The Jam regrouped and refocused for All Mod Cons, an album that marked a great leap in songwriting maturity and sense of purpose. For the first time, Paul Weller built, rather than fell back, upon his influences, carving a distinct voice all his own; he employed a story-style narrative with invented characters and vivid British imagery à la Ray Davies to make incisive social commentary -- all in a musically irresistible package. The youthful perspective and impassioned delivery on All Mod Cons first earned Weller the "voice of a generation" tag, and it certainly captures a moment in time, but Read more on Last.fm.
Boom! It all connects for Weller and Co on album #3. What a spectacular record. The playing, the singing, the songwriting, all leaps ahead and they score on almost every track. The Kinks cover is one of the many treats on this one. A truly classic record.