On Sunset is the fifteenth studio album by English singer-songwriter Paul Weller. It was originally scheduled for release on 12 June 2020, but was delayed until 3 July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3][4]

On Sunset
Studio album by
Released3 July 2020 (2020-07-03)
StudioBlack Barn Studios, Surrey[1]
Length47:53
LabelPolydor
Producer
  • Paul Weller
  • Jan Kybert
Paul Weller chronology
True Meanings
(2018)
On Sunset
(2020)
Fat Pop (Volume 1)
(2021)
Singles from On Sunset
  1. "Earth Beat"
    Released: 18 March 2020[2]
  2. "Village"
    Released: 7 May 2020[1]
  3. "More"
    Released: 24 June 2020

It was the first album in several years to feature Weller's former Style Council bandmate Mick Talbot, who played on several tracks.

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic82/100[5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [6]
The Guardian     [7]
The Independent     [8]

On Sunset was met with universal acclaim reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, this release received an average score of 84, based on 5 reviews.[5]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic proclaimed that On Sunset felt "fresh" and "distinctly belonging to Weller".[6]

Track listing edit

On Sunset track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Mirror Ball"7:36
2."Baptiste"3:05
3."Old Father Tyme"3:56
4."Village"3:20
5."More"6:54
6."On Sunset"6:34
7."Equanimity"3:54
8."Walkin'"3:56
9."Earth Beat"4:18
10."Rockets"4:20
Total length:47:53
Apple Music and Spotify deluxe edition[9][10]
No.TitleLength
11."4th Dimension"5:35
12."Ploughman"3:14
13."I'll Think of Something"4:06
14."On Sunset" (orchestral mix)3:59
15."Baptiste" (instrumental)3:07
Japanese Edition[11]
No.TitleLength
16."Failed"2:55
Total length:70:58

"Failed" was later re-recorded for the album Fat Pop (Volume 1).

Musicians edit

  • Paul Weller - Lead Vocal (1-10), Backing Vocal (1-10), Electric Guitar (1-6,8-10), Acoustic Guitar (1,3-7,10), Piano (1-5,7-10), Rhodes (1,4,8,9), Synths (1,8,9), Mellotron (1,5,7,8,10), Mad Hammond (1,7,10), Percussion (2,5), Bass (3-5,8,9), Mellotron Vibes (3,4,6), Claps (3,5), Wurly (4), Mellotron Strings (4), Monotron (4), Samples (8), Electric Sitar (9), Philicorda (9), Hammond Organ (9)
  • Dave Boraston - Trumpet (3,5)
  • Steve Brookes - Lead Guitar (2), Electric Guitar (8)
  • Col3trane - Additional Vocal (9)
  • Steve Cradock - Electric Guitar (1,6,7,10), Acoustic Guitar (1), Moog (1)
  • Andy Crofts - Bass (1,2,6,7,10), Moog (1,6), Backing Vocals (1,6-9), Mellotron (2,8)
  • Izzi Dunn - Cello (5), Backing Vocals (5)
  • Anthony Gaylard - Tenor Saxophone (3,5)
  • Ben Gordelier - Drums (1-10), Percussion (1-10), Drum Programming (3), Electric Guitar (9)
  • Julie Gros - Lead Vocals (5), Backing Vocals (5)
  • Jessamy Holder - Baritone Saxophone (2,6-8,10)
  • Jim Jupp - Synths (9)
  • Jan Stan Kybert - Drum Programming (1,3-5), Keys Programming (1), Glockenspiel (1), Sound Effects (1,2,4,8-10), Claps (3,5), Loops (4), Synth Bass (4), Yak (5), Synths (8,9), Bells (8), Bass Synths (9), Canon (10), Drum Fills (10)
  • Jim Lea - Violin (7)
  • Magic Mod - Claps (3)
  • Josh McClorey - Electric Guitar (5), Acoustic Guitar (5)
  • Stella Page - Viola (5), Backing Vocals (5)
  • Antonio Pagulatos - Violin (5), Backing Vocals (5)
  • Paraorchestra - Orchestra (4,9,10)
  • Hannah Peel - Orchestrations and Conducting (4,5,6,9,10,14 - Deluxe edition)
  • Steve Pilgrim - Acoustic Guitar (1), Backing Vocals (1)
  • Charles Rees - Eminent Organ (1), Moog (3), Mad Hammond (5), Ambient FX (10)
  • Andy Ross - Backward Flute (5), Flute (6)
  • Kotono Sato - Violin (5), Backing Vocals (5)
  • Paul Speare - Flute (3,5)
  • The Staves (credited as Camilla Staveley-Taylor, Emily Staveley-Taylor and Jessica Staveley-Taylor) - Backing Vocals (6,8,9)
  • Chris Storr - Trumpet (2,6-8,10), Flugel (6), Post Horn (8)
  • Mick Talbot - Hammond Organ (2,4,8)
  • John Thirkell - Trumpet (6-8,10), Flugel (6)
  • Lee Thompson - Saxophone Solo (8)
  • Steve Trigg - Trumpet (3,5)
  • Tom Van Heel - Piano (1), Backing Vocals (1,8,9), Drum Fills (8)
  • Phil Veacock - Tenor Saxophone (2,6-8,10), Soprano Saxophone (7), Clarinet (7)
  • Alistair White - Trombone (2,6-8,10), Bass Trombone (7), Euphonium (7)

Charts edit

Chart performance for On Sunset
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[12] 96
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[13] 20
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[14] 15
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[15] 50
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[16] 30
French Albums (SNEP)[17] 152
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[18] 11
Irish Albums (OCC)[19] 4
Italian Albums (FIMI)[20] 81
Japan Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[21] 57
Japan Top Albums Sales (Billboard Japan)[22] 20
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[23] 24
Scottish Albums (OCC)[24] 1
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[25] 40
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 15
UK Albums (OCC)[27] 1

References edit

  1. ^ a b Martoccio, Angie (7 May 2020). "Paul Weller Is Happy at Home in 'Village'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  2. ^ Grow, Kory (18 March 2020). "Hear Paul Weller's Soulful, Synth-y New Song, 'Earth Beat'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  3. ^ Reilly, Nick (24 February 2020). "Paul Weller announces new album 'On Sunset' and massive UK tour". NME. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  4. ^ Walton, Kirstine (8 June 2020). "Paul Weller Pushes Back New Album". Loud Hailer Magazine. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Metacritic Review". Metacritic. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  6. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "On Sunset – Paul Weller". AllMusic. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  7. ^ Petridis, Alexis (11 June 2020). "Paul Weller: On Sunset review – warm, wise and still capable of surprise". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  8. ^ Beaumont, Mark (11 June 2020). "Paul Weller review, On Sunset: The Changingman strikes again". The Independent. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  9. ^ "On Sunset (Deluxe) by Paul Weller". Apple Music. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  10. ^ "On Sunset (Deluxe) by Paul Weller". Spotify. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  11. ^ "オン・サンセット [SHM-CD][CD]" (in Japanese). Universal Music Japan. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  12. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 13 July 2020". No. 1584. Australian Recording Industry Association. 13 July 2020. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  13. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Paul Weller – On Sunset" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  14. ^ "Ultratop.be – Paul Weller – On Sunset" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  15. ^ "Ultratop.be – Paul Weller – On Sunset" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  16. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Paul Weller – On Sunset" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  17. ^ "Top Albums (Week 28, 2020)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  18. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Paul Weller – On Sunset" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  19. ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  20. ^ "Album – Classifica settimanale WK 28 (dal 03.07.2020 al 09.07.2020)" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  21. ^ "Japan Hot Albums". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 29 July 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  22. ^ "Japan Top Albums Sales". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 29 July 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  23. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2020-7-13". Oricon. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  24. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  25. ^ "Top 100 Albumes – Semana 28: del 3.7.2020 al 9.7.2020" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  26. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Paul Weller – On Sunset". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  27. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 July 2020.