The Replacements’ complete disinterest in making grand artistic statements has kept them from most short lists of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands of all time, but few have ever delivered so completely on rock’s basic promises: taut, energetic hooks delivered with zero flab or pretension, with cool haircuts to boot. I am one of those Replacements fans who’s obsessed with the band but hasn’t followed Paul Westerberg’s solo career too closely in recent years, mostly because some of his recent records sounded like pranks or the work of a musician who doesn’t know where he’s going so he panicked and sat down and just recorded whatever came to mind—or a little of both.
Last Friday he nonchalantly released a new track through his kinda crappy website and it proves that he’s still got that Westerberg magic. “My Road Now” is a boozy weeper in the vein of “Here Comes a Regular,” and nearly as good. Aside from some cheesy synth strings (glad to see he hasn’t lost his taste for those) it’s just Westerberg and a piano and some fine, heartbreaking lyrics (“This is my road now and you can hit it honey / Hit it like it owes you a whole lot of money”) set to a gorgeous melody.
You can stream it after the jump or click here to download.