WHEN you hear "The Modfather" is writing the score for a British boxing drama, you wouldn't expect seven tracks with nods to Sigur Ros and traditional folk.

Paul Weller's back catalogue is rarely without electric guitars and a decent melody. However, the 22-minute opener Jimmy/Blackout is a moody, vast electronic piece, in turns ponderous, poignant, melodic and ominous, before Weller's voice kicks in after 18 minutes, moaning like a cross between Peter Gabriel and Lisa Gerrard.

The Ballad Of Jimmy McCabe is a soft, acoustic number on strength and weakness, troubles and homecomings which could be a Ralph McTell song, while Jawbone is the closest thing to Weller's solo work – opening with wah-heavy electric guitar, before softening.

The gentle, acoustic Bottle finds Weller singing in an almost Irish accent, while Jawbone Training has jazzy drums and wailing, distorted guitars. While you might expect End Fight Sequence to be a soaring, brutal, blow-by-blow triumph, it's actually a slow, restrained beat with ethereal vocals and discordant strings.

Not John Williams or Hans Zimmer then, but all the better for it as a fascinating experiment by a career musician.

Paul Weller plays York Barbican on Friday; sold out.