Queer Chronicles entry ©2004

Queer Chronicles by Kenneth Allen, ©2004

September 8, 2004

CD Review: Paul Westerberg, Come Feel Me Tremble

So, as I was saying, if you wanna discover new things in the music world, you read about your artists. One recent music orgasm … they don’t happen that often … was hearing Lucinda Williams rip out “Real Live Bleeding Fingers” on her stellar work World Without Tears. I learned she had written the song about Paul Westerberg. You’d think I would have known about him from The Replacements but not having read any of their CD jackets, I missed him. Still, I knew I had to try some.

Well, Paul had a Stereo/Mono double-CD thing somewhere in his recent catalog and I really enjoyed that. Fascinating stuff. A bit odd, but good. Then I read about Come Feel Me Tremble and thought, “Uh-oh, the critic’s really like it. Perhaps I should run the other way.” I plunged in and gave him his sophomore chance with me.

And I liked it. That’s it. I liked it.

Okay, look. I lost it. I bought it a week ago and I can’t find it. I listened to it three times which is amazing for me because I rarely listen to any album three times in a week … unless of course I just bought it and really liked, in which case I think I’ll probably always love it even thought it’s gone. I remember the first song: awesome guitar, laid-back beat, something about “step a little closer” or “come a little closer” or something like that. But the melodies, they’re all in my head, mixing with the vague memory of lyrics. I can’t remember any particular one because I know I could hear every word and I liked it and it was interesting. It was … IS a really good album. And I’ve lost it.

Damn it! I never got to really Tremble with Paul, you know? And I’ll always miss that. It’s true. You can’t find good music these days and the good ones? Well, they don’t stick around.

It’ll turn up when I do my spring-cleaning. And come June, I’ll probably appreciate it all the more.