Customer Reviews

Dead Man Shake

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

If you like early Replacements more than their later stuff, or if you like the Stones more than the Beatles, or if you like unpretentious barroom blues/rock, you'll like this.

No, it's not a landmark disc, and it's not going to change the world. It is what it is: A few guys plugging in, letting loose, and having a good time. That said, it DOES sound like it was recorded in someone's basement.

Some albums have all the life and cajones produced right out of 'em with Phil-Spector like walls of sound. This ain't one of 'em.

ps: Note that one of the earlier reviewers -- a gentleman who gave this album one star -- had this to say: "i understand he is a member of the replacements?? the other band members in the replacements should consider replacing paul." 'Nuff said.

It's impressive that Westerberg's Come Feel Me Tremeble and the Grandpaboy album Dead Man Shake (which is also Paul Westerberg) have come out on the same day. For people like me that believe Paul is a fine songwriter, that's good news. Still, it seems his love of the "first take" has led to more than a few half-cooked songs over the past couple of years. I guess it's understandable when you remember how overproduced and over-labored upon records like Dont Tell A Soul and Suicaine Gratification were. Those songs often seemed to have the air sucked out of them, and probably suffered frm over-production, and way too many takes and overdubs...

Now, left to his own devices and two indie labels - Fat Possum & Vaugrant - Paul seems to be making records by himself and in his basement, which leads to a homey sloppiness. I dont mind that. The looseness of the Replacements and of some of their contemporaries (Husker Du, Soul Asylum) and their influences (Faces, Stones, NY Dolls) was one of their strongest attributes.

There are some wonderful songs here - but the tone of Come Feel Me Tremble feels too similar to the Mono/Stereo albums to me. Dead Man Shake by Paul's Grandpaboy persona seems just different enough to make it a more interesting album. Perhaps having the framework of setting out to make a (kind of) blues album for a (kind of) blues record label gave him enough structure to make something a little more different than we would have otherwise. And being different, it's also more interesting. And much as I dig Paul's take on the Jackson Browne song "These Days" on CFMT, the covers here by Hank Williams and John Prine on Dead Man Shake are, again, better.

While the music industry just collpases in on itself, it's good to know that Paul Westerberg is oblivious to it all, just cranking out songs from somewhere in Minnesota, not giving a damn about fashion or what's cool or that downloads are killing the business. More power to him for it.

This is Paul at his loosest. Having fun with blues based rock. Not the best album he can do, but a good album to throw on while drinking at night. Enjoyable, but my hair doesn't stand on end like it can when Westerberg is at his peak. For an example of that, go listen to "Come Feel Me Tremble", released at the same time as this (or "Stereo/Mono" which is even better).

Known to the rest of the world (and especially the Midwest) as Paul Westerberg, Grandpaboy turns up the amps and cranks out his interpretation of the Mississippi hill country. He's sloppy and stripped down, singing with a slight southern drawl and a harp player that sounds dead drunk. "MPLS" is a happily inebriated rockabilly/blues tribute to the twin cities, while "Vampires and Failures" explores newer independent rock and illustrates the nightlife commonly attributed to the area; it also features a droning siren in the background as Westerberg sings over his guitar. "Dead Man Shake" is an album full of blues and country songs that truly define Grandpaboy as a cutting-edge Midwestern blues artist that is somewhere between country and rock, but still stuck in a Minneapolis fog. His incredibly eccentric and heartfelt sound is at home with Fat Possum Records and will hopefully give Westerberg the chance to spread his wings as a bluesman and a musician.

A very vry good blues album - an urban version of Mississippi hill country blues - and Westerberg carries it off pretty well. Listen to it at 1 a.m. with a cold beer in hand.

eccentric, irreverent, sloppy and fun. what's not to love?

well, maybe his crooning on "what kind of fool am i"- but everything else is classic paul at his best/worst.

It doesn't sound like the Replacements, but it's got that spirit and his voice sounds remarkably like the old days! I'm NOT a big blues fan, but Paul makes it work, much like Dylan did. If you hate new overproduced, slick blues, buy this! The covers are great, better than the original versions, if that's possible, and the originals, blues and otherwise, just wail! I bought this with some hesitation, which ended about two seconds into the first song "MPLS", a great ode to a great town. I thought, "this is blues, this is Sun Records, this is the Replacements." No, it's pure rock n' roll of a kind that just doesn't exist much anymore. Don't burn it or steal it or borrow it, buy it and support great music and one of the last true rock n rollers!

Paul Westerberg is not just having fun/mucking around, he's serious. The Amazon.com reviewer is totally wrong about 'No Matter What You Say'. Alongside O.D. Blues, it's the greatest thing here, and I mean great, ranking up there with the best of The Replacements. A wonderful album, only Do Right In Your Eyes, Take Out Some Insurance and Get A Move On are less focussed, every other song played/sung with intensity. The trick is to finally submerge yourself in this unexpected bluesworld, which - the same as every album he's released since 1999 - takes multiple repeat listens. I agreed with the reviewer who said "Don't Buy This" after my first listen and tried to take it back!

Some of the best Paul Westerberg music goes directly from the top of his head to tip of his tougue and fingers. This seems to be his method of choice for all of his last 4 discs. Here, I think that Paul was focusing on playing blues guitar. No more, no less. Keep in mind that this record was made in his basement, just so that he could play a few solos. He has said so in print. Nevertheless, it developed into a pretty good record of a pretty good time (for him, and for those of us that like their blues not too tidy). If you are looking for tasteful blues, look elsewhere. If you are looking for something to listen to at your rowdy bbq, this might do just fine (put it in your cd player, on shuffle, with a few other Fat Possum discs). I give it 4 stars for playing what what you feel (with a complete lack of pretense) during an obviously good time.

If you are a blues purist, or prefer clean, fluid, Clapton-like blues guitar, look elsewhere. On the other hand, if you loved the 'Mats at their peak, or wonder what the Stones might sound like coming in after an all-nighter, plugging in, turning the tape machine on, and letting loose, then "Dead Man Shake" is for you. I definitely fit into the latter category, and this to me is ragged, bluesy rock'n'roll that is a whole lot of fun. The drunken-sounding rendition of "I'm so Lonesome I Could Cry" is worth the price of admission by itself. Get it and turn it up!