Album Reviews: The Replacements Reissues (2008)

The Replacements – Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash (Rhino/Rykodisc)
The Replacements – Stink EP (Rhino/Rykodisc)
The Replacements – Hootenanny (Rhino/Rykodisc)
The Replacements – Let it Be (Rhino/Rykodisc)

Nobody knew it at the time. I remember when these albums came out; the hipper of my musician friends actually liked The Replacements, but most of us hated them. They were sloppy players: if we wanted that, there was the Rolling Stones. They were notorious drunks; if that was our thing, we could listen to our Faces LPs. Their singer had a scratchy voice; if we liked that style, we could enjoy our Psychedelic Furs albums.

Idiots we were. We didn’t see it. The cool groups of the era were all gimmicky in their own way, like in every era. These guys seemed fairly ordinary. Yeah, well, Bob Dylan didn’t seem like all-that-special when his frist album came out. Same for Bruce Springsteen. These albums are all stone classics. And Ryko has expanded and contextualized them in a way that makes them even better, highlights their brilliance even more. Hell, even Stink is a full album now.

Yes, they had chutzpah. Part of the reason they pissed me off in the 80s? They had the nerve to offend my Beatles-centric sensiblities by titling their third long-player Let it Be. WTF, I said. But now I’m older, wiser. Even through his haze of booze and cigarette smoke, Paul Westerberg penned and sang great rock songs for the times and beyond. (Still does. Check out any of his underrated solo albums.) The Replacements had a sense of humor, and though some of us missed it at the time, these expanded Ryko reissues aim to set things right. These albums belong in the canon of Great Rock Records. If they’re not in your collection, well, you suck.

Tags:paul westerberg, replacements

About the Author

Bill Kopp

With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4000-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he is co-teaching a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 40 Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.