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Replacements

hullabelew

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hullabelew

hullabelew 3724

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R-14198088-1569709159-3549.jpeg.jpg

 

Well, they just released a 4 disc box set that includes a previously unreleased vinyl version of "Don't Tell A Soul".   Another disc of rare fucking goodies and 2 live discs from a show in 1989.  I haven't made it that far.  I can't get past the first two.  Holy shit it this thing good.  I haven't felt this good about a release in....well, a LONG time.  

From Pitchfork:   https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/the-replacements-dead-mans-pop/

COS: https://consequenceofsound.net/2019/09/album-review-the-replacements-dead-mans-pop/

 

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Carl Spackler

Carl Spackler 3482

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Don't Tell a Soul was an album a lot of old-line 'Mats fans didn't care for in part because the sound was polished up.  My attitude was that, while it wasn't as good as most (possibly all) of the Replacements albums that preceded it, it was still better than most of the other music coming out around that time, so ignoring it seemed silly.  And Westerberg wrote some legitimately great songs on that album -- Talent Show, They're Blind, Achin' to Be, etc.  I'll have to check out Dead Man's Pop.   

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Al_4_ISU

Al_4_ISU 12463

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Westerberg's songs have always been what hooked with me the Replacements (and you kind of have to like them if you're from the Upper Midwest and have remotely discerning taste in music), and he was still writing some really great fucking songs here.

I don't care much for the production on anything after "Let It Be" (I swapped out all the original versions on "Tim" for the demos), but there are still really good songs in this time frame.  Even "All Shook Down" has it's moments.

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jimmyjazz

jimmyjazz 45926

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2 hours ago, Al_4_ISU said:

Even "All Shook Down" has it's moments.

Tommy seems to think it's Paul's zenith.  I don't entirely disagree, because it's the most realized album they did in terms of performance, but of course it's hard to ignore the songwriting from "Let It Be" on, even if earlier recordings and performances tend to be . . . well, they're "rough".

I dare a 'mats fan to look at this track list and call it anything but some of the best songwriting of its era:

Quote
  1. "Merry Go Round" – 3:29
  2. "One Wink at a Time" – 3:02
  3. "Nobody" – 3:06
  4. "Bent Out of Shape" – 3:42
  5. "Sadly Beautiful" – 3:09
  6. "Someone Take the Wheel" – 3:37
  7. "When It Began" – 3:07
  8. "All Shook Down" – 3:16
  9. "Attitude" – 2:43
  10. "Happy Town" – 2:54
  11. "Torture" – 1:52
  12. "My Little Problem" – 4:09
  13. "The Last" – 2:54

 

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Ths71

Ths71 472

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Westerberg's songs have always been what hooked with me the Replacements (and you kind of have to like them if you're from the Upper Midwest and have remotely discerning taste in music), and he was still writing some really great fucking songs here.
I don't care much for the production on anything after "Let It Be" (I swapped out all the original versions on "Tim" for the demos), but there are still really good songs in this time frame.  Even "All Shook Down" has it's moments.

When I saw them on tour for that album I heard what it could have/should have sounded like. Raw, noisy and powerful.


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jimmyjazz

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1 hour ago, HenryJames said:

But is that really a Replacements album?

More or less.  It's a tautology of sorts -- if it doesn't sound like half the band is drunk and the other half is on crank, can it be a Replacements album?

I think Chris Mars is the only guy who didn't play a whole lot on the record, though.

Maybe it's Paul's best solo record.  That would be ironic -- the less the other 'mats play on his solo records, the worse sounding they get.

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Carl Spackler

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On 11/6/2019 at 3:22 PM, Ths71 said:


When I saw them on tour for that album I heard what it could have/should have sounded like. Raw, noisy and powerful.


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So you saw 'em after All Shook Down came out, with Foley on drums instead of Chris Mars?  I was always curious how the shows on that last tour -- with the end in sight -- sounded.  I wondered if it sounded like they were throwing in the towel or thriving on the chaos. 

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Ths71

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So you saw 'em after All Shook Down came out, with Foley on drums instead of Chris Mars?  I was always curious how the shows on that last tour -- with the end in sight -- sounded.  I wondered if it sounded like they were throwing in the towel or thriving on the chaos. 

Yeah. 1991. I saw them in ‘87 and was lucky enough to catch them on a “good” night. One of most memorable shows in my illustrious concert going career. The ‘91 show was good but not at that level. Paul handled more of the lead guitar in ‘91. Sloppy at times but in a good way. They did a cover of Danny O’ Keefe’s “ Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blues that was awesome.


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Al_4_ISU

Al_4_ISU 12463

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23 hours ago, Carl Spackler said:

So you saw 'em after All Shook Down came out, with Foley on drums instead of Chris Mars?  I was always curious how the shows on that last tour -- with the end in sight -- sounded.  I wondered if it sounded like they were throwing in the towel or thriving on the chaos. 

I have a bootleg somewhere of their final show in Chicago, and it was actually pretty good.  Even the finale of "Hootenany" where roadies start coming into the jam and literally replacing the members one by one.

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Carl Spackler

Carl Spackler 3482

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It is one of my big music-related regrets that I never saw those guys pre-breakup, either with their classic lineup or even after Bob Stinson got kicked out.  I did see them a few years ago after Paul and Tommy mended fences (Josh Homme on drums, and a guitarist whose name I can't recall offhand), and it was terrific.  But it also made me wistful that I hadn't caught them live in their glory days.  

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withinyourreach

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On 11/6/2019 at 5:05 PM, jimmyjazz said:

Tommy seems to think it's Paul's zenith.  I don't entirely disagree, because it's the most realized album they did in terms of performance, but of course it's hard to ignore the songwriting from "Let It Be" on, even if earlier recordings and performances tend to be . . . well, they're "rough".

I dare a 'mats fan to look at this track list and call it anything but some of the best songwriting of its era:

 

All Shook Down is one of my favorites.  It is the CD I leave in the car for road trips.  

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jimmyjazz

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17 minutes ago, Al_4_ISU said:

I'm about halfway through Trouble Boys.  If you're a fan, you owe it to your self to dig into that.  It's exhaustive, to say the least.

I read it last year -- the first half was a beating.  I mean, I enjoy some back story as much as anyone, but was the editor asleep at the switch?

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Al_4_ISU

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I’ve been listening on audiobook while working long days out harvesting, so I really didn’t mind.

But yeah, the lengthy family histories are pretty dry. If you’re physically reading it that could be a total slog.

My guess is the editor was a super fan that enjoyed the back story.

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jimmyjazz

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24 minutes ago, GhostOfTomJoad said:

Just pre-ordered it. And need to order some new headphones to truly enjoy it. My old Sony MDR-7506s and Sennheiser HD-25-SP-IIs are just old work crutches I've liberated & lived with for awhile. Suggestions appreciated.

Budget?  I'm a fan of my Sennheiser HD650's.  I can actually pull off a credible mix using them, although the low end obviously needs to be tweaked in most cases.

Not cheap, though.  $350-$400.

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Ths71

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I was hoping to get by for around $300 (we've dropped a ton on household updates during the quarantine) but those HD650s might be worth the stretch. 

Might check out Hifiman Planers. They have some affordable planers that are great for listening. Don’t know about mixing.

I don’t think you have to spend a bunch to get good sounding cans. When I need closed back I use Audio Technica ATX M50.


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hullabelew

hullabelew 3724

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On 7/17/2020 at 5:44 PM, GhostOfTomJoad said:

I was hoping to get by for around $300 (we've dropped a ton on household updates during the quarantine) but those HD650s might be worth the stretch. 

I'm in the same boat on 1) needing some new headphones and 2) dropping a fuck-ton of money on updating the house.  

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GhostOfTomJoad

GhostOfTomJoad 9324

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Picked up some Audio-Technica 990z's for $200. Very impressed so far with their sound. Pissed that I spent 10x that amount on window dressings in the living room, but it was easy to slip these in while I figure out my turntable budget.

Smooth & neautral sounding. Very comfortable (but the style might not work for all...my wife thinks I've got a satellite dish on my head).

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GhostOfTomJoad

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OK boys and girls..... 
 
Listening to the digital download on Amazon while waiting for my vinyl to ship.

So good. Just getting into the disc 2 demos right now & they're much higher quality than I would have expected.

The Jimmy Iovine remix of Can't Hardly Wait is kinda fun. You'll definitely hear his tweaks. He brings up the acoustic guitar in the mix which is nice, but his "look at me" doubling of the iconic horn hook after the first verse with a big bent note (if that's what it is, non-musician here) on an electric is more of a distraction than anything. It feels tacked on & I'd be amazed if it was in the original mix. But he definitely fleshes out the instruments.
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Paul Wesley

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I'm late to the headphone discussion, but still gonna throw out a cheaper option.  The Beyerdynamic DT 990 comes in several versions with different impedances.  So can get a pair that's designed to listen with laptops or cell phones.  They're cheap, comfortable, and they sound amazing for the price.  They're around $175.  My only complaint with mine is that the cord is a bit too long.

If you want grown-man headphones, I agree with jimmyjazz that the Sennheisers are pretty hard to beat.

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GhostOfTomJoad

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Listening to the digital download on Amazon while waiting for my vinyl to ship.

So good. Just getting into the disc 2 demos right now & they're much higher quality than I would have expected.

The Jimmy Iovine remix of Can't Hardly Wait is kinda fun. You'll definitely hear his tweaks. He brings up the acoustic guitar in the mix which is nice, but his "look at me" doubling of the iconic horn hook after the first verse with a big bent note (if that's what it is, non-musician here) on an electric is more of a distraction than anything. It feels tacked on & I'd be amazed if it was in the original mix. But he definitely fleshes out the instruments.
Okay, after several listens I get rhe intent of that note. It was Iovine's way of signaling "remix" so any casual listener would pick up on it. He honored a lot of the subtler parts of the song-and brought Alex Chilton's guitar forward-but didn't do anything to detract from the structure. It's all there.
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Al_4_ISU

Al_4_ISU 12463

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Bumping this thread.  What are people's thoughts on Westerberg's solo material?  I've been down that rabbit hole a ton lately and while I don't think he made any great solo albums, there are absolutely staggering songs littered through that solo career.

 

 

 

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Celery Man

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I was going to ask @jimmyjazz but actually maybe @Al_4_ISU has good input too - in Skyway, is the narrator homeless?

”In my stupid hat and gloves, at night, I lie awake”

he also has the line about bums going into the skyways when it is cold outside. Is that your read of it? Or ( and here is where Al might have some geographic insight) would you wear your stupid hat and gloves in bed at your house if it got sufficiently cold?

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jimmyjazz

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I always read it as what you implied in your last sentence.  He's not homeless, he's just paycheck to paycheck and living in an underheated place.  He catches the bus to work, it's his ride.  (Nice "subway" reference, too.)

It always kills me when he sings the final verse having gone up into the skyway and seeing her down on the street.

Master songwriter.  Easily my favorite.

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Celery Man

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it's just funny just writing stuff down clears things up - I had clocked that in my head as "he's sleeping outdoors" and so he's living on the streets and seeing some attractive downtown worker or whatever. But yeah, he's broke working class lovable loser which is the whole replacements thing anyways, that fits much better. His house is freezing so he's sleeping in his stupid hat and gloves.

I posted a longcat thing in a different thread but I got laid off while I was on a work trip in downtown Minneapolis, and of course that means I had the Replacements station queued up on Spotify and it started playing Skyway after I got the call when I walked out of the convention center and started heading down to the Hyatt Place to pack my shit up and get a Lyft to the airport. Just Skyway playing as I walk down the street before even talking to my wife. And that song (which was not one my big Replacements tracks before now) is maybe the song of this little episode of my life for the past few months (thankfully starting a new job next week, all good and glad to be out of the old place).

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Al_4_ISU

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1 hour ago, Celery Man said:

I was going to ask @jimmyjazz but actually maybe @Al_4_ISU has good input too - in Skyway, is the narrator homeless?

”In my stupid hat and gloves, at night, I lie awake”

he also has the line about bums going into the skyways when it is cold outside. Is that your read of it? Or ( and here is where Al might have some geographic insight) would you wear your stupid hat and gloves in bed at your house if it got sufficiently cold?

When I was in my early 20’s I lived in a drafty dump with 6 other dudes.  It was a really bad winter and after an insane December heating bill, we turned the heat down to the low 40’s.  We wore hats and gloves inside.  I slept in my Carhartts.

So yeah, that’s a thing young broke Midwestern guys are known to do.

I never took Skyway to be from the perspective of a homeless person, but rather a low wage maintenance type worker (a janitor perhaps, like Paul was) who walked a stretch of it in his daily commute.

This song will always remind me of when my wife were going through IVF.  The Mayo Clinic is about an hour south of Minneapolis (an hour north of us) and uses a lot of skyways to connect parking ramps where we’d park for the appointments to the clinic facilities.  We were hopelessly pining for kids, not unlike the way the narrator hopelessly pines for the object of his affection.  We just put our 13 month old daughter to bed.  She spend the past 15 minutes falling asleep in my arms.

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jimmyjazz

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58 minutes ago, Celery Man said:

I posted a longcat thing in a different thread but I got laid off while I was on a work trip in downtown Minneapolis, 

I saw the reference today, but didn't see the longcat post.  If any surly can sustain that layoff, it's you.  It's surprising how many closely connected surlies have recently gone through shit like that.

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Celery Man

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I feel weird directly referencing the thread in question but it's a spoilered emotion dump on the most recent page of a thread all of the 'mats could have used at one point or another, especially Bob. It's been a marathon year, hoping things fit as well as it feels like they will and I can maybe relax a little.

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jimmyjazz

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Cool, understood.

Let's talk about a 'mats song that most fans probably brush off, but I think perfectly nails peak PW vibe.  Yeah, it's cleaner, tighter than earlier stuff, but I also think it's more fully formed.  The arrangement is spot on, the lyrics are easily as smart as he ever wrote.  The tension is fully formed.  It has no Bob craziness, to be sure.  Not necessarily bad.  Slim was great in his own right.

I think there are two types of 'mats fans.  Guys like me grew into the band, others grew out of the band.  I guess we all had our lightbulb moment (for me "Tim").

Thoughts?

 

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