Label: Fot Possom
Release Date: October 21, 2003
Grandpaboy
- Dead Man Shake
Dan MacIntosh
The music of Grandpaboy
is credited to one Winthrope Marion Purcival V, but Replacements fans
will immediatelyrecognize Paul Westerberg's distinctive rasp on Dead
Man Shake, right from the his veryfirst vocal wheeze. Westerberg has
since evolved into a credible singer/songwriter all these long years
after his beautifully drunken initialposition as The Replacements'
rudderless captain. But now he uses his Grandpaboy pseudonym in order
to play a role that is justa little out of character from his widely
respected songsmith-ing day job. With Dean Man Shake, Westerberg has
great fun - as does the listener - with this mess of sloppy blues and
old time rock & roll.
In a couple of instances
("Do Right in Your Eyes," "O.D. Blues") Westerberg's guitar playing
takes on a distinctly Scotty Moore-ish feel. Moore, as you may recall,
was one of Elvis' musical sidekicks back during the evolutionary days
of rock & roll. The track "Dean Man Shake" hints at Chuck Berry's
inspiration upon the artist, while "Vampires & Failures"-- with its
stripped down guitar, bass and drums-- is closer to that British Chuck
Berry disciple, Keith Richards.
Westerberg is at his
most blues-y on "Take Out Some Insurance," which - with its overt
harmonica part - is a nice re-do of an old Jimmy Reed hit. The album
also includes a few wildcards, such as an especially blues-d up
performance of Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry."
Westerberg's cover of John Prine's "Souvenirs" was a good idea, I
suppose,but the key he sings it in pushes this man's already fragile
vocal range waypast its comfort level. Also, the inclusion of a slow,
jazzy and ultimately tortuous version of "What Kind Of Fool Am
I," was, in a word, foolish.
Back in The
Replacements' heyday, that Minnesota band used to try and play a lot
of covers during its inebriated concerts, only to have these attempts
breakdown into chaos before ever reaching successful conclusions. But
with Dean Man Shake, Westerberg takes a stab at the blues, and even
finishes what he's started.
posted 03.11.04
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Dan is the lifeline to banjo virtuosi everywhere (courtesy of Googlism). E-mail him at dmacinto@elite.com
2003 White Elephant
Productions