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When The Replacements released Let It Be in October of 1984, it suprised many as both a big leap forward for the band and as a record of raw, heartfelt emotion. The Replacements were and always will be the greatest rock band to me. To really understand them is to understand the flaws in every human being. They were not perfect and they were not trying to be perfect. Never trying to be anything but themselves. They had some punk attitude in their early years but they never really were a punk band to me nor did they ever dress like punk rockers. They were the most easy to relate to for me because they struggled to find their voice but by simply being themselves, they managed to make some of the most beautifully honest music ever. It's also unique as well. They were mysterious, funny and of course, completly drunk.
After their previous album Hootenanny saw a little shift in direction on a couple of tracks, it was fully realised by the time Let It Be came in. Paul Westerberg became aware that he needed to grow as a songwriter but also, not completly take himself too seriously. "I Will Dare" starts off the record and it's a song that I can't compare to anything else or put it in a catagory. It has a certain pop style with a funky feel to it, also adding a little rawness to it. It's fun, catchy and different. Then the album gets into full rock 'n' roll swing with "Favorite Thing". No, it's not a punk song in my opinion. It's a beautiful song in a way that is powerful. Then, you get into trashy garage rock territory with "We're Comin' Out", a hardcore song that includes a little bit of jazz in a way, there is even a piano in it, for some odd reason. Again, The Mats were willing to try anything at this point. After the humerous "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out", which again shows Paul staying true to his sarcastic sensibility, then you get into a jazzy and some would say sloppy piano tune called "Androgynous". One thing I love about this band and Westerberg is that they proved that you don't need to be technically ambitious to make a great song or record. As my title of this review suggests, just put all of your honesty and emotion into the song and you have yourself a hit as far as I'm concerned. It's still a pretty and stylish song in my opinion and includes amazing vocal work. Then, The Mats confuse everybody in the indie and punk rock underground by doing a cover of a Kiss song called "Black Diamond". This version is dark, moody and captures the feel of the times. It has a raw sensibility to it but it's also epic and accesible.
Side Two starts with one of the best recordings in history, "Unsatisfied". A folk rock monster that for me, the grunge era that came after owes everything to. There is a certain longing and tragic side to the song that makes me feel all sorts of emotions and rarely does a song do that. The song has been used in many movies, giving it more popularity which I have to be thankful for, it gives others a chance to discover this timeless track. After this, you get back into more power pop with "Seen Your Video", a sort of punky song that pokes fun at anyone who was on MTV at the time. "Gary's Got A Boner" goes back to Westerberg not being too serious and just writing about anything. I like this song and am not ashamed to admit it. It's a great rock song that sort of has a qality of The Rolling Stones. Then, back to the sensitive ballads with "Sixteen Blue". So much realism and passion in this song that The Mats should feel proud of. Paul's cry at the end that collides into a pure guitar solo from Bob Stinson is only one of the most powerful moments in music, for me at least. Last but certainly not least, you get Paul playing a loud and angry electric guitar finale on "Answering Machine". Sort of the acoustic climax on the album but without the acoustic guitar. Paul expresses so much emptiness and again, longing in this track that makes it a one of a kind recording.
While Let It Be is only 34 mintues long, who cares? This is an amazing record that doesn't need to be polished in order to be ambitious. All it needs is a band who are just being themselves and let's be honest, that's the only way anyone's life can be truly ambitious or epic. Putting all your heart and soul and again, honest emotion into a song is what will make it last forever and be truly yours. The band did find their voice and their next album Tim would go even further into brilliant epic rock and put that together with this record, you got yourself some of the finest songs from the 80s. These two albums along with the band will last forever to me. Of course, pick up Pleased To Meet Me and yes, even every other Mats record while you're at it.
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The material demands a better reissue. Period.
I've been a fan of this band for a long time, so I was understandably looking forward to proper reissues/remasters for at least ten years. Let It Be may be their best sounding disk and most representative of the band's sound. However, aside from unearthed photos - which are poorly placed inside (with text on the photos?!?) - and better sound than earlier issues on compact disc this reissue simply isn't up to snuff.And Rhino/Ryko are not to blame either. The band has acquired a certain legacy over time and simply deserves much better. First off the bonus track selection is very half-baked. Fans of the band are familiar with their outtakes by now. Let It Be's include "Who's Gonna Take Us Alive" (the best outtake of the bunch stupidly absent), the lyrically alternate version of "Gary's Got A Boner", "Street Girl" (a fine little ditty), the rocking "You Look Like An Adult" (the original version of "Seen Your Video") and a big whoops was the (new) mix of the alternate version of "Sixteen Blue". The same version (did) include Chan Polling of The Suburbs' grand piano through the entire song. A truly beautiful version, and they botched it! Why they included the same version WITHOUT the best part - or at very least a new interesting feature - of the song is simply poor on all counts.Gina Arnold (author of the pretty decent 'Route 666: On the Road to Nirvana') wrote the liner notes. While sure, it may be sweet and cute for her to recount what it was like to be a Replacements fan twenty years ago (if that's the case for a filling up liner notes why don't a segment of us Replacements fans start sending in our of sweet stories for Tim now?) it doesn't make for definitive liner-notes writing. We still know as much about the album and there's nothing legitimate about why is it's included here in the first place. It has it's place - but not in the liner notes to one of the best albums the 1980's.Why there was no input from any band member is certainly unfortunate and perhaps even telling. No first hand stories, memories, information of any kind from the band (aside from their ex-manager informing us that the bonus tracks...were outtakes...from the Let It Be sessions). Considering that these reissues have been in the works - or more accurately been touted as "to be released next year" for the past ten years or so - by the time they actually arrive and they don't have the bonus tracks that the fans would hope they'd include or simply expect, it's hard not to wonder what DID in fact take so long? Surely it wasn't the attention to detail. Having said ALL this, it should please a percentage of fans. I'm going to assume that casual fans (do the 'Mats even have casual fans?) of the band should be fine with this reissue.It's issues (or reissues as it were) like this that prompt illegal trade of this great bands' music and that's not fair to the band or it's fans.Oh yeah, and the classic iconic cover is now a few shades darker and cropped to boot!
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