I Walk on Gilded Splinters | length3 = 5:24 | writer3 = John Creaux | title4 = You Do Something to Me | length4 = 3:38 | title5 = Woodcutter's Son | length5 = 4:43 | title6 = Time Passes... | length6 = 4:56 }} {{Track listing | headline = Side two | all_writing = | title1 = Stanley Road | length1 = 4:18 | title2 = Broken Stones | length2 = 3:16 | title3 = Out of the Sinking | length3 = 3:51 | title4 = Pink on White Walls | length4 = 2:39 | title5 = Whirlpools' End | length5 = 7:11 | title6 = Wings of Speed | length6 = 3:13 }}

==Personnel== *Paul Weller – vocals (1–12), guitar (1–7, 9–11), piano (1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12), percussion (1, 3, 5), Hammond organ (3, 5, 8, 10), Novatron (4), Wurlitzer (8, 9) *Dr. Robert – bass (1, 2, 6, 11), backing vocals (1, 2) *Mark Nelson – bass (3, 5, 8, 10) *Yolanda Charles – bass (4, 7, 9) *Steve White – drums (1–11), percussion (3, 5) *Steve Cradock – guitar (1, 2, 6), backing vocals (1, 11), acoustic and electric guitar (11) *Brendan Lynch – Cyremin (1, 11), Mini-Moog (7), tambourine and accordion (8), finger cymbals (10) *Carleen Anderson – backing vocals (1, 5, 8), vocals (9, 12) *Noel Gallagher – acoustic guitar (3) *Constantine Wier – voodoo vocal (3) *Helen Turner – Hammond organ (4, 6, 9), Novatron strings (6, 7, 9, 11) *Steve Winwood – piano (5, 10), Hammond organ and Wurlitzer (5) *David Liddle – acoustic slide guitar (5) *Mick Talbot – Fender Rhodes (8), Hammond organ and pipe organ (12) *Joy Hawley – cello (12)

==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Chart performance for ''Stanley Road'' ! scope="col"| Chart (1995) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{cite Ryan|page=298}}</ref> | 65 |- {{album chart|Netherlands|18|artist=Paul Weller|album=Stanley Road|rowheader=true|access-date=28 August 2022}} |- {{album chart|Sweden|37|artist=Paul Weller|album=Stanley Road|rowheader=true|access-date=28 August 2022}} |- {{album chart|UK2|1|date=19950521|rowheader=true|access-date=28 August 2022}} |}

==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top|caption=Sales certifications for ''Stanley Road''}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|title=Stanley Road|artist=Paul Weller|type=album|award=Platinum|number=4|accessdate=8 April 2024|id=6237-3440-2}} {{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:1995 albums Category:Paul Weller albums Category:Go! Discs albums Category:Albums with cover art by Peter Blake (artist)