Let It Be

This was a really interesting listen. I have (shockingly) never listened to The Replacements before. From the first few tracks I expected the whole album to be very punk, heavily influenced by Ramones and Sex Pistols, but I was surprised at the diversity of styles and musicianship of a lot of songs throughout the record. Androgynous evoked The Smiths, Black Diamond could be a Kiss song, and Unsatisfied was reminiscent of The Tragically Hip. This band was far more than just a punk band and it really shows on this album. Definitely an album I will revisit.

Androgynous is the only song I know off this one, but it is really good one. Glad to get the opportunity to hear the whole thing. It was a good punk album with a few good songs. For me, it is a high 3 on the 3/5 scale.

It was alright but not a stand out

(10/10) An incredible alt rock album that combines punk and power pop sensibilities in a way that's fresh and exciting <3

I didn’t like it

Really enjoyed this! Didn’t know too much about this band apart from recognising first song. There’s plenty of attitude here but also variation between the tracks. 3.2/5

I thought I liked punk but I this album improved markedly when it shifted to a more traditional rock sound with the song Androgenous. Overall a solid album let down by the first half

Having listened to this album, I have to admit I'm feeling pretty indifferent about it. I thought the first half was fine and there were some enjoyable moments, but nothing that particularly grabbed me or made a lasting impression. I think I also made the mistake of listening to the outtakes, which really put me off towards the end. I found them quite jarring and didn't particularly enjoy the experience, which probably left me with a slightly more negative impression of the album overall. Rating: 2.5

It's alright but it isn't anything special

This Alternative Rock album feels like trying to make out a conversation in a crowded, noisy bar where the band keeps turning up the volume. The guitars are ragged and jangly, the drums pound away, and Paul Westerberg's rough voice shifts between shouting and singing with a restless, unpolished energy. There are occasional melodic moments, but the sound keeps veering between catchy rock and a jumble of noise, leaving me straining my ears for something that holds my attention. As the album goes on, the rawness becomes tiring, and the songs begin to blur together. By the end, I'm less interested in what the band might do next than in getting out of the bar and enjoying some quiet.

I've tried this album a few times over the years, and always end up coming to the same conclusion that instrumentally this is a fun, rough around the edges blast of punk rock, but that I can't stand the vocals. They often veer too much into a borderline drawling style, and there's just something about how he carries a melody that sets my teeth on edge. Some of the lyricism is also rather eye-rolling to say the least. A shame, as otherwise I could see this being something I'd rate very highly.

Oh, I actually liked this a lot. Not quite punk, not quite indie, not quite alt rock, but a pretty satisfying amalgam of all three. There’s a fine, fuzzy line that’s hard to define - I know I’ve listened to many similar albums and came away feeling like they fell flat, but this one worked for me. I’m not sure exactly why that is. Although it’s not great all the way through, there’s enough that hit in whatever subtle way that it ended up a net positive. It’s really evocative of that hazy period between teenage and adulthood. Favorites: We’re Comin’ Out, Black Diamond

While I have always been (and likely always will be) a Tim truther, Let It Be is STILL one of the greatest American underground records ever made. It's the Murmur of Minneapolis, an album that helped pioneer the sounds of the decade to come and one of the first brilliant fusions of punk, pop and rock together under one roof. Westerberg becomes the poet he's always meant to be on "Androgynous", "Unsatisfied" and my personal favorite "Answering Machine", the ending of which is one of the most satisfyingly cathartic pieces of near-incoherence ever committed to tape. ("if you'd like to make a call...") In the same vein of highly influential alt/indie masterpieces, once again taking the opportunity to lambast the fact that Zen Arcade isn't in this book. I guess we had to make room for Sex Packets.

Oops. I was confusing The Replacements with The Residents, I think. I wasn’t looking forward to this, but when I figured out that I goofed and then listened, well, things got better. If I had heard this when it was released, I think I might have enjoyed it. I don’t need any songs about boners, thanks but no thanks, but a fun album in any case.

I have liked The Replacements songs before, particularly off of Pleased to Meet Me, but it was interesting hearing them go through a bunch of different styles. Cowpunk, hardcore, more power pop stuff like on Pleased. So yeah, really enjoyable record.

Mas o menos, suenan bien pero no me empilan

Хороший приклад альтернативного року з 80х. Дуже приємний альбом, чудові пісні, теплий звук з дзвінкою гітарою.

Вперше прочитав про цей альбом у журналі КЛАСІК РОК, який я купував в часи навчання в універі. Власне так я взагалі і дізнався про реплейсментс. Класний гурт, завжди імпонувала їхня така розслабленість і певна слакер складова.

College radio at its finest. Not something I like in big doses and not outstanding in my opinion. Gritty and punk but kind of boring.

Pretty decent, hard to believe it's from the first half of the 80's.

Yet more easy pub listening.

Huh I feel like I’ve heard of an album called Let it Be before I think there’s actually some great instrumentation on this one from nice guitar riffs and great drumming. “Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out” (what a name huh?) is kinda exactly what I do like about Punk and has great energy. There isn’t really a moment where I flat out hate this album Still can’t be gaslit into genuinely liking this genre though. The British vocals are almost always too much and variety is really lacking at times. There’s some songs that are just weird on this and honestly for a genre that has prides itself on having something to say it doesn’t have a whole lot of anything here imo It’s better than average for punk, as in it’s a lot cleaner and less abrasive, but it still fails to deliver a whole lot of what I’d genuinely call good music. Pretty easy 5/10

Shockingly better than I expected! The music was great, where it had the aggression of punk but actual decent songwriting with variety in each track. Androgynous was the definite standout; the lyrics and piano were a treat. The songs actually have something to say. And it's balanced out by the sillier, edgy songs. There's a level of self-awareness here that's very refreshing. I clown on punk a lot, but THIS is where it and its ideas shine.

I'd heard a few Replacements songs and liked them before, but I guess I never gave them a proper listen. I was surprised at how much I liked this! I think I need more. 4 stars with a bullet.

En del bra, en del för skränigt för mig

This is surprisingly close to what punk music eventually grew up to be, way closer than some of the others got. It falls cleanly into a narrow genre I think of as "music from the Rock Band soundtrack" despite not being in that game (I think). I bet all of these are really fun to play, and they sound like they're having a blast. Pretty enjoyable listen.

Let It Be is not always punk rock musically, but it is one of the most - and best - punk albums in spirit. To prove this, you need to look no further than the album stealing its name from a Beatles' song. Or the band covering Kiss in a nod to their childhood heroes - it's a very uncool move, but what's more punk than not caring what other people think? The album is messy and wears its heart on its sleeve. Paul Westerberg sings about dejection, rejection, and not fitting in with a pained rasp. The tender piano ballad "Androgynous" and thoughtful "Sixteen Blue" sit perfectly imperfectly next to "Gary's Got a Boner." "Unsatisfied" is an outcast anthem and "Answering Machine" is a scorching web of guitars. This is a rare album that manages to feel ramshackle and thrown-together despite every song being tremendous on its own.

Good punk/hard rock album. Lots of energy, good tracks. I'll probably go back to this one. 4/5

Its an ok album. I found it interesting because this band, being underground rock and roll, has so many punk elements and even songs are really close to being that genre!

I don’t know this band, but I think Chrissy Hyde of The Pretenders is in it? I’m too lazy to look it up and I don’t like The Pretenders anyway. This album was pretty cool though, for an 80s album.

7 - GOOD

A band that I've already heard about, but never really listened to, besides hearing covers of Androgynous. I can definitely hear how they influenced early Goo Goo Dolls works. Definitely need to listen to more of their albums. 3 stars.

Excellent album! Westerberg could write a fkn song. Perfect band.

I would replace the replacements

2,9/5

Fantastic album, I am probably in the camp that thinks Tim is better

The Beatles! Oh wait. A good coming of age album. Androgynous

Couldn’t quite but androgynous really turned it around for me. Must relisten. RYM: Y (#715) Saved a song: N

This album emotes a pretty typical response from me for punk music. This has a bit different feel than most, but still punk to me.

Rheostatics

This is just blue collar rock at it’s most tedious. Nothing stands out just a 33 minute long drone. I cant understand what makes this something that deserves to be on this list. Yes I dont like it so my view is bias, but is this genuinely one of the best examples of this type of music, let alone of everything?

I liked the finger snaps in “We’re Comin’ Out”, but if I was to judge my experience against how much enjoyment Tommy or Gary were getting, then I’m afraid I’m on par with Tommy. It’s definitely more tolerable overall than the 1.5 album I listened to yesterday, so I am generous enough to round up.

My major issue with this album was the fact I kept thinking about the They Might Be Giants song "Hi, We're The Replacements" and (once again) being annoyed they aren't on the list. Bits of this were quite Ramonesy, just more chaotic. I think the vocals are pretty questionable, but I actually enjoyed the rest quite a lot... at least at first. For example, I really liked Androgynous where the piano was a bit Badly Drawn Boy. For me, the low point was Black Diamond, which just felt like an uninspired cover of a standard hair metal by numbers track. I don't much like Kiss anyway, but The Replacements made it worse. I also didn't like Seen Your Video (surprisingly, despite not particularly liking the vocals, I liked a song with fewer vocals even less). Gary's Got A Boner is just shit. In fact, somehow for an album that's only 33 minutes long, it outstayed it's welcome, with, for me at least, a much worse second half. I think this is probably just about a 2.5, but it's getting a 2. 2/5

Pretty damn good early alt-rock, very punky and jangly.

They probably could’ve replaced this with something else

I actually liked the more melodic take on punk from this band! Some 80s pop influences here and there while still remaining very much in their genre. Not too bad! Standouts: Unsatisfied • Sixteen Blue

I'm not sure why I feel so much affection towards this album, because it's pretty unremarkable. Maybe that's why? It's short, it's to the point, and everything feels like it was decided very carefully but without pretension. The production on here is immaculate. The album sounds fresh and new. It's a real pleasure to listen to.

only knew a couple replacements songs can't hardly wait, bastards of young turns out androgynous is one of them 💥i will dare 💥androgynous 💥black diamond

This was fine. I don’t know that it really stood out to me. Some good parts. Some very meh. The interesting thing is what this sounded like. I thought Black Diamond sounded a ton like Runaway by Bon Jovi. There’s the “ooooo…” but even beyond that the structure and notes were very similar. They both came out in Jan 84 so who knows. Also, the Spotify album had an “outtake” called Temptation Eyes….holy hazy shades of winter. Replacements sounded veeeery close. Okay, so after researching further. Black Diamond was a KISS song. So replacements off the hook. But it’s a cover. And temptation eyes was a cover of The Grass Roots. So do I round down for that? Or round up for hilarious song titles like Gary’s got a boner? Think I go down. 2.5

Pretty solid and easy to hear why Cobain was a fan of the band and lead singer. Couple times I was like “whoa, Kurt Cobain sounds just like this guy.” Solid album that likely gets better with additional listenings. Rounding up cuz I like to rock. 3.75/5

Solid alt rock

Cheeky cheeky monkeys. But it all MEANS something. The army this wackjob of an album inspired includes me.

It’s always comforting revisiting old favourites and finding the spark is still there. Middle age has given me a new appreciation of Answering Machine and the shear audacity of naming your album Let It Be.

not the mood

They cover a lot of ground for being a post-punk band. Some of it's just scraping by, most of it is really impressive. Much of it deals in teenage disposition. I could see this HITTING if you were coming of age when it was released. First off, "Androgynous" is so pure and ahead of it's time. The song is sung in a way that's so plain and clear-eyed, which is something lacking about non-binary representation in media to this day. I've saved this song for many more listens down the road. I thought the opening "I Will Dare" had me sat down for another forgettable mid-80's run-of-the-mill british rock album, but things often got much more gritty in the songs to come. Por ejemplo, "We're Comin Out" is performed to sound like they were trying to blow the hinges off the recording booth door. With a very swanky bridge too. "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out" has the same punk aesthetic too, but this one's got more story and character to it. I can see how "Unsatisfied" gained popularity, the chorus is much more anthemic than most songs on here, and a sign of bands to come (sounds a bit like a Guns n Roses cut). Needed a second listen for this one. I further appreciated the melding of punk energy with their sensibility for a good hook. Even at their most hookish, there's something grounded about Let It Be. Maybe a lot of that has to do with how incredible "Androgynous" is, especially for 1984. It’s a firm 4/5

Day 400 Fine, but nothing I’d particularly want to return to. Highlights Were coming out Unsatisfied

I knew nothing about The Replacements, but for some reason I thought I wasn't going to like this at all. I Will Dare and Unsatisfied were fine. Androgynous was the best song on the album, in my opinion. But, the rest of the album I didn't really like. I just don't like this genre that much.

Ok, nothing that grabbed me as an essential listen.

TL;DR: S tier US indie rock. A revelation. BEFORE: I've heard of them but never listened. Not sure why given their rep etc. AFTER: Not what I expected. Definitely rock but otherwise hard to classify and all the better for it. Not unlike The Clash's later efforts, this is punk-y but covers a lot of ground musically and Paul Westerberg has a songwriting touch that reminds me of Neil Finn. The lyrics vary wildly between juvenile and deeply personal and the music follows suit, which I love. I enjoyed this so much that I listened to it three times - not bad for a mid-week pick. HIGHLIGHTS: Its all good and during each listen I had new favourites. I Will Dare swings like early Violent Femmes. We're Coming Out is breakneck punk buoyed by a massive, chaotic guitar solo and a leftfield breakdown. Unsatisfied, Sixteen Blue and Answering Machine capture a sadness and yearning that hit close to home. Androgynous is a genuinely touching piano ballad that was decades ahead of its time - the anti-Dude Looks Like A Lady. Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out and Gary's Got A Boner pair pleasingly stupid lyrics with great music. Black Diamond is one of the only times I have ever enjoyed a KISS song. LOWLIGHTS: N/A. VERDICT: 5 stars

great stuff

Thought I might like this more than I did

This is good rock n roll... uh... music

Pas fan

Пост-панк! Сподіваюсь прикольний?

Tim is better

4.5

Great album, I don't personally hear the epic masterpiece. But great emotions on a quite raw production. May be a bit too underdone on the production side... Very thin eq wise like a low q cassette. Idk 8.66 ★★★★

Not bad, but not something I would return to often. 3.5 stars

This is one of those perfectly imperfect albums, but that's what makes it special. Paul Westerberg's writing some of the greatest songs ever, interspersed with a Kiss cover, a half-assed instrumental, and a songs about kids getting boners and/or their tonsils out. I think the looseness of it makes the more serious songs shine and the goofy stuff provides some relief. I think it really nails the vibe of youthful angst and it still rings true today. Highlights for me are "I Will Dare", "Favorite Thing", "Androgynous", "Unsatisfied", "Sixteen Blue", "Answering Machine", but every song is essential, even "Gary's Got a Boner". 5 stars.

Seems fine

It's fine. Too bad that this is one of the "best" 80s albums

i don't think this album is really for me, it's just boring rock

It’s got a raw 80s punk feel, which is alright, but it means it doesn’t really go anywhere. It’s youthful, but not developed, which is fine; it’s just not made for me.

Yeah still holds up well. Westerberg et al giving it more mellow beans than previous efforts. Noice

The main thing I like about The Replacements is their genuineness, their authenticity. They did exactly what they wanted and never tried to be anything or anyone else. This album doesn't hit so hard for me, as I feel there is better punk and better indie, since this album is very much in between. However, I highly respect it. I think I find more value in their later work, but I understand why many people would rate this 5 stars.

I kinda like the sound of this, but have no desire to wanna listen to it again

Swagger. Rough and dirty post-70's rock. With a good, if not boyish, sense of humor.

Oh, fun, poppy post punk to start with, though the album skews less poppy as it goes on. But good and fun throughout. Yet again not sure the extended edition adds anything worthwhile - the album is tighter without it. 4.5*

so ahead of their time. i can’t believe this came out in the 80s

Not my favorite style of punk but fine enough I suppose. Not sure why they had to put Gary on blast like that.

I know of this band but really have not listened to much of their stuff if at all. May have caught a track in passing or something but don't know much of them. very cool and rocking. A bit punky which is not what I anticipated.

Not into punk rock

Better on second listen, there are some raw classics in there. 3 - deserves to be on this list

One of my top 5 album of all time from one of my favorite bands. I could gush about this record forever. It's the perfect 80s album, perfect alt-rock album, perfect Minnesotan album and above all else it's the perfect coming-of-age album. This album was my college soundtrack and I'll likely be listening to it till I die. God I love this thing so much. Track Ranking: 1. Sixteen Blue 2. Androgynous 3. Unsatisfied 4. Seen Your Video 5. Black Diamond 6. Answering Machine 7. I Will Dare 8. Favorite Thing 9. We're Coming Out 10. Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out 11. Gary's Got a Boner

A solid rock album from the 80s. My favorite track is the first, "I Will Dare," but I'm a sucker for a melodic bass line. Interesting to learn that Peter Buck from REM contributed to it—makes a ton of sense in retrospect. The album has its feet in multiple genres, but does each one well. "I Will Dare" is power pop; "Androgynous" is a transgressive cabaret ballad; "Unsatisfied" feels like a Tom Petty-Nirvana fusion track. In fact, there's a surprising early-grunge like sound in the vocals on a lot of these tracks, though there's certainly the polish of the 80s throughout.

Horrible. Sounded like noise. Many preferable sounds

“I Will Dare” is ingrained in my skull by this point in my life, so I’m a little surprised I never bothered to listen to the rest of the album until now. Upon listening to it after 20+ years since the ideal time, it feels like something I would’ve absolutely loved to death when I was younger, but too much time passed instead. “I Will Dare” and the lovely “Androgynous” still feel really relevant and fantastic today, though. Could definitely sense the chaos of the band from what I read in Michael Azzerad’s book Our Band Could Be Your Life, especially in the faster songs. I don’t know - this one’s complicated for me: I’m thinking a 4.5-star rating when all things are considered at 40. Favorite tracks: “I Will Dare”, “Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out”, “Androgynous”, the Kiss cover “Black Diamond”, “Seen Your Video”, “Sixteen Blue”, "Answering Machine" (4.5/5)

Very fun, odd the wall punky power pop.

Not for me, messy thrashy punk. Slightly Cobain voice stylistically which is cool but the music just grates on me.

Meh, not good not bad. Cool variety of genres but lackluster

Not bad, a lot of genre variety from punk to blues rock. The softer moments are the ones that stand out to me, the brash rock tracks don't really do much novel. Overall, it holds up well, was worth a listen, and a couple tracks clicked with me enough to add to my playlist.

I enjoyed the poppy bits. Not so much the guitar hero parts.

So average

A bit of bias here as they have always been one of my favorite bands. Listening again, it's the quieter songs that really shine on this--"Androgynous," "Unsatisfied," "Sixteen Blue," even "I Will Dare"--as Paul Westerberg's songwriting begins to take shape. The loud, raucous songs are great--"Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out"is a personal favorite-- but they were showing a softer, more reflective side. Mostly it's just a fun album that pointed the way to further triumphs to come like Tim and Pleased to Meet Me.

Lightweight at just 33 minutes, Let It Be is easily one of the best alternative albums of the 80s and probably of all time. Pure rock and roll, pure punk, love the ballads/softer tracks like Androgynous and Unsatisfied. Might be a real Gen Xer album but i think it translates superbly well for modern indie fans. Lone complaint is it's only 33 damn minutes

lovely album. Androgynous is one of the perfect songs you cant get enough of.

5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background

Meh. I don't see the appeal

New to me and decent.

This was a good listen will add to the rotation..deserves another spin