Wild Stab (2016)

The I Don't Cares

  1. Back
  2. Wear Me Out Loud
  3. Born For Me
  4. 1/2 2P
  5. Sorry For Tomorrow Night
  6. Dance To The Fight
  7. Kissing Break
  8. Just A Phase
  9. Outta My System
  10. Need The Guys
  11. Love Out Loud
  12. King of America
  13. Little People
  14. Whole Lotta Nothin'
  15. Done Done Done
  16. Hands Together

On Halloween 2015, Juliana announced a new project - a collaboration with The Replacements' Paul Westerberg under band name The I Don't Cares with an album called Wild Stab.

During the summer of 2015 Juliana began to drop hints that they were working together. A series of semi-cryptic Instagram posts led to up to the October announcement.

Juliana has often spoken of her love for The Replacements, most notably in her 2008 memoir. She was due to open for Westerberg for a series of shows many years back but injury forced Paul to cancel his tour.

There were two singles in the lead up to release - 1/2 2P and the Westerberg lead vocal King Of America. The Current also premiered Born For Me a couple of days before.

Unlike Juliana's 2013 collaboration with Matthew Caws or her shows with Evan Dando where vocal performances and songwriting duties were evenly split, The I Don't Cares is predominantly a Westerberg project.

These are Paul's songs written with Juliana in mind and others reworked with her input.

Availability

Release date: January 22, 2016

You can hear 2 minute previews of the tracks at Juno Download.

It's available for download, streaming and on CD from the usual suspects including Amazon (US and UK), and iTunes UK.

Reviews / LInks

Often times, collaborations like this end up being a disappointment, but "Wild Stab" is filled with enough good music to make it worthwhile. Paul Westerberg sounds great. Not as great as he sounded in "14 Songs", but certainly better than he has sounded in recent years. And Juliana Hatfield's contributions are reminiscent of her work with Evan Dando and The Lemonheads. Their voices go well together. does, too; their ragged harmonies are sweet and living - reminding me a bit of Julie and Buddy Miller's - their voices belong together.

Tommy Mac, The Virtual Sink

The album is lean and sexy with a one-take late-night vibe (described as "Donny & Marie with switchblades" in the liner notes) anchoring new rippers like “Wear Me Out Loud,” “ Dance To The Fight” and “Done Done Done.” The rustic cow-punk sound of the Los Angeles band X seems to be an influence here with the male and female voices melding to create one tough vocal.

Andy Derer, Empty Lighthouse Magazine

Wild Stab is a jangly, jaunty, lo-fi sprawl. Its 16 tracks sound slapped together with a healthy coat of Mod Podge, delivered straight from a basement studio. Some songs sound remarkably similar to each other, while others stick out at odd angles. It’s as if fussing over an album would’ve made it seem too much like a “statement”; instead, Wild Stab feels like a couple of pals rockin’ out, having fun, and not worrying too much about the final product. That’s not to say that these songs are anything less than professional — Hatfield and Westerberg are too good to drop any stinkers.

Adam Kivel, Consequence Of Sound

This album has a punk edge to it, but it is informed by a bit of rockabilly soul. This almost plays like Westerberg’s Grandpaboy records with Hatfield’s voice thrown into the mix. “King Of America” is steeped in classic heartland goodness, while “Whole Lotta Nothin’” has an insistent drive. “Dance To The Fight” is one of only songs where Hatfield really gets center-stage, but she works the tough groove well. In the end, this record has an appealing ramshackle sound and showcases both performers well, even if it feels much closer to a Westerberg release than one of Hatfield’s records.

Allan Raible, ABC News

Some songs are good; some songs are great; and there are only a few that probably should have been left as outtakes. There are hooks and riffs and clever turns of phrase; there are bold declarations, and much quieter ones. There is so much to like on the record, and it’s tremendously accessible and listenable.

Caryn Rose, Salon

 

For my money, I much preferred Juliana Hatfield’s 2013 collaboration with Nada Surf’s Matthew Caws. The album is called “Get There,” and they recorded under the moniker Minor Alps. It is one of those albums that flew under the radar, and it should be given consideration by any indie music lover.

In no way do I want to make it sound like I do not like the “Wild Stab” release by the I Don’t Cares. I think it is a fine album. However, given the background of the two players involved, I was hoping for something a little more magical. What I got was a fun album to listen to by two of my favorite icons.

Jeffrey Pederson, SC Times

 

Every song is solid, with a couple of standouts in “Outta My System” a Replacement-ish tune, and “Dance to the Fight” where Hatfield jumps into the fray in fine style on a number that could have been played in any fraternity house, at any time, back in the day.

The Falcon's Nest

 

Hatfield’s contributions are hard to pin down, but they aren’t slight. Her lead vocal turn on “Dance to the Fight” is a natural for her voice. And her backing and duet vocals throughout the record are actually a great pairing for Westerberg. So much of this record sounds like the type of guitar play that has been typical of recent Westerberg albums that it’s hard to know exactly where Hatfield fits in – she does that good a job of fitting into the overall sound of the album. I can only imagine that they’d be endlessly amusing and fun to see perform live.

Aquarium Drunkard

 

Opening tunes "Back" and "Wear Me Out Loud" are old Replacements outtakes that gracefully channel the Minneapolis singer's Don't Tell a Soul-era pop craftsmanship. Elsewhere, the duo tackle gentle alt-country ("½ 2 P," "Sorry for Tomorrow Night"), melodic power-pop ("Need the Guys," "King of America"), and indignant, rockabilly-tinged punk ("Love Out Loud," "Done Done Done"). Hatfield is front and center on several tunes, dueting with Westerberg on soft-spoken ballads ("Kissing Break," "Just a Phase") and taking the occasional lead. Most often, though, she sticks to the background, providing sweet harmony vocals and lead guitar throughout.

Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone

 

Wild Stab Track by Track Review - Rock and Roll Geek Show (Podcast)