[.ca] Don't Tell a Soul

Westerberg Set The Bar So High:
The reason many 'Mats fans aren't that fond of this album is that Westerberg set the bar so high on previous albums that this one falls dramatically short in the songwriting department. "I'll Be You" is as good aanything he's ever written, and "Talent Show" gets high praises, but after that, nothing seems to work. Unlike, "All Shook Down", most of this album is just to drab in comparison to the standard he set as a songwriter. If I was asked which 'Mats LP not to own, this would be the one, (save "I'll Be You", of course.)

The 'Mats Kick Ass!:
I can't think of any other group that kicked ... as bad as The Replacements!. Paul Westerberg, Chris Mars, Tommy Stinson and Bobby Stinson (in his skirt) redefined garage punk in the 80's.I love these guys and wish they were still together (except for Bob, who has passed on). Their solo attempts are good but -like The Beatles- don't match up to the original 'mats. Paul needs to get back to his roots. Be that as it may the 'mats will forever be the best garage band ever and, individually, they're still pretty good. I still don't get all the lyrics to "I'll Be You." If anybody has them, email me at r_katt@hotmail.com. Thanks!

Not nearly as bad as everyone says:
I think I went the opposite route that most people take in terms of discovering the Replacements. It seems like most people start off checking out more respected albums like "Let It Be" and "Tim." I just happened to listen to this album first which might make me slightly biased since I had no basis for comparison. First off, let me say that this is a great record. A lot of people find this album to be lackluster but I disagree. It's got all the ingredients of any good Replacements album which, simply put, are great songwriting and great music. It does lean more towards a pop style of music than their previous albums, but I don't mind pop if it's done well (which it certainly is here). The playing is also a bit more restrained here, but there's still enough of the Replacements' trademark recklessness that comes through. Like all their great albums, the songs are eclectic and no two sound the same. Following the low key vibe of "They're Blind" with the rave up, energetic stomp of "Anywhere's Better Than Here" are perfect examples of the various moods that they are capable of. The only real problem with the album is that it does suffer a bit from the typical, overly polished, 80's style production. There's a lot of reverb on everything, especially the drums, which sort of saps the raw energy that tends to give the Replacements an edge. However, the songs are good enough so that it doesn't really matter that much. In some cases, the production even works to a song's advantage such as contributing to the haunting feeling of "Rock N'Roll Ghost." In the end, I think "Don't Tell a Soul" is a really solid album that holds up over time and repeated listens. Is it their best album? No. But is it a bad record? Definitely not. Is it worth checking out? Absolutely! In comparison with their other albums: 4/5 stars On it's own: 4.5 stars P.S.-"Talent Show," the first track, is one of my favorite Replacements songs.

If I could only have 5 albums.....this is on the list:
This album hits me from note one and never stops. Absolutely brilliant song-writing and the boys seem to have put the beer bottle down long enough to finally take themselves seriously (literally: you can here a bottle hit the floor in 'Talent Show' - I love that.) Not to take from the attempts the lads took to depart from the normal car wreck approach on 'Tim' or 'Pleased To Meet Me', this release is cohesive and mature - they turned the corner on this one. Those who fell in love with the thrashpop of 80's Mats will no doubt call them a sell-out as 'I'll Be You' received a fair amount of radio time in the early 90s. This is a Replacements masterpiece - buy it now.

A more polished Replacements:
This is a more commercial and accessible Replacements than their previous releases and a foreshadowing of the strong pop sensibility that would emerge on Paul Westerberg's solo efforts. As such, it provides excellent listening. Although it lacks the subversive excitement of the classic "Let It Be," it showcases strong songwriting abilities, with great playing, engaging hooks, and Westerberg's great, raw-voiced vocals (albeit greatly smoothed over here).

• Talent Show
• Back to Back
• We'll Inherit the Earth
• Achin' to Be
• They're Blind
• Anywhere's Better Than Here
• Asking Me Lies
• I'll Be You
• I Won't
• Rock & Roll Ghost
• Darlin' One