14 Songs

Certain Songs #1460: Paul Westerberg – “World Class Fad”

February 19, 2019 by Jim Connelly

Album: 14 Songs
Year: 1993

While at the time, I thought that “Knockin’ on Mine” was the best of the 14 Songs, in retrospect, I think I was wrong.

Whether or not it was aimed at Kurt Cobain — the title of whose breakthrough album invoked both The Replacements and The Sex Pistols — there was no mistaking that Paul wanted to remind people of his ability to weld noisy guitars, shredded vocals, clever phrasing and an insanely catchy tune into a rock ‘n’ roll song that felt fresh and spontaneous.

Certain Songs #1459: Paul Westerberg – “Knockin’ on Mine”

February 18, 2019 by Jim Connelly

Album: 14 Songs
Year: 1993

‘Mats fans who might have been somewhat scandalized by the slickness that encrusted Paul Westerberg’s contributions to the Singles soundtrack no doubt breathed a sigh of relief when they plugged 14 Songs into their CD player and the fuzzed-out electric guitar riff that opened “Knockin’ On Mine” came roaring out of the speakers.

This? This was more like it! An album opener to rival “Hold My Life” or “I.O.U.” maybe a tad bit slower, but rough-and-ready nonetheless, Paul’s voice somewhat buried in the mix, which at first is just a couple of guitars, bass and drums, the way the rock ‘n’ roll gods intended it. Whew!