"Jean Is Dead" off of Milo Goes to College...that album and Fat are really the only ones that I've gone back to.
― birdistheword, Tuesday, 1 March 2022 20:17 (two years ago) link
Actually now that I remember the lyrics, "Hope" and "Bikeage" from the same album too.
― birdistheword, Tuesday, 1 March 2022 20:23 (two years ago) link
There's a bunch of very tuneful and impassioned ballads in the Descendents' stuff. but it's often hellaciously misogynist too.
― politics is about vibes and the vibes are off (stevie), Wednesday, 2 March 2022 09:46 (two years ago) link
I have fond memories of Silly Girl, Sour Grapes, Clean Sheets and Bikeage from when I was a teen but I listen to them now and the "I hate you bitch" vibe between the lines is pretty noxious.
― politics is about vibes and the vibes are off (stevie), Wednesday, 2 March 2022 09:47 (two years ago) link
my controversial opinion is the best Descendents's best album is 96's Everything Sucks
Still infected with the noxious friendzone bullshit but as always they make it catchy
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 2 March 2022 12:19 (two years ago) link
Some great tunes on that one, no question
― politics is about vibes and the vibes are off (stevie), Wednesday, 2 March 2022 13:20 (two years ago) link
The Replacements feel like the smoking, drinking, disaffected fuck-up burnouts at school compared to the Descendents who are farting, junk food eating nerds who think they're smarter and better than the burnouts but in fact are angry misogynist assholes in the modern gamergate / incell / "nice guy" sort of way.
― joygoat, Wednesday, 2 March 2022 14:38 (two years ago) link
It was almost like their "Some Girls".
― pplains, Wednesday, 2 March 2022 14:43 (two years ago) link
Yes, this, definitely.
― politics is about vibes and the vibes are off (stevie), Wednesday, 2 March 2022 14:45 (two years ago) link
Though the Mats could probably actually ruin your life, whereas you'd simply block the Descendents on Twitter and never think of them again.
― politics is about vibes and the vibes are off (stevie), Wednesday, 2 March 2022 14:46 (two years ago) link
especially after Milo went to college
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 2 March 2022 14:57 (two years ago) link
Hello why do you think I loved the Replacements with all of my tiny foolish heart and didn’t have any time whatsoever for Descendants??? But for evading the misogyny trap no one beats the Dü ❤️
― Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Wednesday, 2 March 2022 14:59 (two years ago) link
yeah I was listening to some Descendants last year for the first time in years and it was pretty shocking how much they scan to modern incel stuff
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 2 March 2022 15:02 (two years ago) link
🤮🤮🤮
― Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Wednesday, 2 March 2022 15:19 (two years ago) link
I honestly only know the super short food songs.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 2 March 2022 15:27 (two years ago) link
I only know the cover of “Wendy” from the SST Duck & Cover comp. They seemed like weenies.
― Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Wednesday, 2 March 2022 15:30 (two years ago) link
not necessarily saying this is a good thing, but I think there's a very good argument to be made that they are the most influential punk band of all time
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 2 March 2022 15:33 (two years ago) link
This thread's making me scared to go back to my ALL records.
― pplains, Wednesday, 2 March 2022 15:38 (two years ago) link
But for evading the misogyny trap no one beats the Dü ❤️
oh hells yeah
― politics is about vibes and the vibes are off (stevie), Wednesday, 2 March 2022 15:49 (two years ago) link
I thought that first Descendants album and first EP were great, but I think I'll pretend they split up after that rather than finding out for myself what I "missed."
― birdistheword, Wednesday, 2 March 2022 16:11 (two years ago) link
This thread prompted me to relisten to Milo Goes to College for the first time since the 80s. Tight playing, catchy melodies, wonderfully snotty vocals, but yeah some really repulsive views of sexuality.
― Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 2 March 2022 17:13 (two years ago) link
Ugh...looking through lyrics as it's a different experience to read all of them clearly but I feel like I just died a little bit inside. Maybe I'll just pretend "Weinerschnitzel" was the only thing they ever released.
― birdistheword, Wednesday, 2 March 2022 22:51 (two years ago) link
Shared a cigarette for breakfastShared an airplane ride for lunch
― Groovy Situation Vacant (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 19 May 2022 20:39 (one year ago) link
Great track. Should've made Dead Man's Pop instead of "Back to Back."
― birdistheword, Thursday, 19 May 2022 20:53 (one year ago) link
Wait, it’s not on that?
― Groovy Situation Vacant (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 19 May 2022 21:02 (one year ago) link
It is, but as a bonus track, not the album proper.
I should say, Dead Man's Pop (had it gotten a final mix back in the day) should've come out, not Don't Tell a Soul, and on top of that, they should've swapped out "Back to Back" for "Portland."
"We Know the Night" would've been nice too, but according to Wallace they erased the full-band performance so it's lost forever. The version that survives is great, but I don't think they would've used it on a final album.
― birdistheword, Thursday, 19 May 2022 21:11 (one year ago) link
Dead Man’s Poop more like it.
― Groovy Situation Vacant (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 19 May 2022 21:33 (one year ago) link
Dead Man’s Pop definitely shoulda come out, but I don’t think there was any way that was gonna happen. The sound of it (the recent-ish mix, that is) is far more dry than that of PTMM or even Tim. And a dry-sounding record in 1989 was a non-starter if you wanted a hit, which they did, and almost got (“I’ll Be You” stalled at #51). DTAS got them more exposure than they’d ever had; without the digital-reverb-drenched gated-drum sound, no Petty tour, no regular MTV rotation, no radio play.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 19 May 2022 21:37 (one year ago) link
With the benefit of hindsight, Wallace and Jason Jones both suggested something that was plausible - Lord-Alge should've mixed the singles. There was precedent for that, both in the Replacements camp and elsewhere on Sire/WB's roster. So slap the Lord-Alge mix on to both the singles sent to the radio stations and the music video, but let Wallace take care of the album. (I don't think a tiny bit more echo would've hurt had Wallace gone that route too, which is plausible based on his work elsewhere.)
― birdistheword, Thursday, 19 May 2022 21:55 (one year ago) link
I always like the Replacements, but some days, like today, I absolutely love them. And almost any day, for whatever reason, "Don't Tell A Soul" is the one I reach for first. I *think* it was the first one I heard, because it was contemporary, but regardless, I really like it.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 13 July 2022 00:14 (one year ago) link
I'm glad DTAS has its devotees. I'm like that with Tim, which was likewise my first Mats record. I definitely came back around to DTAS after Dead Man's Pop, it helped me connect with some of the songs I'd shrugged at. "Anywhere Is Better Than Here" e.g., is much more of a stomping rock song without the layers of acoustic guitars and whatever else is on there.
― a man often referred to in the news media as the Duke of Saxony (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 13 July 2022 02:43 (one year ago) link
Yeah, in the right situation, "Anywhere Is Better Than Here" is a really great song to put on when you're massively pissed off.
― birdistheword, Wednesday, 13 July 2022 03:58 (one year ago) link
Talent Show is a really good way to kick off a record
― F'kin Magnetometers, how do they work? (President Keyes), Wednesday, 13 July 2022 15:08 (one year ago) link
I feel that way about "Pleased To Meet Me", my introduction to the band and favorite even though "Let It Be" and "Tim" are clearly better records.
"Dead Man's Pop" completely redeems "Don't Tell A Soul" for me, removing the awful production and adding some much-needed oomph to many tracks.
I am in my 50s and stuff like "Unsatisfied", "Answering Machine" and many others still resonate, differently now than when I was 20 of course but still have tremendous power.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 13 July 2022 15:17 (one year ago) link
― L.H.O.O.Q. Jones (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 13 July 2022 15:19 (one year ago) link
I enjoy a few songs on each of their records. "Rock 'n' Roll Ghost" is their best Sister Lovers pastiche, but Game Theory have a half-a-dozen better songs in the same mode.
― Halfway there but for you, Wednesday, 13 July 2022 15:42 (one year ago) link
Which?
― L.H.O.O.Q. Jones (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 13 July 2022 16:06 (one year ago) link
Mary MagdaleneAny Other HandWhere You Going NorthernRegenisraenTogether Now, Very MinorInitiations Week
...and more if I included the Loud Family. I first heard of the band from a review in Spin of Lolita Nation which said they had hooks that Bryan Adams and the Replacements would kill for, though I was probably more intrigued by the mention of Roxy Music.
― Halfway there but for you, Wednesday, 13 July 2022 16:27 (one year ago) link
Those Game Theory songs and "Rock & Roll Ghost" may have had the same inspiration -- Sister Lovers -- but Game Theory were stone anglophiles in ways the 'mats never were. So with "Ghost" Westerberg nails the stark mood/ambiance of Sister Lovers, but isn't trying for the same hooky melodic sweetness. Even though the 'mats worshipped Beatle-worshippers Big Star, I can't think of a single 'mats song off the top of my head that I could call "Beatle-esque." I can think of at least 10 Game Theory (and Big Star) songs that fit that description.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 13 July 2022 16:44 (one year ago) link
Good point, and of course Scott Miller valued aesthetic "tidiness" much more than Westerberg.
― Halfway there but for you, Wednesday, 13 July 2022 16:49 (one year ago) link
Good description.
― L.H.O.O.Q. Jones (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 13 July 2022 17:01 (one year ago) link
Saw a picture of a high school friend with Scott Miller. Believe he was in a band with Miller’s wife. Maybe I should compare notes with when my friends and I met the ‘Mats at The Grotto in New Haven. Alex Chilton was a no-show.
― L.H.O.O.Q. Jones (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 13 July 2022 17:03 (one year ago) link
otm re "tidiness." And Miller's voice was mellifluous -- I can't imagine Paul navigating, I dunno, "Penny Lane" or something, but I can easily hear Miller nailing it.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 13 July 2022 17:10 (one year ago) link
I can't think of a single 'mats song off the top of my head that I could call "Beatle-esque."
Mr. Whirly
― pplains, Wednesday, 13 July 2022 17:11 (one year ago) link
D'oh!
― L.H.O.O.Q. Jones (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 13 July 2022 17:13 (one year ago) link
“Waitress in the Sky” sounds like Lennon could’ve penned it.
― Western® with Bacon Flavor, Wednesday, 13 July 2022 17:18 (one year ago) link
Ha! re: "Mr. Whirly"
BUT...was it directly inspired by the Beatles? Or by Tomorrow (featuring Bob's fave guitarist, Steve Howe)?
Compare the intros:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6gqN9HSa7U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TBwM6oz3Bg
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 13 July 2022 17:19 (one year ago) link
This was posted elsewhere by Jason Jones at Rhino but apparently we shouldn't expect a Hootenanny box set due to lack of material. Bummer.
― birdistheword, Friday, 18 November 2022 20:40 (one year ago) link
Unexpectedly, "The Twisted Art of Chris Mars"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lmaw2DDeCQc
(Side note: Horseshoes and Hand Grenades is better than any Paul Westerberg album.)
― Hideous Lump, Tuesday, 23 May 2023 01:54 (eleven months ago) link
Juxtapoz magazine did a lovely profile on Mars which focused solely on his incredible art at least 20 years ago. His pieces can sell for $25kUSD+, and I’m sure he’s made far more from them than he ever did in The Replacements
― beamish13, Tuesday, 23 May 2023 05:37 (eleven months ago) link