In Paul Weller's 30-year plus career as lead singer for bands such as The Jam, The Style Council and as a solo artist, never before has he made a record as ambitious and overtly self-indulgent as 22 Dreams.

Weller's made no bones in recent interviews about 22 Dreams being the kind of album he wanted to make with no dumbing it down for fans or labels. This is definitely an album designed to hold his own interest and if you don't like it - frankly you can piss off. Thankfully though, this is still an album that Weller fans should enjoy and it might even convert a few new music fans out there who have yet to discover the one that many call "The Modfather."

22 Dreams is a lengthy 21 track affair, but most of it is top-drawer material. "Light Nights," the title track and the best song of the bunch here "All I Wanna Do (Is Be With You)" might be the best three opening tracks of any of Weller's nine solo records. After that though it's a dink and dunk affair of great tracks and simply decent ones. The instrumental "Song For Alice" is a lovely tribute to the passing of Alice Coltrane and "Echoes Around the Sun" is an excellent rocker that was co-written with Noel Gallagher and Gem Archer from Oasis. Are there other Weller solo records that are tighter and more enjoyable than 22 Dreams? Certainly. Wild Wood, Illumination and his eponymous album I still hold in higher regard, but at age 50 it's nice to see that the passion for making music still burns bright for Weller and 22 Dreams is nothing if not a plethora of inspiring work.