Post by mcoryell on Sept 15, 2004 21:51:14 GMT -5
From Thomas Bartlett's weekly column:
"As Far as I Know," Paul Westerberg, from "Folker"
Since giving up on (or being given up on by) major labels five years ago, Paul Westerberg, erstwhile king of that most ragtag of major bands, the Replacements, has retreated to his basement to churn out home-studio records at a remarkable rate (five in the last two years, most released on indie Vagrant Records). Like most of Westerberg's other work, his new "Folker" is full of good, sometimes brilliant songs masquerading as very ordinary, banal and thoughtless songs, written and recorded without care. Sometimes, as has been the case throughout Westerberg's career, it's not just a masquerade -- some of his songs are actually boring and bad, although that's probably inevitable, given the rate at which he's writing and recording them. More often, though, these songs sound like the work of a stealthily masterful songwriter. "As Far as I Know," among the most polished-sounding songs on the record, is an upbeat rocker that showcases Westerberg's nice pop melodic sense.
"As Far as I Know," Paul Westerberg, from "Folker"
Since giving up on (or being given up on by) major labels five years ago, Paul Westerberg, erstwhile king of that most ragtag of major bands, the Replacements, has retreated to his basement to churn out home-studio records at a remarkable rate (five in the last two years, most released on indie Vagrant Records). Like most of Westerberg's other work, his new "Folker" is full of good, sometimes brilliant songs masquerading as very ordinary, banal and thoughtless songs, written and recorded without care. Sometimes, as has been the case throughout Westerberg's career, it's not just a masquerade -- some of his songs are actually boring and bad, although that's probably inevitable, given the rate at which he's writing and recording them. More often, though, these songs sound like the work of a stealthily masterful songwriter. "As Far as I Know," among the most polished-sounding songs on the record, is an upbeat rocker that showcases Westerberg's nice pop melodic sense.