Replacements - Let It Be (Reis) (Dlx) (Exp)
List Price:
Our Price: $6.40
You Save: $12.58 (66%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
CD Details
Artist: ReplacementsEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
CD Release Date: 2008-04-22
Music Label: Rhino / Rykodisc
Soundtracks:
- I Will Dare
- Favorite Thing
- We're Comin' Out
- Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out
- Androgynous
- Black Diamond
- Unsatisfied
- Seen Your Video
- Gary's Got a Boner
- Sixteen Blue
- Answering Machine
- 20th Century Boy
- Perfectly Lethal (Outtake)
- Tempatation Eyes (Outtake)
- Answering Machine Listen Listen
- Heartbeat-It's a Lovebeat (Outtake Rough Mix)
- Sixteen Blue (Outtake Alternate Vocal )
Music reviews of Let It Be (Reis) (Dlx) (Exp)
Music Review: Sloppy, Trashy, Regular Ole Rock n' Roll
Rating: 3 Stars
To me the Replacements sound like a ragged if above average bar band. I never understood their appeal or the heaps of praise piled on them. I love the anger and energy of punk bands like the Sex Pistols and the Dead Kennedys but The Replacements aren't on that level (not that I think they should sound like another band, just that they don't deliver that kind of intensity - on disk at least). They do have some merit - they can dish up a chugging energy and (then) guitarist Bob Stinson can wail. They wrote some good songs and they can play ballads. But too many of their songs share their same ole basic sound and Paul Westerburg's vocals are too ragged and spasmodic for my tastes. On the other hand, I love Tom Waits whose vocals might fit that description - I just plain find Westerburg to be unappealing (and this review is, after all, about my opinion). The pianos in particular are rudimentary, sloppy and out of tune.
I guess this is one of those cases where "you had to be there" since their live shows were so legendary (although you had to catch em on a good night as there was the distinct possibility they'd be too drunk to play). This music does lend itself well to drunkenness and it sounds like they were drinking when they recorded it. I'm more of a stoner so that may be part of the problem right there.
As usual, it all comes down to a question of taste, so if you love this album and I tee you off, feel free to give my review a "not helpful" vote. It just doesn't do much for me, but I do like to write and spew my opinions, good and bad, so there you go. This one is supposedly their best and it represents their critical breakthrough before they began a downward slide into mediocrity via a futile quest for mainstream success. Judging from the other reviews, the remastering has been totally botched. I don't like the idea of cleaning up insignificant noises and intros that fans nonetheless hold dear but sometimes the bands want it that way and approve the changes. The sound has been compressed to hell, a disappointing sign of the times but otherwise the complaints might be a little picky but perfectly expected from fans. Frankly, I don't think it matters too much with this album anyways.
Breakdown:
"I Will Dare" - upbeat, rather happy, almost sing-songy (think nursery rhymes like "Mary Had A Little Lamb"), countryish yet still messy-sounding due to the band's trademark style. I don't like "sing-songy" and I'm not much for country. Still, I admit the song IS catchy and Peter Buck's (R.E.M.) solo is good. ***1/2
"Favorite Thing" - more propulsive than the previous tune, twangy in places, Westerburg shouting. **1/2
"We're Comin Out" - has a thrashy bent. Stinson goes off the hook. The quiet section at the end sounds a little aimless but it works up to a great climax. And I like some of the lines - "One more chance to get it all wrong." ***1/2
"Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out" - cool the way it starts out thrashing then abruptly changes into a catchy slower tempo. And it's punk-rock short. ****
"Androgenous" - beloved by many, a very good song, but I don't like it due to Paul's vocals, its sing-songy quality and the pathetic piano (the main instrument on this track) especially the way it craps out in the end. ***
"Black Diamond" -a KISS cover and a pretty faithful one. KISSucks. Whatever punk credibility they may have had went out the window at this point. Actually, this is an appropriate cover since both bands play plodding, rather tuneless rock n' roll. OK, the Mats are more melodic and much better but there ARE similarities. Maybe they covered this song to show how unpretentious they were. **
"Unsatisfied" - probably the best song on the album, it has crisp guitar, a very heartfelt delivery from Paul and the lap steel is a nice touch. ****1/2
"Seen Your Video" - an instrumental (until some vocals at the end), some decent rocking and playful guitar parts plus some more cheesy piano thrown in. ***
"Gary's Got A Boner" - I really don't care if Gary's got a boner, but the title tells you a lot about the band (childish sense of humor). This one's a bit too similar to "Cat Scratch Fever," another basic, average rock song. This track gets better when Stinson goes off on guitar. He's one of the main ingredients that make this an above average rock band. Minus 1 star for co-opting Ted Nugent. **
"Sixteen Blue" - another contender for best song, it's slow and melodic with emotive guitars. ****
"Answering Machine" - this is actually a very cool song, performed solo by Westerburg (on guitar, vocals and percussion). Great guitar tone, the verses generate an exciting feeling. As usual, I don't find the lyrics to be quite as affecting as they're meant to be. ("How do you say goodnight to an answering machine?" Uh . . . goodnight?) The operator's voice at the end is really annoying. That may be the point but it doesn't make me want to hear it. Minus one point for that. ***
Bonus Tracks:
"20th Century Boy" - they pull it off just because it's a great song to begin with, but the delivery is a bit sluggish. Pretty much what you'd expect a T. Rex song to sound like as covered by the Replacements. By comparison, I'd much rather hear the Siouxsie & Banshees version from 1979 (bias alert - I'm a big fan) which is technically inferior but at least tries something different by punking it up. ***
"Perfectly Lethal" - sounds good; could've easily fit on the album. ***
"Temptation Eyes" - Cover of a Grass Roots song. Pretty good. ***
"Answering Machine" - this home demo is cool because it kinda sounds like it was actually recorded on an answering machine. It's inferior to the album version but it doesn't have that annoying operator. ***1/2
"Heartbeat - It's a Lovebeat" - another cover. Eh, not bad. **1/2
"Sixteen Blue" - different vocals, different lyrics, same music. Not sung very well. Doesn't go over as well as the album version but the lyrics may actually be more poignant. ***
Description of Let It Be (Reis) (Dlx) (Exp)
The Replacements, Let It BeAlternative Rock CDs
Music Genres
Bestsellers in Alternative Rock CDs
Bouncing Souls - Maniacal LaughterRelease date: 1996-01-26; Music CD
Best price: $30.00
Blondie - Parallel LinesRelease date: 1994-07-29; Music CD
Best price: $397.77
Doors - L.A. WomanRelease date: 1993-04-09; Music CD
Best price: $199.99
Amon Duul - Phallus DeiRelease date: 1997-04-08; Music CD
Price in other shops:
Tangerine Dream - MelroseRelease date: 1990-10-02; Music CD
Best price: $74.98
Tangerine Dream - Private Music of Tangerine DreamRelease date: 1992-11-10; Music CD
Best price: $8.00
Price in other shops:
![Ska Explosion [VHS] Image](/images/Ska-Explosion-VHS-6303381014-X.jpg){kind=small}
Ska Explosion [VHS]Cleopatra; Release date: 1995-02-28; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops:
![Little Earthquakes [VHS] Image](/images/Little-Earthquakes-VHS-6302488664-X.jpg){kind=small}
Little Earthquakes [VHS]Atlantic / Wea; Release date: 1992-11-10; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.00
Price in other shops:
Exileby Geoffrey Oryema
Music CD
Best price: $4.95
![Louder Than Live [VHS] Image](/images/Louder-Than-Live-VHS-6301627865-X.jpg){kind=small}
Soundgarden - Louder Than Live [VHS]A&M Video; Release date: 1991-07-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Similar CDs
Husker Du - Zen ArcadeHUSKER DU; Release date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $11.92
Price in other shops:
Television - Marquee Moon (Dig)Rhino; Release date: 2003-09-23; Music CD
Best price: $5.83
Price in other shops:
Replacements - All Shook DownRelease date: 1990-09-17; Music CD
Best price: $2.25
Price in other shops:
Replacements - Don't Tell a Soul (Exp)Release date: 2008-09-23; Music CD
Best price: $6.45
Price in other shops:
Replacements - Stink (Reis) (Dlx) (Exp)Release date: 2008-04-22; Music CD
Best price: $4.45
Price in other shops:
Replacements - Hootenanny (Reis) (Dlx) (Exp)Release date: 2008-04-22; Music CD
Best price: $10.29
Price in other shops:
Replacements - Sorry Ma Forgot to Take Out the Trash (Reis) (Dlx)REPLACEMENTS; Release date: 2008-04-22; Music CD
Best price: $5.22
Price in other shops:
Replacements - Pleased to Meet MeRelease date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $4.90
Price in other shops:
![Tim [Vinyl] Image](/images/Tim-Vinyl-B001DPC42S-X.jpg)
Replacements - Tim [Vinyl]Release date: 2008-11-25; Music CD
Best price: $14.70
Price in other shops:
Replacements - Don't You Know Who I Think I Was? - The Best of the ReplacementsRelease date: 2006-06-13; Music CD
Best price: $3.27
Price in other shops: