Did you know there was going to be a new Paul Westerberg EP released on Tuesday, September 22nd? Me neither. I’m a bad fangirl. But there it is, PW & The Ghost Gloves Cat Wing Joy Boys. You can also order it on CD.
Super sweet, it’s about damn time.
PW & The Ghost Gloves Cat Wing Joy Boys
I’ve been waiting for a good record to usher in the fall. Also the cover looks outstanding. Pretty jazzed.
I hope its not Paul and his sons band.
Sweet…previews sound great…the cover made me think he was gonna pull a tweedy on us.
Well…it’s Paul. I listened to the samples, they sound alright. I’ll probably like ’em. Just wondering if he has any World Class Fads, Knockin’ On Mines, or Anything But Thats left in him….you know…the rockin’ stuff?
But hell, I ain’t complainin’…it’s Paul…gotta love the bastard.
I was beginning to think he was dead. It’s been damn near a year but I am listening to it as we speak.
Eh, I’m underwhelmed…
The last song is the only real stand out for me. I may finally be feed up with the DYI stuff.
Might not be a bad thing to see Paul back in a real studio…
Yeah, I’m underwhelmed as well. I’m trying to love it…just feels kinda meh.
I agree. It is lacking the hook it needs. Finally here once was the last song he released that had that spark. The first track on this new one is the best.
P.S. I just think he is capable of so much more….
The DGT ep thing stole my heart. Just sayin’.
Yeah I liked that….forgot about it till now
Well, these last few comments may actually be beneficial, because now I’m not expecting much. Maybe I’ll like them more than I think I will. I ordered it from Amazon and haven’t heard it yet.
I recall in Besterberg, that Paul said something about the song “C’mon C’mon C’mon” that people are stupid and that he could write songs like that all day or something? Something like that…I don’t feel like getting up to find the CD….
Anyway, that song is awesome! C’mon, Paul…do that kind of stuff!
“People are stupid and people are chicken, any given day I got a whole record of th is shit” . . something along those lines
I’m wondering if this is still Paul “cleaning out his vault” so to speak, or are these are new songs he’s been working on. A few of these sound like they could be Folker leftovers.
Neil, re: the rocking stuff…I think the problem is that Paul knows he’s not a good enough drummer to pull off the rocking stuff so he tends to stick to laid back, mid tempo grooves that he can handle. Now why he doesn’t just bring in a drummer to record with, I can’t say.
If he’s gonna keep recording in his basement, he needs to get Michael Bland down there to kick it up a notch or two. Having said that, I find that this new EP is typical Paul and most of the songs are great. I would like him to show his rockin’ side a bit more, though.
I like ’em. Of course, as a Stones fan and a Faces fan (and a Replacements fan, and a PW fan) there’s a lot to like in these songs.
Seems to me his drumming has improved a little over the years. I was one of the first (several yeras ago, on another lesser PW fansite) to bitch about his drumming. Now it sounds like it fits the songs better. So either PW’s getting better or he’s writing songs that fit his drumming better.
Really?
See, I keep listening to the Glove song, & I wanna dig it, but the drums keep ruining it for me.
Agree, it feels like a 5th rate Achin’ to Be to me.
And did he really say “pocket full of prose-ery?”
Ouch.
I believe the lyrics are
Ring around the rosary
Pocket full of prose you read
Ashes to ashes
And we all fall in love
I actually like that line quite a bit.
As for the rest of the EP, I agree with others that it feels like Folker leftovers. And I don’t think his drumming is any better – if anything, it sounds worse to me. just listened to Stereo/Mono again and the drumming is not nearly as distracting to me as it is on this one.
Add me to the list of folks who’d love for him to get a band together for a night or two of basement recordings.
prose you read…nice.
Nice, UPS just delivered my copy from Amazon.
Got my copy last night, haven’t had time to devote my full attention to it yet but am looking forward to it.
I’m kind of disheartened by the disappointed comments, but I’m not letting it influence me before I listen. It’s Paul, for crying out loud.
Very disappointing. People think I get down on Paul’s solo stuff cuz it doesn’t rock like the Mats. But that’s not true at all. I’d take a “Skyway” or “Swingin’ Party” or “Within Your Reach.” His lyrical skills just seem to have diminished. Even on bad Mats’ songs, he was good for at least one outstanding line. Nowadays, he seems content with trite, awkward spins on cliches.
Too, the music all sounds the same. From disc to disc over the last several years, it’s like he’s playing the same tunes but putting in a different set of crappy lyrics.
I agree with the poster who said he needs to go back into studio with a band. He needs bandmates and a producer challenging him.
I don’t think this is half as bad as everyone is saying. He is definitely capable of much better stuff and I agree that these feel like he is clearing out the vault. However, I would say there are 3 songs I like a lot and 3 I don’t mind but none I hate.
Ghost on the Canvas – it’s okay. I like the lyrics better than the music.
Drop Them Gloves – like it; is PW a hockey fan because I picture him going to the arena to see a MN Wild game and looking forward to the goons dropping their gloves.
Good as the Cat – I want to like this one but the title/chorus just don’t do it for me. For some reason the line “treat me as good as the cat” just seems too throw away.
Love on the Wing – probably my favorite of the bunch and I love the hook. Also love the piano throughout. This one sounds like a Suicaine-era track. I need to listen to the lyrics more on this one because I think there is a lot going on in there.
Gimmie Little Joy – it’s okay but doesn’t get me going. This one definitely sounds a Folker tune to me.
Dangerous Boys – love this one too. I really dig the hand clap percussion. Right up there with Love on the Wing.
Overall, I agree that he needs to record with a band and perhaps get out of the basement for awhile. But in the meantime I will take releases like any day. There are always a couple moments in any PW release that make me take pause and realize how good he can be.
Is anyone else’s breath taken away by those last two tracks? Especially Dangerous Boys…fuck…
Now you guys are getting my hopes up again! C’mon Amazon…yer so slow!!!
I agree with the “clearing the vault” comments that have been made. For a Paul Westerberg record, it’s not his best, and it doesn’t quite hold up to 49:00 or any of his other internet releases. However, the content of his vault is more valuable than that of other writers, so it’s by no means a bad record. There are some solid melodies, the typically reflective lyrics. “Drop Them Gloves” is a fun rocker. I do think that from a performance standpoint, it’s a bit stiff and the production is a little flat, even compared to his other recent efforts. His last produced record, the soundtrack for Open Season (correct me if I’m wrong on this), is pretty dope. Big choruses, tight guitar work. I’d love to see more of that. And I certainly don’t think a studio would make him worse, so maybe he should give it a shot.
Funny, Paul seems to have a knack for splitting his hardcore fan base in half. I’ve listened to it a bunch of times and I like it. but it certainly isn’t his strongest work.
I don’t mind the basement stuff—but I am getting weary of the tired drum pattern he seems to love. He’s gotta lay off the hi-hat cymbal or not use it on every song. It’s the same old ” boom-tsssh! boom-tshhhh! ”
And how appropriate that “Drop The Gloves” is released now with the start of the hockey season? I wonder if he is a Wild fan as well. I’m a Caps fan and they beat the Bruins last nite and there was a fight in the game. I kept thinking, “man, this would be a great song for the arenas in the NHL to play!”
but given that the league is trying to be more family friendly and all, they’d never use a song about fighting.
Maybe it was because of lowered expectations from reading these comments… but I’m really enjoying this EP. As is my usual pattern, the songs I dug right away do less for me now than the ones I didn’t like initially. I actually feel that there is a little more intent in these songs, more so than on parts of Folker. The feel is a little less rough (in my opinion) than DGT or some of the stuff on 49:00. I didn’t feel distracted by the drumming and liked the piano on “Love on the Wing”. I’m disappointed by “Gimme Little Joy” and “Good as the Cat”, but really found a lot to dig into with the other 4 tracks. Agreed that he should have a producer… how good would Rick Rubin be for him!?
check out what my roommate got in the mail the other day
http://www.greenday.com/site/uploadedextras/gplayernov.jpg
Yeah I always knew he was a replacements fan. At the Minneapolis show this year before “king for a day” they always dress up in costumes and Billie Joe had a police hat on and he said “this is the Minneapolis police the party is over.” He recited the whole thing. I thought for sure they were gonna go into “kids don’t follow” but unfortunately they didn’t. I got it and a few people around me….I was wearing my pleased to meet me tour t-shirt at the time so that was interesting….
I think it’s pretty common knowledge that Billie Joe was at the Guthrie shows back in, well whenever those Guthrie shows were. . . 2002? I can’t even remember anymore.
didn’t know that…but that is good to hear. Who all going to the Replacements let it be bash in November?
I’m kind of on the fence. Though I should probably go since I’m in the ‘Mats book and they’ll be celebrating the paperback release.
I skipped the first book release party because I lost my job that day.
I’m going for sure….I have to go. I missed the first party because of a wild game and I regretted not going. I can’t miss it.
P.s. everyone should go….including Jodi. If you live in Minneapolis or the surrounding area no one here has an excuse.
Unless that excuse is it’s the day after Thanksgiving…
No it’s the mats……Even insane deals can wait
What is this ish? I’m in the Twin Cities and feel a fool for being completely unaware.
PW should just wonder around backstage and beat up guitar techs.
Uh, what?
One weird confusing post and the whole chain just dies.
Random thought but I was watching two different versions of”waiting for somebody”. One from 93 and the other from the early 2000’s and in the 93 version you can still hear the replacements in his voice and now you can hear it sometimes and that is it. I know his voice changed because of smoking and drinking and all that but which do you prefer? The Replacements sounding voice of Paul or Paul now? For me I am excited when he screams on a random track now and you can hear the hints of the former voice,but what does everyone think? Do you think it aged like a fine wine like Elvis’s voice or do you think It’s just shot and we are stuck with it? It’s almost like a different person singing if you close your eyes. I’m ok with it, your thoughts?
It’s certainly changed, but I’m down with it. He’s said himself that he still has the same cracks in his voice as he did when he was young, and you can hear that. It’s more prominent and captured better than on the ‘Mats recordings which has an effect too. He’s similar to Tom Waits and Neil Young in that his voice is an instrument. And instruments always sound better with age.
Beautifully said. I agree
Excellent post I must say.. Simple but yet entertaining and engaging.. Keep up the good work!/15.01.2011 22:17:11
PW started diy music for me in ’83 when TT mail ordered lib, s, smifttott and their 1st single to my home in TN. He actually lost me (a little) when his produced music from dtas up until stereo/mono which is best IMO.
After repeated listens, I much prefer the heart, intimacy and passion of songs which are ‘thrown’ together fast…isn’t that how punk rock started – as reaction to the homogenized 70s prog rock…take 2 years to record a record folks? AS a songwriter myself (see my own diy link above), PW can do no wrong, even on the songs I don’t like of his…and there are a lot of them actually. PW creates, he writes and he nails it every time. I like the fact that he isn’t afraid to show us where he was on that specific day where he recorded each specific song. He’s our generation’s Dylan IMO….TW