What makes an band a band? Is it the songwriter? The singer? The relationship between the band members?
This time, we go a bit close to home. The Replacement's are, arguably, one of the greatest acts of the 1980s, one of the greatest to emerge from the US punk scene that would eventually birth the Pixies, REM, and Nirvana. But, it all came crashing down with their last album, fuelled by professional regrets, personal losses, and the fatigue of substance abuse.
Is All Shook Down a The Replacements album? It features all four members of the line up of the time. The songs are penned by Westerberg. They have production hints ago-go that point toward the Replacements...
Yet, it was intended originally as Westerberg's first solo album. It has a long catalogue of session musicians (including Abraham Lincoln). It doesn't quite feel like The Replacements?
Andrew and Sam don't know. Anything.
### Riffs of the week #### Dr Sam's Riff - Roots Manuva - Join the Dots (1.25) #### Andrew's Riff - Slift - Ilion (8:16) ### Dr Sam's track choices 1. One Wink at a Time - The Replacements (0.30) 2. Attitude - The Replacements (1.15) 3. My Little Problem - The Replacements (1.15) 4. Sadly Beautiful - The Replacements (0.20) ### Andrew's track choices 1. Merry Go Round - The Replacements (2:30) 2. Sadly Beautiful - The Replacements (1:50) 3. Bent out of Shape - The Replacements (opening) 4. All shook down - The Replacements (1:50) 5. My Favourite Thing - The Replacements (1:03) **Andrew's notes** Merry Go Round video - Westerberg looking bored, Tommy yawning One wink at a time has nice sax throb Tracks have Westerberg mumbled intros like classic Matts Very meandering, doesn't grab me immediately Banjos? Fucking banjos? Surprising Paul lived to finish the album, he was smoking speedballs They got fired after wearing Petty's wife's dresses on stage. Sadly Beautiful has a Lovely viola in it played by John Cale! Bent out of shape opener sounds like we're back to classic Replacements, even down to the lyrics The title is a classic Matts switcheroo Very country, I think Westerberg chose Slim Dunlap because he was a country guitarist Westerberg sounds drunk Ocarina played by John Cale! I can hear a lot of influences from this album in current 6music style bands Ends reasonably well, but the last track sounds like Randy Newman The band went from hating music videos to winning an award for the 'when it began' single from this album Abe Lincoln gets a credit according to Wikipedia All replacements members only play on one track, so this is NOT a replacements album LETTERS Briggs recommendation Matt screaming at his headphones Email us - beatmotel@lawsie.com
