Too often, two musicians who’ve already done great things in their own right teaming up is something less than the sum of its parts – they might not hit the depth that was Lulu (QRO review), but still can feel like a holiday side-project done because the two like hanging out, and sooner or later they’ll return to their main work. Thankfully, that is not the case with The I Don’t Cares, the team-up of Juliana Hatfield and Paul Westerberg, who just put out single “King of America”, from their upcoming album, Wild Stab (out 1/22/16).
Paul Westerberg is, of course, the main man behind the one-and-only Replacements, whose eighties career was one of the decade’s best (QRO deluxe edition reviews). After an even longer solo journey by Westerberg, The ‘Mats came back, first in a benefit compilation for ailing former guitarist Slim Dunlap with Songs For Slim (QRO review), and then Westerberg & bassist Tommy Stinson (also of Guns ‘n Roses, Soul Asylum, his own solo career – QRO solo album review – but The Replacements will always be the first item on his CV) reunited The Replacements for a series of amazing shows from Toronto (QRO photos of first reunion performance) to Oporto (QRO photos of final reunion performance).
Juliana Hatfield, a QRO favorite (QRO spotlight on), first became known in the nineties with The Juliana Hatfield Three and Become What You Are, as well as playing on The Lemonheads’ seminal It’s a Shame About Ray (QRO live review). Her own solo career (QRO solo album review) recently morphed back into the original JH3 with Whatever. My Love (QRO review) and tour that included playing all of Become (QRO photos). She also knows team-ups, from with Lemonhead Evan Dando (QRO photos together) to Nada Surf’s Matthew Caws as Minor Alps (QRO album review).
Below stream “King of America”, a nice anthem for the 99%:
The I Don't Cares – King of America
