Palmer mostly grew up in Malta, where his father served in naval intelligence—a stranger fact than it seems. This background meant he listened to music on American Forces Radio rather than the BBC.
The Style Council were an English band formed in 1983 by Paul Weller, the former singer, songwriter, and guitarist with the punk rock/new wave/mod revival band The Jam, and keyboardist Mick Talbot, previously a member of Dexys Midnight Runners, The Bureau and The Merton Parkas. The band enabled Weller to take a more soulful direction with his music.
Musically, Miracle Temple is a triumph in its blend of the traditional and modern. The guitar work, often reminiscent of classic Southern rock, brings in a bluesy rawness that pairs well with McEntire’s gospel-inflected vocals.