Announcing the release on Instagram, Paul Weller’s official account wrote: “We’re incredibly excited to announce that Shades of Blue, the lead single from Paul’s upcoming album, FAT POP is out now! You can listen to the track here: http://PaulWeller.lnk.to/ShadesOfBlueSo and stay tuned… We have a video coming very soon!”

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In February, The Jam frontman also released the single ‘Cosmic Fringes’ from his upcoming LP. He started recording vocals, guitar and piano for ‘Fat Pop (Volume 1)’ during isolation and sent on the material to his core band members: Ben Gordelier (drummer), Steve Cradock (guitarist) and Andy Crofts (bassist). When the UK’s lockdown restrictions were eased, Weller and his band met up to complete the album at his Surrey Studio, Black Barn. 

The track is co-written by Weller’s daughter Leah, who also features as a vocalist on the track. Leah Weller wrote and released her debut single ‘Change’ in April last year; she revealed to NME that she has been writing non-stop during lockdown. 

Speaking about the Modfather’s upcoming LP on Matt Morgan’s podcast, Oasis’ Noel Gallagher said: “I know [Weller’s] recorded another album since lockdown started, he had one that came out in lockdown and about two weeks later he’d finished another one. He’s a got a great studio.”

‘Fat Pop (Volume 1)’ is set to be released less than a year after Weller’s chart-topping LP ‘On Sunset’, which was released last June. The album made him the third artist in UK music history to have a number one album across five consecutive decades. Others who hold such an accolade are Beatles Paul McCartney and John Lennon. 

On the LP’s title, Weller said: “I thought of that title straight away… FAT POP… nice and chunky and grooving… just a celebration of music really, how it’s affected us and changed our lives.”

After The Jam disbanded in 1982, Weller formed a new group called The Style Council with keyboardist Mick Talbot in 1983. Paul then embarked on a solo career in 1990 and has picked up several notable awards and accolades along the way, including a Brit Award in 2009 for Best Male Solo Artist. 

Weller’s album is due to be released on 14 May 2021, and it will be his 16th solo album. Following the LP’s release, he will go on tour in the UK this autumn, followed by rescheduled shows in spring 2022. The 62-year-old was scheduled to head out on tour in March 2020; however, the coronavirus pandemic halted the shows. 

You can listen to Paul Weller’s latest single ‘Shades of Blue’ now on Youtube.