R1 25330
Original Release - 1985
If you grew up in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area you know its a great area for music. Its also ingrained in your DNA to be a fan of three bands: Prince, The Jayhawks, and The Replacements.
The Replacements at the time "Tim" was recorded included Paul Westerberg, Tommy Stinson, Bob Stinson, and Chris Mars. These local heros helped make the 80's a great decade of music for Minneapolis, and helped make one of the finest music venues in America (First Ave.) into a household name.
"Tim" is the first major label release from The Replacements, and is my second favorite behind the less polished "Let It Be". "Hold My Life" starts off the album with familiar Replacements mid-tempo rock, with classic 70's rock influences. Its not until "Dose of Thunder" where things start to get a bit more creative, breaking out of the Replacements go to "Sound". The lyrical content of "Tim" mostly consists of misfits and loner adventures in Saint Paul, love and loss, nothing new but definitely a fresh approach; obviously the Hold Steady were influenced by this story telling approach. I like how honest the lyrics are, and how straightforward they seem, nothing like a good old Minnesota band telling it like it is.
Turn up the dial for side two, I promise the first 15 seconds of "Bastards of Young" will blow you away, and on this vinyl pressing, you really feel it in your loins. Nothing like a good primal scream in a rock song, its the perfect opening to an all time great rock song.
Minnesota Punk will never again see a band as great as The Replacements.
This vinyl reissue by Rhino sounds great, its pressed on heavy duty 180 Gram vinyl and looks flat, and shiny.
Album - B+
Vinyl - A-
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