The Replacements

It’s been a while since I put on a Replacements album. And that’s gonna change because my friend Steve sent me a Wilco cover of the brilliant Color Me Impressed off of the Hootenanny album. And its got me in the mood to listen to The Replacements again.

There are three albums recorded in the mid 80s that belong in every rock music collection. They are, in chronilogical order, Let It Be, Tim, and Pleased To Meet Me.

The stuff they did before these records was garange punk and the stuff they put out after these records was missing the essential edge of the band. But even that stuff is pretty good.

The genius behind The Replacements is Paul Westerberg. He is among the best rock and roll songwriters of all time. His songs have this amazing way of combining the driving energy that defines great rock with an emotional side that makes the music mean something more.

Paul is still making music as a solo act. His solo records aren’t nearly as great as the best of The Replacements, but I did really like Stereo, and a few others aren’t bad either.

But I am going back to the 80s and listen to the great ones.

#My Music