TVD Weekly Wax | Queen

Does anyone recall the phrase "deep cuts"? Most often used by classic rock DJ's in the 70's and early 80's, the term refers to tracks on a record that weren't the singles but put plainly, were the balance of an album's content. As I heard it referenced recently, the singles were an invite into the world of the LP and the "deep cuts" were that glorious land you'd find upon arrival.

But in an era where merely the single and an artist's personae take center stage, methinks the deep cuts have fallen off the radar for most performers because they simply aren't needed. An artist these days needn't delve into his or her or the band's psyche to come up with more than the original statement, as our attention spans are now that narrow--and frankly, who really cares?

I mean, do you think the Britney tracks beyond the singles merit any attention? (Insert crack hea' about the singles themselves.) Think Katy Perry has anything else on her mind? Fallout Boy? The Killers? There are exceptions of course, but I think you see the point I'm making.

Which brings me to Queen and something we'll spotlight this week. Queen were obviously not at loss for singles, dominating the charts for years and years through various phases of their career. Yet they also maintained a strong level of artistic consistency throughout their entire catalog which we'll delve into this week to underscore the 'artist' within the 'artistic statement.' And no singles - just the other stuff on the record.

Just cuz I think it's important that it doesn't get lost amidst the Britneys n' shit. So, from Queen II:

Queen - Father To Son (Mp3)
Queen - Nevermore (Mp3)
Queen - Funny How Love Is (Mp3)

TVD Plugs | For the Week of January 26, 2009

What to do with all of those email alerts we get that we simply can't do justice throughout the week? Why, it's condense them right here in our weekly bulletin board, 'plugs.'

We don't care where you are or what city you're in--if you've got something you wanna promote or think we should be listening to or seeing or reading, this is the place to put it. Got a band? A photo exhibit? DJing some place? A good cause worth promoting? This is the spot for it. (And if you've checked that little widget waaay down there bottom left, this is a global forum, indeed.)

We'll be posting what lands in our in-box right here daily as well as welcoming your tips, and we'll be refreshing it once a week to stay on top of what we're both up to.

So, clue us in right here in the comments section to these posts. Weekly.

Obama's Secret Record Collection

Inside the White House Record Library
When Barack Obama moved into the White House on January 20th, he gained access to five chefs, a private bowling alley — and a killer collection of classic LPs. Stored in the basement of the executive mansion is the official White House Record Library: several hundred LPs that include landmark albums in rock (Led Zeppelin IV, the Rolling Stones' Let It Bleed), punk (the Ramones' Rocket to Russia, the Sex Pistols' Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols), cult classics (Captain Beefheart's Trout Mask Replica, the Flying Burrito Brothers' The Gilded Palace of Sin) and disco. Not to mention records by Santana, Neil Young, Talking Heads, Isaac Hayes, Elton John, the Cars and Barry Manilow.

During the waning days of the Nixon administration, the RIAA, the record companies' trade group, decided the library should include sound recordings as well as books. In 1973, the organization donated close to 2,000 LPs. The bad news: The selection was dominated by the likes of Pat Boone, the Carpenters and John Denver. In 1979, legendary producer John Hammond convened a new commission to update the list for the hipper Carter administration. "They felt they needed to redress some of the oversights that might have taken place the first time around," says Boston music critic and author Bob Blumenthal, who was put in charge of adding 200 rock records to the library.

At the commission's first meeting, Blumenthal brought up Randy Newman's thorny dissection of Southern culture, Good Old Boys, to determine what restrictions the panel might face. "That was exhibit A," Blumenthal says. "And I was told, 'Oh, the president loves that album! Go ahead!' " So Blumenthal and his advisers — including Paul Nelson, then Rolling Stone's reviews editor — compiled a list to reflect "diversity in what was going on in popular music." They picked the Kinks' Arthur for its "theme of empire," and Blumenthal snuck in favorites like David Bowie's Hunky Dory.

On January 13th, 1981, the LPs — each in a sleeve with a presidential seal — were presented to Jimmy Carter at a White House ceremony. But the collection — placed in a hallway near the third-floor listening room, complete with a sound system — didn't remain upstairs long. When Ronald Reagan took office that year, the LPs were moved to the basement. Depending on the source, the reason was Nancy Reagan's distaste for shelves of vinyl, or the edgy choices themselves. A spokesman for Obama said it was too early to comment on whether the president would revive the library. But Obama may be pleased to learn that at least a few of his favorite albums — Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run — are there if he wants them on pristine slabs of vinyl.
(Via Rolling Stone)

TVD Parting Shots

Fits like an old glove, now doesn't it?

Blondie - X Offender (Mp3)
X-Ray Spex - The Day The World Turned Day-Glo (Mp3)
Eddie & The Hot Rods - Do Anything You Wanna Do (Mp3)
The Rezillos - Top Of The Pops (Mp3)
The Members - The Sound Of The Suburbs (Mp3)
The Ruts - Babylon's Burning (Mp3)
Sham 69 - If The Kids Are United (Mp3)
The Pop Group - She Is Beyond Good And Evil (Mp3)
The Undertones - Get Over You (Mp3)
Skids - Into the Valley (Mp3)

Record Store Day sponsoring 'Buddy Holly Lives!' festival at Vintage Vinyl to raise money for Parkinson's research

Record Store Day, presented by a consortium of independent music retailers spanning the United States and overseas with hundreds of store locations, will be sponsoring Buddy Holly Lives on January 31st, 2009. Vintage Vinyl Records will host "Buddy Holly Lives," a live in-store concert event.

The free concert will seek to raise money for the Light of Day Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson's Disease. The event begins at noon and is expected to run until about 5 PM.

The performers, including celebrated NY rocker Willie Nile, Columbia recording artist Nicole Atkins, Pat Dinizio, lead vocalist of the Smithereens, MTV featured artists Locksley and more, will each perform their favorite Buddy Holly tunes to celebrate the life of the rock legend and commemorate the 50th Anniversary of his tragic plane crash. The event will take place on the Vintage Vinyl in-store stage.

Vintage Vinyl Records is an independently owned and operated records store in NJ since 1979. To learn more about this event, visit vvinyl.com and vvinyl.com/buddy.php Location: Vintage Vinyl Records, 51 Lafayette Road Fords, NJ 08863

Love You Till Friday | Sal Go on TVD

Ed's Note: Today marks a new wave of Fridays here at TVD. Sal Go joins us this morning as she will each week with her own soapbox 'Love You Till Friday.' We'd introduce you to her, but she does a fine job of that herself:

I'm pretty excited to be a contributor to someone else's blog. As a wanna-be journalist, this is a big step for me. Now the trick is to write something that you, The Vinyl District Reader, actually wants to read, and doesn't just glaze over on your daily RSS scroll. There's no formula to follow, so I'm just going to dive in with a brief description on what I think I have to offer.

Like you, I am in love with the format. I am in love with the idea of vinyl and the value a tangible form gives to music with it's art and execution. I love the 7", the 12", the 10" and all inches in between. I love that vinyl records remain the choice output as far as underground music goes and even that it's getting mainstream attention in a real way (/end soapbox).

I am not a serious collector/music nerd, for I can't tell you who played what wearing which color pants on the B-Side of some obscure limited edition of your favorite band's side project--I don't know about this shit, and I don't care. (Not even enough to Google it.) I just really love music, I love going to shows and supporting bands that I like.

HOWEVER, my goal here is not catered to the detail oriented. This is for the no bullshit, punk/rockandroll/garage/underground/ show goer, an evangelist if you will. I'll do record or show reviews, and I'll try to highlight some lesser known bands, especially if they are going to be in the area anytime soon. Why? Because this seems to keep happening to me: Paul Collins Beat, (formerly of the Nerves) will be playing at the Talking Head in Baltimore on Monday, February 2nd.
Monday, of course, because who wants to play this area on Friday? But in even better news, Gentlemen Jesse and his Men are touring with them. G. Jesse had a sensational debut 7" 'I Don't Wanna Know', and has since put out a self titled LP on Douchemaster Records. It's a well written, solid, hook-driven power pop album that you will love if you love bands like the Nerves, The Exploding Hearts, The Modern Lovers... And there's something both tough and sweet about his voice that embeds the song into your brain, so that you're singing the chorus' all day whether you like it or not. If you don't have to get up early, (or even if you do but really don't care about sleeping vs. good music) I suggest checking them out.

Oh yeah, and I lied earlier, because I totally Googled to find out where the apostrophe goes in Paul Collins Beat. (I still don't know.)

Paul Collins Beat - Helen (Mp3)
Gentlemen Jesse and his Men - I Don't Wanna Know (Mp3)
Gentlemen Jesse and his Men - You Don't Have To (Mp3)

TVD Weekly Wax | Thin Lizzy

Thin Lizzy. John Peel. 'Nuff said.

Thin Lizzy - Whiskey In The Jar [Peel Session] (Mp3)
Thin Lizzy - Emerald [Peel Session] (Mp3)
Thin Lizzy - Still In Love With You [Peel Session] (Mp3)
Thin Lizzy - Little Girl In Bloom [Peel Session] (Mp3)
Thin Lizzy - Dancing In The Moonlight [Peel Session] (Mp3)

TVD First Date With | Pride Tiger

It's safe to say that the Pride Tiger LP 'The Lucky Ones' was on super heavy rotation all throughout last year AND it's safe to say these guys have a love for Thin Lizzy that's pretty damn apparent. So, there's no better week when we're going through the Lizzy back catalog to get the boys back on the blog and on the record - about records. We caught up with Bob Froese, PT guitarist for his take:

"We're really into the community of it all, that's how we started this band, it was a bunch of guys who spent way to much money on vinyl, we're fucking stoked on finding some obscure music from the past, and then wanting to share it. We are also into it for the chase and the catch, its a high when you get your hands on something rare, or for a deal, or in good condition etc. There is gold everywhere you just have to be willing to look. Some would argue, but we feel that music sounds best in this format, and is the way the artist would want you to hear it."

Pride Tiger - Fill Me In (Mp3)
Pride Tiger - The Lucky Ones (Mp3)

TVD Ticket Giveaway | The Dig at The Red and Black, Saturday, January 24th

In a new year when our overarching mantra is 'Just the Good Shit...' TVD's proud to present the first of many giveaways we have lined up for the coming 365: NYC's The Dig, this very Saturday (1/24) at The Red and The Black, appearing with Danni Rosner, House of Echo, and Collider.

The Dig have recently opened up for Longwave in New York City at the Bowery Ball Room, for Little Joy (Fabrizio Moretti from the Strokes) at Maxwells in Hoboken, NJ, and Girl Talk at Trinity College in CT. They were also filmed live on Fox 5's Fearless Music Television and they'll be airing the band throughout the year. They've spent time in the studio with Bryce Goggin (Pavement, The Breeders, Ramones) behind the board, and now they make their way down south to DC this Saturday night to add some additional hues to The Red and The Black.

TVD's hearing a canny mix of bands such as Spoon, Wilco, Squeeze, and even a little Neil Finn between the groves. Let us know what you're hearing in the comments and we'll choose a winner for a pair of tickets this Friday!

The Dig - She's Going To Kill That Boy (Mp3)
The Dig - Pennitentiary (Mp3)

TVD Weekly Wax | Thin Lizzy

We're still a bit bleary-eyed from the events of the past 24 hours, but Lizzy history and Mp3's await in th' queue. Our correspondent on the internets, Wiki, fills us with facts: (...is adding that 's' there at the end of 'internet' passe at this point? Hm.)

"Around March 1971, the band permanently relocated to London, before the release of the unsuccessful "New Day" EP in August. Despite poor sales, Decca agreed to finance the band's second album Shades of a Blue Orphanage, released in March 1972. Like the previous LP, the songs were filled with Lynott's personal anecdotes and references to his life in Dublin and the people he knew there. Musically the style was Celtic, with little warning of the hard rock direction that the band were to take in the future. Again, the album did not chart in the UK.

In mid-1972, Thin Lizzy were asked to record an album of Deep Purple covers, which was released under the title Funky Junction Play a Tribute to Deep Purple. No mention was made of Thin Lizzy on the record. Vocals and keyboards were handled by members of another band, Elmer Fudd, and a few instrumental tracks composed by the band were also included on the album. The album was released in January 1973.

In late 1972, the band embarked upon a high-profile tour of the UK with Slade, who were enjoying a string of hit singles at the time, and Suzi Quatro. Around the same time, Decca decided to release Thin Lizzy's version of a traditional Irish ballad, "Whiskey in the Jar" as a single. The band were angry at the release, feeling that the song did not represent their sound or their image, but the single topped the Irish chart, and reached No.6 in the UK in February 1973, resulting in an appearance on Top of the Pops. It also charted in many countries across Europe. However, the follow-up single, "Randolph's Tango", was a return to Lynott's more obscure work, and it only charted in Ireland.

The band's next album, Vagabonds of the Western World was released in September 1973 to positive reviews, but again failed to chart. The accompanying single "The Rocker" again only charted in Ireland, and the momentum gained from their hit single was lost.

Eric Bell suddenly left the band on New Year's Eve 1973 after a gig at Queen's University Belfast, due to increasing ill-health and disillusionment with the music industry, and young ex-Skid Row guitarist Gary Moore was recruited to help finish the tour. Moore only lasted until April 1974, but the band recorded three songs with him, including the version of "Still in Love With You" that was included on the fourth album Nightlife."

Thin Lizzy - The Rocker (Mp3)
Thin Lizzy - Vagabond Of The Western World (Mp3)
Thin Lizzy - Little Girl In Bloom (Mp3)
Thin Lizzy - Gonna Creep Up On You (Mp3)
Thin Lizzy - Whiskey In The Jar [Full Length Version] (Mp3)

TVD Weekly Wax | Thin Lizzy

"What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them--that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works--whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account--to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day--because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government."

Thin Lizzy - Chatting Today (Mp3)
Thin Lizzy - Sarah (Mp3)
Thin Lizzy - Brought Down (Mp3)
Thin Lizzy - Baby Face (Mp3)
Thin Lizzy - Shades of a Blue Orphanage (Mp3)

TVD Weekly Wax | Thin Lizzy

In a week when we're adding some much needed color to the swath of pale faces in the Presidential lineup, I thought it a fine time to recall Dublin's Thin Lizzy and in particular, Phil Lynott who crashed the proverbial party in a similar vein and left an indelible mark of change in his own right along the way.

Some backgroud via Wiki: "Thin Lizzy were founded one night in December 1969 in Dublin, Ireland, when Belfast guitarist Eric Bell met up with organist Eric Wrixon in a pub and found that they shared an ambition to form a group. Both musicians had previously played with Them, fronted by Van Morrison. The same night, they went to see the band Orphanage, which featured vocalist Phil Lynott and drummer Brian Downey. Bell and Wrixon introduced themselves after the gig and suggested the four of them form a band together. Lynott and Downey were aware of Bell's good musical reputation, and agreed with the condition that Lynott play bass guitar as well as sing, and that they perform some of his own compositions.

In the summer of 1970, Thin Lizzy released a single, "The Farmer" / "I Need You", on EMI with the B-side written by John D'ardis, who owned Trend Studios where the single was recorded. The single only sold 283 copies and is now a collectors' item. Wrixon left the band before the single's release, meaning there was a greater share of income for the three remaining members. He moved to Europe before returning to Belfast, rejoining his old band, Them.

By the end of 1970, Thin Lizzy were signed to Decca Records, and they travelled to London in January 1971 to record their debut album, Thin Lizzy. The album sold moderately well but did not chart in the UK despite airplay and support from influential DJs John Peel and Kid Jensen."

This week we're going to delve the early incarnation of Thin Lizzy--the days of the group as a trio whose material was immersed in the country and culture of Ireland-- long before the superheroics exhibited in the latter years. And if you're just familiar with Lizzy's latter years and the success borne by 'The Boys Are Back In Town' and 'Jailbreak' and you'll be for a few surprises from what was a very different band indeed at its inception:

Thin Lizzy - Honesty Is No Excuse (Mp3)
Thin Lizzy - Diddy Levine (Mp3)
Thin Lizzy - Eire (Mp3)
Thin Lizzy - Dublin (Mp3)
Thin Lizzy - Remembering Part 2 (New Day) (Mp3)

TVD Plugs | For the Week of January 19, 2009

What to do with all of those email alerts we get that we simply can't do justice throughout the week? Why, it's condense them right here in our new weekly bulletin board, 'plugs.'

We don't care where you are or what city you're in--if you've got something you wanna promote or think we should be listening to or seeing or reading, this is the place to put it. Got a band? A photo exhibit? DJing some place? A good cause worth promoting? This is the spot for it. (And if you've checked that little widget waaay down there bottom left, this is a global forum, indeed.)

We'll be posting what lands in our in-box right here daily as well as welcoming your tips, and we'll be refreshing it once a week to stay on top of what we're both up to.

So, clue us in right here in the comments section to these posts. Weekly.

TVD's Parting Shots

There's some consensus that the last two Replacements releases, 1989's 'Don't Tell a Soul' and 1990's 'All Shook Down' are, well...pretty weak.

"Whether 'Don't Tell a Soul' is a strong album with a few clunkers or a weak album with some great songs, the Mats' previous glories tinge the record with disappointment," Trouser Press noted, and summarily followed up with, "...compared to the stultifying 'All Shook Down,' however, 'Don't Tell a Soul' is positively blistering."

No faint praise there, huh?

But actually after a week of delving into The Mats' back catalog, I think time has been somewhat kind to these two records and if one say, over a bottle of wine or something (*cough-last night-cough*) were to choose five tracks from both releases, you'd have a mighty fine Replacements record indeed, I'm thinking. AND you'd also have your Weekend's Ten:

The Replacements - Talent Show (Mp3)
The Replacements - One Wink At A Time (Mp3)
The Replacements - Achin' To Be (Mp3)
The Replacements - Sadly Beautiful (Mp3)
The Replacements - They're Blind (Mp3)
The Replacements - When It Began (Mp3)
The Replacements - Attitude (Mp3)
The Replacements - Rock 'N' Roll Ghost (Mp3)
The Replacements - Darlin' One (Mp3)
The Replacements - My Little Problem (Mp3)

"When you open that bottle of wine/you open a can of worms every time..."

TVD Weekly Wax | The Replacements

There's a weird confluence of events here I notice as I'm posting tracks from 'Pleased To Meet Me' to this vinyl-based blog.

Back in 1987, all of 20, I was pulling the vinyl out of the racks to make way for those CD things as this record blasted over the in-store speakers at the Record World in Georgetown Park Mall where I was employed. The CDs were packaged in long boxes then, perhaps as a bridge of tangibility and physical substance for the still large group of vinyl buyers out there.

But you could tell something wasn't right from the get-go. You'd open up the top of the long box and literally gaze into abyss to where, waaay down below was the CD is the jewel case. Something akin to buying a brand of cereal for the toy surprise inside and when it's fished free, it's a mere fraction of the size as promised by the box. Distressing.

But this was the 'new thing,' man. Out with the old, in with the new while Paul's singing "... Hurry now the sun is goin' down..."

The Replacements - I.O.U. (Mp3)
The Replacements - Alex Chilton (Mp3)
The Replacements - The Ledge (Mp3)
The Replacements - Skyway (Mp3)
The Replacements - Can't Hardly Wait (Mp3)

TVD Weekly Wax | The Replacements

I might need to reconsider a facet of my less than glowing remarks in regard to Animal Collective's 'Merriwether Post Pavilion' earlier in the week. I think it fails in another regard which I initially thought might be one of the release's few positives: the production.

Uploading today's Replacements tracks from the seminal LP 'Tim', I was thinking, "Man, these tracks are CLASSIC." Pushing that thought further down the road, I was also struck by the casualness of the proceedings and production. I have no idea how many times the band ran through these numbers before landing on the performances that would be deemed worthy of the release, but the vibe is loose, nothing's compressed, mistakes are retained and not edited, there's no 'loudness' dilemma...just a band blasting through actual SONGS. Refreshing, right?

Now, there may be a song or even a melody under all of the AC klap-trap, but the production's served up with one seriously heavy hand. There's no place to breathe in these tracks which is ...odd. It's overly fussy and claustrophobic which removes the proverbial 'soul' from the release. The thing just don't swing...and oddly, 'Tim' does...even in the raucous tracks.

The beauty of meticulous production is providing a clear sonic platform for the SONGS and their individual components. (See the Trevor Horn entry from last year's Top Five Producers Ever List, for edification.) Oddly, AC's MPP cover NAILS its production aesthetic. (Ow. My eyes.)

So, what are we looking at now for 'Merriwether Post Pavilion'...a 5.0?

The Replacements - Bastards of Young (Mp3)
The Replacements - Kiss Me on the Bus (Mp3)
The Replacements - Left of the Dial (Mp3)
The Replacements - Swingin' Party (Mp3)
The Replacements - Waitress in the Sky (Mp3)

TVD Weekly Wax | The Replacements

Look me in the eye/Then, tell me that I’m satisfied/Was you satisfied?/Look me in the eye/Then, tell me that I’m satisfied/Hey, are you satisfied?/And it goes so slowly on/Everything I’ve ever wanted/Tell me what’s wrong/Look me in the eye/And tell me that I’m satisfied/Were you satisfied?/Look me in the eye/Then, tell me I’m satisfied/And now are you satisfied?/Everything goes/Well, anything goes all of the time/Everything you dream of/Is right in front of you/And everything is a lie/Look me in the eye/And tell me that I’m satisfied/Look me in the eye/Unsatisfied/I’m so, I’m so unsatisfied/I’m so dissatisfied/I’m so, I’m so unsatisfied/I’m so unsatisfied/Well, I’m-a/I’m so, I’m so unsatisfied/I’m so dissatis,dissattis...I’m so.

The Replacements - I Will Dare (Mp3)
The Replacements - Black Diamond (Mp3)
The Replacements - Unsatisfied (Mp3)
The Replacements - Answering Machine (Mp3)
The Replacements - 20th Century Boy (Mp3)

TVD First Date with | Perhapst

Some things about today's 'First Date' Perhapst that perhaps you didn't know:

John Moen, aka Perhapst, is the former drummer for Elliott Smith and Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks.

John is the current drummer for The Decemberists.

John plays the majority of instruments on the record (and Stephen Malkmus assisted Moen, too.)

The live band consists of: John Moen, Chris Funk (also a current member of The Decemberists), Jonathan Drews (Sunset Valley), and Eric Lovre (Dharma Bums).

"Perhapst" is filled with quirky, catchy, hook-laden indie-pop, experimental folk-rock, and even some twang for flavor, all delivered with a smirk and a smile.

That you'll be a fan in 1,...2,...3:
Perhapst - Quote (Mp3)
Perhapst - Incense Cone (Mp3)
Perhapst - Aren't You Glowing (Mp3)

"I am 40. I prefer vinyl records. I assume it is because I grew up with this format, and the fact that it never failed me, that I will still always purchase my music in this way, given a choice. When recording-it is just part of my vernacular to say that "I am making a new record", or "I am making a new album." I never say "I am making a new CD" or "I am creating an assemblage of songs for download." I salivate when faced with a cruddy old box of LPs and have to be forcibly pulled out of moldy old record stores. The idea that there might be a treasure hidden in a stack of records is more than I can stand. Looking for gems amongst the scratched up Montovani Christmas albums is my favorite hobby.

This passion is not so much about 'analog versus digital' for me, as a matter of fact my stereo is such that practically everything sounds a little crummy. The whole deal is centered more on what I'd call tangibility. When I own a record of music that I love, I can't help but feel that I am more connected to that music. It feels less invisible and in fact, I can read the liner notes without resorting to a magnifying glass. I could probably use new glasses... Whatever the format--I bid you, Happy Listening."

TVD Weekly Wax | The Replacements

To be fair, I've been asking myself if I'd have been able to recognize the potential that The Replacements eventually exhibited on latter releases from these earlier tracks today (which harbor some live surprises, so download liberally.)

I'd have enjoyed their live sets, as ramshackled as they were, but could I have foreseen some of the brilliance realized on 'Let It Be' and 'Tim' as we'll get to in the coming days?

Trouser Press again: "When Hootenanny combined blues, power pop, folk, country, straight-ahead rock, surf (or, more accurately, ski) and punk in a way few hardcore bands could even imagine, people started taking notice. Stink's "Fuck School" gave way to "Color Me Impressed," a wise and soaring rock number about getting drunk and being bored by trendinistas that sounded pretty incongruous next to "Run It," a paean to beating red lights. Amid the roaring emergency of "Take Me Down to the Hospital" and the wacky Beatlesque collage of "Mr. Whirly," Westerberg reached into his bag of solo heartstoppers for a naked (yet never sappy) confession of loneliness, "Within Your Reach." A great album that hints at a broad and deep future for a band once thought to be just a bunch of crazy kids."

The Replacements - Take Me Down To The Hospital (Mp3)
The Replacements - Mr. Whirly (Mp3)
The Replacements - Color Me Impressed (Mp3)
The Replacements - Run It (Mp3)
The Replacements - Hayday (Mp3)
The Replacements - Within Your Reach (Mp3)