Album Essentials: Paul Westerberg "Eventually" (1996)

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

It didn't take long for Paul Westerberg to prove he was more than a drunk punk. From those very first Replacements records, songs like “Kids Don’t Follow,” “I’m in Trouble,” and “Color Me Impressed” all showed the guy knew how to write a good song. By 1984's Let It Be, the high praise was being tossed around at every turn over the likes of “I Will Dare,” “Unsatisfied,” and “Sixteen Blue.”

Soon after, the major labels came calling, and it seemed the Replacements were going to hit the big time. What turned out, in part, to be a career full of self-sabotaging, Westerberg and company had other things in mind. After signing with Sire Records and releasing the album Tim, things were looking up and our guys were invited to Saturday Night Live. Now, first off, let me say it is probably one of the greatest SNL music spots ever. Second, for anyone who has seen the Nirvana appearance from a few years later and thinks that is the be-all, end-all of ramshackle middle finger to the machine—do yourself a favor and search out the 1986 Replacements clip. It's a chaotic mess in the best way—raw and rev’d up without a care in the world. They were scolded for not “playing the game,” and let's just say, were not frequent visitors.

A couple more albums would follow before the band fell apart in an alcoholic identity crisis. Critics and fans had been heaping praise upon Westerberg in particular as the next great songwriter. Upon going solo, he focused more on that task of songwriting with the album 14 Songs in 1993—ironically at a time when the raw rock and roll of the Replacements could have been more at home. However, Westerberg was off and running in another direction, focusing on the song. 1996 would bring album #2, Eventually, which featured Paul playing a myriad of instruments and trying on a variety of styles.

From the folk pop of opener “These Are the Days,” it was clear he was more focused than ever. “You've Had It With You” harkens back to the more ragged Replacements vibe, while “MamaDaddyDid” and “Once Around the Weekend” were somewhat paint-by-numbers alt-pop for the era—radio-friendly pop songs, perfect for a soundtrack near you. “Time Flies Tomorrow” is a beautiful song that ends the album in high style.

The album is full of these mid-tempo, melody-driven adult pop songs that, while fine, fail to really catch fire at first. But listen upon listen shows the layers underneath. A half dozen albums later, and he’s been pretty quiet ever since. Oh Paul, where'd ya go!?