Pitchfork

Photo by Joe Kenney

Just over a month ago, Paul Westerberg announced the digital release of a 49-cent album. Then, in early August, came the "5:05" single, a digital track that clocked in at, yes, five minutes and five seconds. Now, he has released a mini-album called 3oclockreep featuring two more new tracks for download, the title track and "Finally Here Once". Dude's on a roll.

It seems that Tom Waits is featured in the 20-minute banter/song collage of "3oclockreep", though his involvement is unconfirmed. But around the track's 15-minute mark, there's certainly a singer that sounds like Waits. As for "Finally Here Once", it's a satisfyingly straightforward rootsy pop song. 3oclockreep can be downloaded via TuneCore.

UPDATE: Waits' involvement has been confirmed. According to his publicist, this is an outtake from a session the Replacements did with Waits at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles in 1988. The Replacements song "Date for Church", included on the 1989 Sire Records compilation Just Say Mao, is also from this session.

On a sadder Replacements-related note, drummer Steve Foley died last weekend at his Minneapolis home, according to Westerberg's website. Foley was a replacement Replacement, filling in for original drummer Chris Mars on the band's final tour in 1990 and 1991. According to Westerberg's website, "The cause of death is believed to be an accidental overdose of prescription medication." He was 49 years old.