Replacements – Stink

The Replacements rock, which you already know, and this is just one in their list of great releases (which you also know). Think back to what you were doing in 1982 and I’ll bet you wish that you were involved in cool, messily perfect punk rock like this rather than whatever it was you actually were doing. It’s OK, admit it.

These 8 tracks are blast after sodden blast of dripping energy and youthful angst. I hear the Pistols, I hear surf music, I hear awesome! Turn it the hell up and start dancing!

Track Listing:
01 Kids Don’t Follow
02 Fuck School
03 Stuck In The Middle
04 God Damn Job
05 White And Lazy
06 Dope Smokin’ Moron
07 Go
08 Gimme Noise

Replacements – Sorry Ma, Forgot To Take Out The Trash

I bought this record at a used music shop in Toronto a few months ago, but never got around to playing it until now. Damn. I wish I’d plugged it in straight away. This is brilliant!

It is garage band mayhem. It is high energy, brash, snotty and more than likely very very drunk. It’s more punk than a lot of CDs that try to be punk. But there’s even more to it than that, which makes it essential. I can hear old 50’s rock sensibilities, and the blues are more prominent here than elsewhere too. It’s like Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry had a child and named it Sex Pistols.

It’s raw and filthy, played full tilt and with total abandon. This band clearly does not care about your rules, your white picket fence or your fancy haircut. This is ripped jeans, a smelly shirt, and cigarette butts overflowing an ashtray. This is simple pleasures, like a big guitar amp and just hitting your stride in the wee hours.

One more thing, and this has happened to everyone, so you’ll know just what I mean: Every so often, you’ll find a CD you love, but there’s still invariably one or two songs you’ll skip because they don’t seem to fit with the flow of the album (or because they truly suck). Well, I’m here to tell you that there’s no skipping required with this record. Every song is great. And that’s pretty high praise in itself.

Paul Westerberg eventually went on to other things, but nothing else sounds as fresh as this. This is the best $5 I’ve spent in a long time.