SOUNDTRACK: THE REPLACEMENTS-Let It Be (1984).
This is the final album the Replacements made before they moved to the majors. This disc represents the culmination of their pre-major label sound and is one of my favorite “college albums” of the era.
The disc retains a lot of their sloppy/punk sound of the time, but the songwriting moves forward a little further. Westerberg wrote some timeless anthems for this disc (“I Will Dare,” “Unsatisfied”). But, they also sprinkle the disc with silly tracks…not filler exactly…more like balance. This keeps the disc from being too ponderous.
“I Will Dare” opens the disc. It is bouncy and poppy with an irresistible chorus. But the bulk of the album is faster and more rocking. Unlike on their their first two discs, however, the songs run a little bit longer, and they don’t attempt the hardcore feel quite as much.
In fact, there are a few songs that are quite clearly ballads. “Androgynous” is a piano ballad (!) that could have easily been written by Tom Waits. “Unsatisfied” is another ballad, although this one has more instrumentation. Nevertheless, the feeling of yearning is palpable in Westerberg’s voice. Finally, “Answering Machine” is another flanged-guitar filled song about romance in the age of modern technology (circa 1984).
These relatively light (musically, not emotionally) songs are balanced out quite nicely by the pair of punk/nonsense songs: “Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out” and “Gary’s Got a Boner.” They add some (more) levity to the disc. As well as some rocking guitars.
But perhaps the most surprising song is the cover of Kiss’ “Black Diamond.” It is surprisingly faithful to the original, (at a time when Kiss was not even ironically cool) and it rocks just as hard.
This album showcases the diverse aspects of The Replacements perfectly. While some people say their next album Tim is their masterpiece, I am more inclined to go with Let It Be. And, for some reason, I really like the cover.
[READ: June 10, 2009] Ana’s Apartment
This short story sees the return of Perkus Tooth, who I first encountered in Lethem’s story in The Book of Other People. In this story, Perkus has had it. He is tired of his life and of his lifestyle. He wakes from a party at an obscene hour and walks home in 2 feet of snow. He learns that his building is shut down; he can’t get his stuff, he can’t even change his clothes.
He wanders around, freezing, until he remembers that his friend Biller told him of a place that Perkus could crash. When Perkus arrives, Biller tells him he can crash in Ana’s apartment. Ana’s not there, but she won’t mind a roommate. (more…)
I Just Read About That... 