The reformed Replacements (frontman and songwriter Paul Westerberg and bassist Tommy Stinson) play two nights at the Roundhouse in London, tonight and tomorrow. Which is great if you're within spitting distance of Camden on a work night, but less so for the rest of us. Still, I hope it's great and everyone has a ball. The Replacements were such a great little band whose songs touch chords and tug heartstrings. A lot of their best songs- and therefore some of the best songs of the US in the 80s- were let down by bad or dated production. This is as true of Can't Hardly Wait as any, marred on the official Pleased To Meet Me version by horns and a too poppy production. This version, recorded during sessions for the previous album Tim but not included, is much better.
Can't Hardly Wait (Tim Version)
Is it acceptable to like them both?
ReplyDeleteYes of course
ReplyDeleteSwiss Adam
Definitely the superior version.
ReplyDeleteI think the more polished Westerberg became as a song writer the worse they got...the songs may have been better as songs but, there just something uncomfortable about those later records. Of course it was as much about them...about The Replacements as it was the music.
Don't get me wrong I love them.
Last night was apparently a great night, one of my mates works at the Roundhouse, said it was lovely, really good atmosphere.
ReplyDelete