‘Café Bleu’ by The Style Council: A Groovy Waltz Through 80s Modernism

After six years of punk/new wave seriousness with The Jam, in December 1982 Paul Weller called time on the band which had brought him fame and (relative) fortune and formed his new group, The Style Council. And with their first full-length album, Café Bleu, Weller was back in a jazzier, moodier and, dare I say, Mod-ier way than ever before. Weller and his partner in crime, Mick Talbot, managed to encapture on the album’s cover both the suaveness of 60s Parisian detectives as well as the hope of new-wave popstars, with the album as a whole serving well to highlight their love of the old styles of music as well as their admiration for the new.

The first track, “Mick’s Blessings,” is a wonderful, if short, instrumental on the piano by the former Dexy’s and Merton Parkas man Mick, with a sweet and simple repeating melody which acts as a reminder that this is no longer the Paul Weller Show; he has many guests or ‘Honorary Councillors’ to introduce us to yet. In contrast, “The Whole Point of No Return” shows that, though may not be the main event, Weller is still impassioned about Thatcherism and hatred. Hailed as “a man who once said a couple of words on behalf of his generation” on the rear sleeve, Weller is clearly still angry, but he conveys it like a romantic-era poet here, with lyrics showing his intent to break the class system, with this song later gaining a sequel in “The Whole Point II”, both just Weller letting his emotions out calmly over a jazz-like guitar progression.

“Me Ship Came In!” instead goes full jazz with 1920s swing, and could easily have been in a 20s spy thriller or romance as the main characters traverse Paris’ intricate streets and coffee bars. In fact, this whole album is best heard with an open mind and a cappuccino in one hand. To maintain the film metaphor, by “Blue Café” the two lovers have settled in a small café, away from the bustle of the city.

In contrast, “The Paris Match” introduces the first of these ‘Honorary Councillors’ in the form of Everything But The Girl’s Tracey Thorn on lead vocals. This song is steamy in its 1940s vibe, and Talbot’s lead on piano provides great movement and swing to the song. Weller’s lyrics were written about an affair he’d had the year before in Paris and, if you ask me, whilst Tracey Thorn’s vocals are excellent, I believe Weller’s original version off the previous year’s “A Paris’” EP to be far superior, as his pained French in the choruses truly bring the song to life. 

On the other hand, the suave, sophisticated “My Ever Changing Moods” is immeasurably improved by its treatment on the album, its plaintive vocal and piano combining to create one of Weller’s most honest and insightful melodies; a true classic which deserves every praise it gets. Side One is closed out with the swinging sax and drum heavy instrumental with the tongue-in-cheek title of “Dropping Bombs On The White House,” named after the bebop drumming phrase of “dropping bombs” and the name of The Style Council’s drummer, Steve White. 

Sadly, Side Two opens with the album’s crucial misstep: “A Gospel,” a trip through 80s rap by Dizzy Hite (aka Brian Beaton), and whilst his social commentary is on point, the beat is boring and lacks emotion. I appreciate that Weller included black artists and black-rooted music such as rap on an album which would have mainly been digested by a white male audience, but this came out before the rap scene had found its feet, and suffers for it. The album swiftly moves on to “Strength Of Your Nature” which is a mantra song based solely on the lyric, ‘When you gonna find the strength of your nature? When you gonna let yourself take control?’ I initially disliked this song for its repetitive nature, but on subsequent listens, its driving bass and exciting freak-outs make it a fun element of the album, although the song is vastly improved in the Council’s many live renditions. 

Switching gears again, this time into soul, Weller’s Rickenbacker delivers melodies sweeter than sugar on the album’s primary single, “You’re The Best Thing.” Weller croons in a falsetto higher than he’d ever sung before and never would again as he lays out his love for the ‘warmth of your smile,’ begging the recipient of this Keats-esque poem to never go away. This song is another instant classic in which Weller dares to show his true emotions - he never could have done that in his moody Jam days.

A tom roll by Steve White and an Irish sounding violin leads us into yet another classic, “Here’s One That Got Away,” a successor to The Jam’s “Away From The Numbers.” Weller recounts how the ‘crowd’ tried to drag him down to their level by trying to belittle him as he ‘wasn’t normal,’ but he deftly replies that ‘there’s no such thing.’ To me, this and the following tune are Mod classics, telling the listener to think for themselves and search for their own happiness, a cautionary tale to avoid being boring and ‘fitting in.’

Then, with a laugh and an electric guitar lick, we are into the Northern Soul-style, horn-heavy “Headstart For Happiness,” where Mick Talbot, then Weller, then later permanent Councillor (and wife of Weller) Dee C Lee take turns on lead vocals. This song oozes positivity and joy, Weller telling us to ‘let no-one say they’re better than ya,’ and I can remember countless occasions where this song has reminded me to get back up on my feet, check the mirror, and move past adversity whenever we can, for that is the only way to get a “Headstart For Happiness.” It is one of Weller’s masterpieces, and the return of this song to his live sets in recent years has only proven this to me further.

Side Two closes with another instrumental, “Council Meetin’” which, with a Hammond organ flourish, closes the album on a positive and upbeat note, which is what The Style Council were all about: telling you the struggles you face and arming you against them with pop sensibilities that leave you feeling happy and empowered.

Overall, Café Bleu is like an insight into Weller’s mind in 1984: it’s political, slightly over-experimental, obsessed with soul and European Modernism, but above all it features some true gems which are works of genius. If, like some, you can’t get past the album’s overly instrumental and European feel, then I can only recommend that you leave us Modernists to sip our cappuccinos and to continue to cringe as it slowly tears itself apart.

Overall Rating: 8/10

Individual Track Ratings:

Mick’s Blessings – 7/10

The Whole Point Of No Return – 9.5/10

Me Ship Came In! – 7.5/10

Blue Café – 6.5/10

The Paris Match – 9/10

My Ever Changing Moods – 10/10

Dropping Bombs On The White House – 6/10

A Gospel – 4/10

Strength Of Your Nature – 8/10

You’re The Best Thing – 10/10

Here’s One That Got Away – 10/10

Headstart For Happiness – 10/10

Council Meetin’ – 7.5/10

Image courtesy of Alt77.