But the latest Slowhand anthology does cover more than three decades of his massive career and catalogue - specifically his years with Warner and Reprise, from 1983’s Money and Cigarettes right up to last year’s JJ Cale tribute The Breeze. RATING: 3.5 (out of 5) Eric Clapton Forever Man Well, not quite forever. Which is, come to think of it, just what you expect when it comes to The ’Mats. But as a way to celebrate the legacy of one of America’s most dynamic and original bands, it’s a half-assed attempt. Admittedly, for about $50, it’s a cheap way to score the bulk of their output. No book, no bio, no liner notes, no lyrics, no DVD, no photos, not even any of the bonus tracks from previous reissues. All you get in the bare-bones clamshell mini-box are their seven albums and one EP in cardboard sleeves. Sadly, The Complete Studio Albums leaves you unsatisfied. Now, a lifetime later, with Westerberg and bassist Tommy Stinson (who went on to Guns N’ Roses, of all things) reunited, touring and working on new material, there’s no better time to resurrect their catalogue in a definitive set. Despite their best efforts, however, they remain one of the most beloved bands of the era - thanks mostly to the emotional honesty of Westerberg’s songs and the exhilarating unpredictability of their ramshackle gigs. Back in the day, the Minneapolis post-punk drunks were the unrepentant clown princes of self-sabotage, gleefully thumbing their noses at the biz while flushing their career down the crapper in a haze of booze, drugs and dumbassery. But few have turned it into a career like Paul Westerberg and The Replacements. OLDIES OF THE WEEK The Replacements The Complete Studio Albums 1981-1990 Some guys just can’t win for losing. RATING: 2 (out of 5) Mobile users, please click here. And once the aisles are empty, Mumford & Sons will realize they should have been minding the store instead of trying to rebrand. So if you were a faithful customer, you’re probably going to take your business elsewhere. Except they’re nowhere near as good - and with only a couple of exceptions, nowhere near as memorable as their old songs, since frontman Marcus Mumford delegated the work among his bandmates instead of maintaining quality control. Instead of writing songs that sounded like no one else, they’ve written songs that sound like secondhand knockoffs of everybody else, from The War on Drugs to Coldplay to The National to The Walkmen. They’ve become a boring, pedestrian, utterly uninspired rock band. After kickstarting the contemporary folk revival with two distinctive albums of acoustic music, they’ve decided to become a rock band for their third outing Wilder Mind. Manage Print Subscription / Tax ReceiptĪLBUM OF THE WEEK Mumford & Sons Wilder Mind Remember that great little shop around the corner? The staff were smart and down to earth, and everything was cool, unique and handcrafted? Remember how all that changed when they got popular? They renovated and expanded and restocked the shelves with a bunch of generic crap to attract more customers? Well, welcome to the new Mumford & Sons.
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