Styles: (Stereo) Singer-Songwriter, Alternative rock - (Mono) Slacker Rock, Power Pop | US
Westerberg's tenure as the leader of the Replacements was muddled with issues at the best of times. It's no secret that the 1987 classic Pleased To Meet Me in particular is kind of a disaster in how it's mixed, sounding more like a butchered attempt at Phil Collins era Genesis rather than a rootsy alt rock band.
The final two Replacements albums sound fine enough but by that time the compositions had faltered. When Paul struck out on his own he carried the torch of the final Replacements albums and went for a more "adult"-sounding style. Sharper lyrics, less rock-oriented and more bittersweet. He had basically completely gotten rid of all the punk influence of early Replacements and played to only some of his strengths.
The first three solo albums by Westerberg are essentially the same idea executed three times over. They're easily better than the final two Replacements albums but leave a bit to be desired (you'd have to be a big fan of Westerberg's style to give them an 8/10 or higher). A lot of people wrote Paul off for his unadventurous output, soundtrack work for the likes of Friends and of course the fact that he was already a "return-to basics" style of alt rock star in a decade defined by pushing alternative music forward (allegedly), so the albums kept selling worse each time.
Paul was either dropped from his label or quit and spent 3 years in his basement playing and making whatever the fuck he wanted out of frustration, finally free from the burden of having to work with other people and having them mess with his work. He wrote an album's worth of personal tunes in Stereo under his name and the compartmentalized rock 'n' roll half of his psyche took personification as the sleazy, ramshackled rockstar named Grandpaboy.
Stereo/Mono (releases through emo label Vanguard) is basically like if The Replacements was split down to their most rudimentary elements. One side you've got caveman rock n' roll anthems in Mono and the other you've got the more sentimental, personal stuff reminiscent of songs like "Swinging party" with Westerberg's aged voice lending much more sorrow than ever before.
The album's approach to production seems a lot like a traumatic response to the previous bastardization of his sound that other producers did. On Stereo there are multiple examples of songs arbitrarily concluding supposedly because Paul didn't have any tape left to record on at that given moment (something he'd later replicate on his album 49:00). On Mono the songs are fittingly mixed all into one channel and feature much simpler lyrics and sound much sloppier. I've heard this side compared to The Rolling Stones but it's even simpler than that.
This was a rebirth for Paul's career. Mono in particular is some of the finest power pop work ever released and Stereo is my go-to "feel like shit" album due to the simple recording style adding so much character. It's so completely unpretentious yet is never self sabotaging. It's like the middle ground between Bruce Springsteen and Beat Happening.
This fixes every single problem the old Replacements albums had. It sounds both intentionally retro and ahead of its time. It's both reminiscient of old, bad-quality blues or rock recordings from the dawn of both genres and also a bedroom album that'd become a thing 10 years later. It doesn't "push the envelope" of composition but it's a simple idea done perfectly. Just a collection of good pop songs with no bullshit.
If you wanna give it a go and need a taste first, then I'd try 'Mr Rabbit' or 'Only Lie Worth Telling' off of Stereo and then make your way over to Grandpaboy's streaming page and listen to literally any song because that half is perfect pop music.
10/10
See also: The Replacements, Alex Chilton, Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers
Listen here: Spotify (Stereo), Spotify (Mono)
- YonDivi
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