The Replacements have nothing to do with 'alt-country' either
― Master of Treacle, Saturday, 18 June 2011 22:42 (twelve years ago) link
DTAS is brilliant though
― Master of Treacle, Saturday, 18 June 2011 22:43 (twelve years ago) link
One dog looked up. The other looked away. They stood in opposing directions, soaking from the freezing rain, seeking, yet refusing. Should any of these small details have been slightly altered, how so, might the future have also changed?
Michael took a photograph.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rc_pMFq9J9M/TvaBXeH78sI/AAAAAAAABXM/R2l94qhwJjg/s1600/newportdogs001.jpg
― pplains, Saturday, 16 November 2013 18:42 (ten years ago) link
The new mix on "Dead Man's Pop" really DOES reclaim "Don't Tell A Soul" as a worthy follow-up to "Pleased To Meet Me". I'm really quite shocked at just how much better it sounds, focusing on the guitars and clearing off the polish of the 1989 version.
"Asking Me Lies" still sucks, though.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 27 September 2019 14:41 (four years ago) link
I didn't know this had a alternate track order, that makes a pretty big difference as well. Drums clearly sound much better here, too.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 27 September 2019 15:17 (four years ago) link
i love "asking me lies"
― american bradass (BradNelson), Friday, 27 September 2019 15:17 (four years ago) link
Looking forward to my copy coming from Amazon. The Rhino-direct orders have been delayed a week, due to warehouse issues.
Listening to a lot of Replacements and Westerberg the last few weeks, and pretty uncritical about the entire run. A few tracks from Folker and Come Feel Me Tremble have jumped out as underappreciated. Some great Bash & Pop and Perfect tunes, too.
― the body of a spider... (scampering alpaca), Friday, 27 September 2019 15:20 (four years ago) link
This has always been the Replacements album I've listened to the most, for whatever reason, and without a doubt on first listen I think this new version is the one I will go back to from now on.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 27 September 2019 15:23 (four years ago) link
Yep, this is now the definitive version for me, too. But like many of you, I always loved the original album despite the 80s gloop.
Looking forward to hearing the Bearsville demos / sessions, haven't quite made it to those yet
I've heard the Tom Waits stuff is awful
― Paul Ponzi, Friday, 27 September 2019 15:30 (four years ago) link
The scream at the start of "Anywhere Is Better Than Here" is all-time.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 27 September 2019 15:34 (four years ago) link
yeah this sounds great, really feels freshBearsville stuff is ok, but seems kind of off
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 27 September 2019 16:44 (four years ago) link
Dunno if I've heard the Milwaukee show before, but it's a great example of how the Replacements can be the best band in the world even when the band was not at its best, which can shift from second to second.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 27 September 2019 17:18 (four years ago) link
I hated this when it came out and never warmed up to it, but these new mixes are finally turning the tide.
― The Hillbilly Chespirito (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 27 September 2019 18:13 (four years ago) link
one quandary: Portland should have been on the album and would have been one of the best songs, but then Westerberg would have had to drop one of the best songs Talent Show because he recycled the chorus of Portland
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 27 September 2019 18:23 (four years ago) link
just put this on. i love the woolen reverb on the original but yeah i've been wanting to hear "talent show" like this for a while
― american bradass (BradNelson), Friday, 27 September 2019 19:26 (four years ago) link
finally i can call this my favorite replacements record and no one will look at me like i have two heads
the remixed "we'll inherit the earth" sounds fucking amazing
― american bradass (BradNelson), Friday, 27 September 2019 19:36 (four years ago) link
I read Trouble Boys a few weeks ago, revisited the catalog (altho I haven't heard this reissue). It's hard for me to evaluate this band, they meant so much to me as a kid, were one of the very first shows I saw, I bought into the whole mythology etc.
But with age and hindsight and being fully cognizant of how being a drunken asshole is not actually that cool - it makes me reflect a bit more harshly on Paul as a songwriter. Like, if you *don't* buy into that "lovable loser" mythos, are the songs still good? Generally the answer is "sometimes" imo. "Talent Show", "Can't Hardly Wait", "Kiss Me On the Bus", a handful of others. Some of it is just too voyeuristic and wrist-slashingly depressing for me to listen to anymore ("Here Comes a Regular" for ex.)
― Οὖτις, Friday, 27 September 2019 19:40 (four years ago) link
you haven't cited the pre-1984 stuff, which most people omit like they do the Beatles before Rubber Soul.
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 27 September 2019 19:42 (four years ago) link
yeah well, I don't like much of it
― Οὖτις, Friday, 27 September 2019 19:49 (four years ago) link
I'm aware of the vocal ILX contingent that thinks Sorry Ma is the peak
well, if you think the beautiful-loser ethos is a problem, the speed and smarts of the early material will mitigate it
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 27 September 2019 19:49 (four years ago) link
I was just thinking today what an awesome songwriter he is.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 27 September 2019 19:50 (four years ago) link
American film, lit, and cinema are replete with beautiful losers whose creators regard them with a cold eye without the eye itself getting moist. The Replacements' good stuff avoids the problem.
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 27 September 2019 19:51 (four years ago) link
the speed and smarts of the early material will mitigate it
that's true to an extent, otoh I'd be hard-pressed to consider "Fuck School" a great song. I mean, it's fun and funny and all but it isn't great, really.
― Οὖτις, Friday, 27 September 2019 19:55 (four years ago) link
p sure "anywhere's better than here" is my favorite replacements song and the new version confirms that several times over
― american bradass (BradNelson), Friday, 27 September 2019 20:05 (four years ago) link
the vocal ILX contingent that thinks Sorry Ma is the peak
Hi dere!
― A breezy pop-rock feel fairly typical of the mid-'80s (Dan Peterson), Friday, 27 September 2019 20:16 (four years ago) link
"Achin' to Be" is still a moronic song about a dude who can't write about a woman whose virtues have nothing to do with malehood.
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 27 September 2019 20:16 (four years ago) link
pfft i'm achin' to be too
― american bradass (BradNelson), Friday, 27 September 2019 20:22 (four years ago) link
fair critique as well bc i do hate the final verse
― american bradass (BradNelson), Friday, 27 September 2019 20:23 (four years ago) link
you are NOT kinda like an artist
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 27 September 2019 20:23 (four years ago) link
it's that scene in high fidelity where john cusack dreams of dating a musician so he can be an in-joke in the liner notes, but a song
― american bradass (BradNelson), Friday, 27 September 2019 20:27 (four years ago) link
a dream too tire to come true
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 27 September 2019 20:32 (four years ago) link
Some of y'all think too much attention is paid to lyrics ... until you don't. I think his melodies, riffs and hooks are super-sharp; Westerberg is an underrated (lead) guitar player.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 27 September 2019 20:48 (four years ago) link
Fuck School IS a great song!
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 27 September 2019 20:54 (four years ago) link
Yes it is. What’s the matter, buddy?
― The Hillbilly Chespirito (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 28 September 2019 00:28 (four years ago) link
New production makes even “Achin’ To Be” easier to sit through.
― The Hillbilly Chespirito (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 28 September 2019 00:31 (four years ago) link
Especially when it is not followed by “They’re blind.”
― The Hillbilly Chespirito (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 28 September 2019 00:32 (four years ago) link
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, September 27, 2019 4:16 PM (four hours ago) bookmarkflaglink
sigh
― Paul Ponzi, Saturday, 28 September 2019 01:07 (four years ago) link
Debate me.
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 28 September 2019 01:21 (four years ago) link
I like "They're Blind" and "Asking Me Lies."
Oh, here's a downgrade on the new version, imo: I think "I'll Be You" is slower.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 28 September 2019 01:23 (four years ago) link
one quandary: Portland should have been on the album and would have been one of the best songs, but then Westerberg would have had to drop one of the best songs Talent Show because he recycled the chorus of Portland― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown)
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown)
― Una Palooka Dronka (hardcore dilettante), Saturday, 28 September 2019 05:31 (four years ago) link
This post brought tot you by Too Much Whiskey.
― Una Palooka Dronka (hardcore dilettante), Saturday, 28 September 2019 05:32 (four years ago) link
Tee Tot
― The Hillbilly Chespirito (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 28 September 2019 20:09 (four years ago) link
Making my way slowly through this. These Bearsville sessions not so hot. Wondering if “I Can Help” feat. Tom Waits is gonna be the Billy Swan song.
― The Hillbilly Chespirito (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 28 September 2019 20:11 (four years ago) link
This is so great, I'm really enjoying it. Westerberg really is a once in a lifetime songwriter and I wish he would release good-to-great new albums every year, but a) he hasn't been committed to it for a long time, and b) back when he did he was really spotty. I thought the I don't cares album was really, really great and hoped it would be a kind of new beginning but he (obviously) blew it again. When I think about him in those terms, it makes me sad.
I love "Asking Me Lies" and this new mix really kills it.
― cpl593H, Tuesday, 1 October 2019 13:53 (four years ago) link
“asking me lies” feels like it could’ve been covered really well by both prince and the afghan whigs
― american bradass (BradNelson), Tuesday, 1 October 2019 13:56 (four years ago) link
This was a really enjoyable listen. I saw them on the DTAS tour and the songs sounded a lot better live than on the record.
― Muswell Hillbilly Elegy (President Keyes), Tuesday, 1 October 2019 14:04 (four years ago) link
I thought the I don't cares album was really, really great and hoped it would be a kind of new beginning but he (obviously) blew it again.
I agree with you about the IDCs album being great but how exactly did he 'blow it?' I think I'd blame general indifference and / or poor marketing long before I'd blame the artists in this case
― Paul Ponzi, Tuesday, 1 October 2019 14:09 (four years ago) link
Did they even tour the album?
― cpl593H, Tuesday, 1 October 2019 14:13 (four years ago) link