The Replacements – Tim

Great album! Messy and full of misfit energy. I believe this is the band's best batch of songs. CD sounds fine to me. Check out the more recent Ed Stasium mix; I'm really digging that!

The Replacements somehow transitioned from their previous Twin Tone release to even greater success on a major label, all without sacrificing the distinctive indie guitar sound and confessional songwriting responsible for much of their acclaim. "Tim" remains an underground rock record of the highest order, not dissimilar to its predecessor in of its vocal and instrumental delivery, but most definitely less raucous and more low key its its tonality. However, unlike the previous record, "Tim" possesses a muscular, reverb-laden soundstage and in general, every aspect of the production borders on soulful, polished and controlled, which is constructive owing to the removal of vulgarity from the lyrical content at the album's core; from deeply resonant alienation anthems and heartfelt, raw rockers, each of the eleven compositions reflects the universal tribulations of downbeat misfits within society, all of them collectively wracked with angst, loneliness and disillusion. "Tim" is a conscious attempt for increased popularity, but the ragged emotion and disaffected mood on display betrays the 'Mats' glistening pop sensibilities, enabling them to collate a startling assemblage of exuberantly cynical love letters and shoegazing shuffles aimed at the maturing punk who no longer wants to joke around. The Replacements' transition from uncouth punks to deeper and introspective is beguiling to witness across the breadth of their initial recordings, and by that token they may have lost some of their edge, but this collection showcases their reckless defiant stance and steadfast refusal to abide by creative persistence; straying from the path they were on allowed the band to explore new horizons and opportunities, and when listening to the majesty of "Tim", it is hard to fault their decision.

Rating: 4.5/5