First Time Hearing Paul Weller –"Can You Heal Us (Holy Man)" | This Album Just Keeps Getting Better!

Today I'm continuing my journey through Paul Weller's legendary Wild Wood album with "Can You Heal Us (Holy Man)," another Super Thanks request from one of my biggest supporters, Nick Little. Nick, thank you so much for making this album series possible! Going into a full album reaction, I honestly expected there would eventually be a song that didn't connect with me. After all, every album usually has a track or two that aren't quite as strong. Well...after two songs, I'm still waiting. This track completely impressed me from beginning to end. It had such a deep groove, and there were so many little musical surprises along the way. One of my favorite moments was the incredibly fuzzy, distorted bass during the chorus. It added so much character to the song and caught me completely off guard. Then, right at the end, the saxophone and horns came in and took the song to another level. I don't remember hearing horns anywhere else in the arrangement, so when they finally appeared, they made a real impact. And then there's Paul Weller's voice. Every time I hear him, he reminds me of another legendary singer. I've compared him to Eric Clapton, Peter Frampton, and this time I even found myself hearing a little David Clayton-Thomas from Blood, Sweat & Tears. At some point I'm just going to have to stop comparing him to other artists and simply say what I've been thinking all along... Paul Weller sounds like Paul Weller. That's one of the signs of a truly great artist. As much as I respect what he accomplished with The Jam and The Style Council, his solo work—especially what I've heard so far on Wild Wood—fits my personal taste much better. This song has soul, groove, incredible musicianship, and another unforgettable vocal performance. An easy two thumbs up from me, and it's definitely earning a spot on one of my playlists. A huge thank you again to Nick Little for making this album series possible through Super Thanks! If you'd like to guarantee your request gets moved to the top of the list, consider sending a Super Thanks. There's a short video at the end that shows you exactly how to do it. If you enjoyed this reaction, don't forget to like, subscribe, click the notification bell, and leave your next recommendation in the comments below. New reactions drop every Friday here on Riffs and Reactions! #PaulWeller #CanYouHealUs #HolyMan #WildWood #FirstTimeReaction #MusicReaction #ReactionVideo #BritishRock #SoulRock #ClassicRock #SingerSongwriter #TheJam #StyleCouncil #MusicDiscovery #RiffsAndReactions