So, Paul Westerberg releases his first new album in 3 years—on indie Vagrant Records where he knows very few of his labelmates—and embarks on a small in-store tour to support it. Unfortunately, at the San Francisco show, a malicious heckler decided to spoil the fun by making loud comments throughout the set and throwing jibes at the stage whenever he could. Those who were in the audience grew increasingly impatient, and Westerberg eventually lost it, reportedly entering the crowd, grabbing the heckler, and smacking him across the mouth to teach him a lesson.He took it personally, but he still kept that punk spirit in check, not decking the man who tried to get the best of him. And that's exactly what Westerberg finally does on "Stereo": he redeems himself from the hell the music industry put him through in the most subdued way possible. Make no mistake: this is the best Paul Westerberg solo record yet. The songs are, for the most part, stripped down to Paul with his guitar, and the subject matter is perfect dark, though still with that Westerberg lyrical sneering sense of humor. It's a decidedly mellow affair for the man that fronted the Replacements (though Grandpaboy's rocking "Mono" CD is also included with "Stereo"), but what does anyone expect? He's by himself now. No big shot labels, no bandmates, just an older, wiser bar band leader who had a kid and wrote rock and roll in his basement for three years, then found a label who wanted to release it. Does he need more? Nope. Sure, it would be nice to have the Replacements reunite, or to have Paul tour with a full band, and either might happen. But the songs that have drums and bass on the record didn't need anyone but Paul, so I'd say he's doing just fine by himself, having the most fun he's ever had. Just as with the Grandpaboy record, he lets the tape run out, or guitars go flat, and the result is the same. After 'Don't Want Never' fades out, another song fades in, unlisted on the liner notes: "I say my words, I play my notes/I swear to God he learned to stand/Pray to God strike down the band." It never becomes a song, simply fading out after a repeat of the line, but it's the moment you realize Westerberg is playing for keeps. And that's all he can ask of himself, or that his fans can ask of him now.
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