#15
The Replacements
"Let It Be"(1984)
In retrospect, I can't think of any album that would have brought me out of the depths of classic rock worship into the bright light of 80's alternative rock faster than The Replacements' 'Let It Be' could have. This album is the perfect bridge between the 70's and 80's, and the first album I always bring up (of course, to blank confused faces) when people trapped in 1973 say the 80's had nothing to offer.
"Let It Be" is for the most part split three ways between loud, fast punk songs, fun catchy pop-rock songs, and tender ballads. This is a very eclectic album, so of course it's high up on my list. The album opener, "I Will Dare" has a fantastic chorus, and even a mandolin part that makes putting on this album that's essentially by a punk band an easy listen. "Let It Be" can fool you, at times, into thinking that you're listening to a different band entirely-that's a strong point of an album, while in the hands of a lesser band, could easily be a weak one.
This is sloppy rock n' roll/power pop, or as The Replacements referred to themselves, 'Trash Rock'. If you enjoy tight sounding generic music performed by perfectionist robots, this is not your album. If you appreciate passion more than technical ability, if you appreciate genre crossing more than avant garde experimentation, if you always thought pop was done better by the bands that weren't popular, than "Let It Be" is for you.
95/100
1 I Will Dare (3:18)
2 Favorite Thing (2:19)
3 We're Comin' Out (2:21)
4 Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out (1:53)
5 Androgynous (3:11)
6 Black Diamond (2:40)
7 Unsatisfied (4:01)
8 Seen Your Video (3:08)
9 Gary's Got a Boner (2:28)
10 Sixteen Blue (4:24)
11 Answering Machine 3:40