Everyone knows I’m a huge Replacements fan. In the 1980s, I leaned more toward them than mainstream bands. They would produce music that I always hoped the mainstream would, but that didn’t happen. They broke up on July 4, 1991. Westerberg released his debut album, 14 Songs, two years later in 1993. I’ve never explored his solo albums a bunch, but now it’s time.
The album doesn’t sound like a Replacements record, and it doesn’t go after anything modern for the time. It sounds like Westerberg was finding his way without the baggage of the Replacements. With this album, he did find his way just fine.
The album moves between loose home recordings and more finished studio tracks, and that contrast works. Songs like Love You in the Fall and Runaway Wind sound close and personal, almost like letters instead of songs. Westerberg keeps the arrangements simple, letting the songs breathe and sometimes wobble. The roughness isn’t fixed because it doesn’t need to be. The opening song, Knockin’ On Mine (live version here), kicks the door in with a rough, cool, welcoming riff.
I also noticed on this album that his voice is slightly different. I always loved his voice for the human feel and the roughness. He doesn’t lose that with this album, but it’s more concise and not all over the place…it seems more focused.
What holds 14 Songs together is the writing. Westerberg writes in everyday language and trusts the melody to do the rest. There’s humor, regret, and acceptance, often in the same verse, which again shows his songwriting skills. I always thought that Westerberg was one of the best songwriters of the 1980s, and he didn’t disappoint on this one.
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I am liking both of those songs and I don’t recall listening to any solo songs from him. But there’s a familiar sound here. If you can write a song with mannequin in it and have it sound like that, very impressive skills.
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I feel just like Big Star, pretty much everything I know about The Replacements and Paul Westerberg is because of you – a great example why I enjoy music blogging as much as I do.
You won’t be shocked I’ve yet to explore Westerberg’s solo work. Based on sampling some of the tracks, “14 Songs” sounds very promising. Keep ’em coming, Max! 🙂
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I saw Westerberg play on SNL around this time and he blew me away. I also heard Silver Naked Ladies in the film Tommy Boy.
I think I still have the album on cassette.
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‘Knockin’ On Mine’ has a clear sound and an insistent groove but there’s a lot of interesting stuff flitting in and out of the mix. Another pearl of a song Max
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Maturity suited him!
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