Customer Reviews

Besterberg: Best of Paul Westerberg

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First of all, it's really odd that this collection even exists. Westerberg has had approximately zero hit songs, and if they were really going for the best of a quirky and varied catalog, they left off some classics (Waiting for Somebody, AAA, Baby Learns to Crawl, Good Day, Soldier of Misfortune, - the list goes on, including anything from Folker or Dead Man Shake).

Like most of the people who will buy this, I got it for the hard-to-find stuff, the b-sides and outtakes, all of which are excellent (Seein' Her, Man Without Ties, Stain Yer Blood, All That I Had, C'mon C'mon C'mon). This leads me to think Westerberg would have been better served by a similar approach to what was used on All for Nothing/Nothing for All, in which there were 2 discs, one of "the best," one of b-sides. This, I think, would tempt newcomers and reward devotees in equal measure.

So the result is a 20-song compilation that could have used more. Ultimately, it's inessential. But Westerberg is SO GOOD, it's hard to complain about any collection that provides us with more of his songs. A comprehensive b-sides and outtakes set would be more welcome, but in the meantime, I'm glad this is here.

(And, as long as I'm writing to people who know and love Paul: Why are people so against Suicaine Gratifaction? Along with Stereo/Mono, I put SG at the top of the Westerberg list. It boggles my mind that this album is so under-appreciated. Just listen to the two best tracks from that cd, It's a Wonderful Lie and Looking Out Forever, both of which are deservingly on this best-of collection.)

In conclusion: to the already devoted, I recommend this for the previously unreleased tracks. To the newcomers, start with 14 Songs, Suicaine, and Stero/Mono, and build up to this.

Let's be clear. I didn't want to buy this. I hate "Best Of's" in general. They're fine for the casual fan, but if you really like the band or singer, you'll pony up for the albums. As an intro to a singer, maybe. If you're a fan, why? Besides that, I already had all of Westerberg's albums. So why did I pick it up after months of waffling? Because of the unreleased stuff, of course!

NOW LISTEN:

Westerberg is fantastic. He's raw, talented, and heartfelt. His music is based in anguish, yet somehow always makes the listener feel better afterwards. Even in the grips of pathos, he squeezes some humor from the situation, as observed here on "Let the Bad Times Roll" and "Man Without Ties," among others.

This collection comprises selections from his solo albums, and mostly does a good job. His oft-acoustic-based tunes and sandpaper vocals work well with his heartfelt, clever songwriting. (Sample lyric: "You wax poetic/'Bout things pathetic/As long as it looks so cute" from the rocker "World Class Fad").

Any fan has the 14 album tracks that are on here. The value for a fan is in the soundtrack selections and b-sides that are included. For everyone who hated "I Am Sam" but wanted Paul's version of "Nowhere Man," it surfaces here so we don't have to buy the soundtrack. Other terrific 'new' moments include the song "Man Without Ties" and the vaguely offensive "C'mon C'mon C'mon."

The selection of previously released stuff seems kind of haphazard, more geared towards casual or budding fans than those folks who like Paul's more challenging, exciting stuff. But although they focused on the catchy over the meaty, it all tastes good in the end.

Fans will want the soundtrack stuff, and newcomers get a cool idea of what the best songwriter of the past twenty years sounds like.

AND AS A DIEHARD FAN WHO REFUSED TO PICK UP THE "MELROSE PLACE" SOUNDTRACK:

I'm glad I bought it.

I have been a Replacements fan forever, but like a lot of people, I didn't like his solo stuff until Stereo/Mono. However, after finally getting to see him live recently, I've figured out that this guy is just one of a very small group of singers. He just HAS it. Even when the songs aren't his best, there's something to recommend about a performance almost every time. Even if it's just one good line, or even an inflection in his voice, it's worth hearing.

The only real crime is the omission of Waitin For Somebody, so now you have to hunt up the Singles soundtrack. Other than that, this is a pretty good single disc collection and the outtakes are definitely worth having.

Go Paul. I'm glad you're in your basement crankin out the raw stuff, but there's room on the shelf for this stuff too!

Every die hard Westerberg fan has already created their own "Besterberg" many times over and will no doubtingly be a little disappointed that some of their favorites did not end up on the recently released best of.

This is the beauty of Westerberg's music. His song writing is so intelligent and personal that every fan has their own favorite. The song that they relate to more than any other song they've heard. A song to which they say "this is me." This compilation is definitely chalk full of these songs. From the beautiful sadness in ballads like "Things," "It's A Wonderful Lie" and "Love Untold" to the songs like "Knockin On Mine," "World Class Fad" "High Time" and "Stain Yer Blood" that your hips can't help but shake to.

For the devoted fans we get two new songs from the era of Westerbergs second solo release "Eventually." All That I Had is the slower and lyrically uplifting song while C'Mon, C'Mon, C'Mon shows Westerberg's true love of Rock N Roll. A song that begs to be played loud through big speakers or blasted in your headphones.

Now there are quite a few songs that are missing from my own "Besterberg." For people just starting to delve into all that is Westerberg I would highly recommend the Stereo/Mono two disc set. You get the best of two Westerberg worlds. Stereo is more ballad driven emotional ride where as Mono, under the Grandpaboy moniker, is the rock that Westerberg was born to play. Come Feel Me Tremble is also a great representation of Westerberg's basement recording era. With blues inspired rock and death inspired ballads you can't deny the greatness that is Paul Westerberg.

Besterberg is a must have for the newly released songs and having the great tunes from multiple soundtracks all on one disc. Pick this up along with Folker, if you dare say you haven't already to compare some of the best tunes from Westerberg's earlier days with his more recent recordings.

Despite being 36 years old and in the prime of my musical awareness when The Replacements were doing everything they could to not be famous, I am relatvely new to world of Mats front man Paul Westerberg's solo material. Coming into Besterberg, I was really only familiar with "Dyslexic Heart" (from the Singles soundtrack), "World Class Fad" and "Stain Yer Blood" (which I heard Paul perform at a concert in Philadelphia at the end of April 2005.) I was brought to that concert by a huge Westerberg fan. Based on the concert, I am one now as well - which led to the purchase of this disc.
I realize that for the hard-core, long-term Westerberg fans, this album probably means very little. However, if you are new to his solo work, this is an outstanding demonstration of Westerberg's ability to play various styles of music as well as anyone. He rocks, he plays blues, he performs ballads, he has fun and he does all of these adeptly.
I've tried repeatedly to remove this CD from my CD player, but cannot bring myself to do so at this time. I take it out, put something else in, and then end up quickly pulling it out and putting Besterberg back in. While almost every song it great to listen to (exception: a cover of the Beatles Nowhere Man - a decent cover of a terrible song), I dare anyone to not play the song "Things" over and over again. "Knockin on Mine", "Once Around the Weekend", "It's a Wonderful Lie" and "What a Day (For a Night)" are also immediate classics that make me shake my head and wonder why this man doesn't get extensive radio airplay.
Buy Besterberg. Don't worry about what songs are not on the disc and listen to the one's that are. If you appreciate quality songwriting and heartfelt, passionate performance, you will not be disappointed.

I owned 1 Replacements CD when I bought Besterberg. I was mildly interested, but not wildly enthusiastic. Now, after listening to such classics as Dyslexic Heart and Things, I'm a fanatical follower of anything Paul Westerberg has said or written. He writes for the loner , the loser in love, and the social outcast, and since I am all of those things, he speaks to me like an old friend. Other reviews have mentioned that this collection leaves out a lot of good stuff, but for anyone not familiar with Westerberg's earlier material, this collectiion is a very good starting point. 'Nuff said.

Paul Westerberg emmerged on the music schene in the early 80's with the Minneapolis based "Replacements" and went on to a good career with them until he struck out solo in the early 90's with his 14 songs album. His sound was a very strong driving force of the replacements, and it carried into his own music. Don't forget his two albums as Grandpaboy, an alter ego he liked to use, often more experimental with his sound and more acoustic as well on those albums. This is a great starter album for a person who likes paul westerberg, and will likely lead to buying the rest of his albums. I like the fact that they included some good b-sides, but hard to include everything, like choosing between "dyslexic heart" and "waiting for somebody" off of the singles soundtrack. So many good songs, just one disc. Lets see a two disc set at some point. This is a must buy for westerberg fans.

... although I don't see it available here, I have seen listings online for an EP called "The Resterberg", which features most of the hard-to-find stuff: Dyslexic Heart, Seein' Her (Single Version), Man Without Ties (Single Version), A Star Is Bored, Stain Yer Blood (Single Version), Once Around The Weekend (Alternate Mix), All That I Had (Previously Unissued Outtake), C'mon, C'mon, C'mon (Previously Unissued Outtake). Don't know if it was a limited release, but (among other places) the Rhapsody online service still has it available for download.

A spotty collection by a shambolic, genius talent...reviewers below have noted all the greats that were left off, and it's true - not sure what the compilers were up to. To the greats that they left off, let me add my own personal fave, "Born for Me"....

I think it's telling and indicative of Westerberg's talent and career that in the liner notes to this, he expresses amazement that Lennon thought "Nowhere Man" was a throwaway, having turned in an amazingly slapdash, dirgelike, one-off of said tune himself...

This album collects some of the best and most well known songs from Paul's solo days. Perhaps the best introduction a newbie can have to the post-'Mats career. The hardcore fans will have everything here except the unreleased songs, but some of the later material is remastered, plus you don't have to hunt for the B-sides like "Stain Yer Blood". An excellent collection of songs by a master songwriter, even if some of the best stuff is missing.

Highly recommended.