With it's organic, back-to-basics approach, Wild Wood spawned two hit singles and thrilled a fanbase who'd been eagerly awaiting the next step in Weller's musical journey following his triumphant debut solo effort the year before. This deluxe edition, released 14 years after the original, brings to light entire new works, demos, previously unreleased cover versions of the Small Faces and Neil Young, and live tracks recorded exclusively for the BBC.
With Wild Wood, Paul Weller created an entirely new, earthy, stripped-down sound. Recorded at Richard Branson's old place, The Manor, the inspiring location lent itself well to Paul's upbeat attitude following the successful reception of his debut release: "I felt really positive - songs were flowing, the vibe was good between the musicians, me and Brendan Lynch, the producer."
And it was Brendan Lynch's influence that really sealed the deal; channeling Weller's much-loved deep soul sound with the orchestral richness of organs, pianos, and flutes inspired by Nick Drake and Neil Young, it's no surprise that Wild Wood is hailed by many as Paul Weller's seminal album.