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They signed with a major label, released an album with almost as many ballads as their trademark shambolic rockers, and then imploded not long after. You could see why fans might feel ambivalent about Tim, the 1985 release by The Replacements. But the end result has been widely hailed as a masterpiece. What does the song-by-song review have to say about it? Let’s review the ratings and then find out.

Tim (1985, Sire Records)

Side A

“Hold My Life” *** Listen
Do you think a young Johnny Rzeznick had this song in his head when he put together the Goo Goo Dolls? A nice tone-setter for the surprisingly diverse offerings to follow.

“I’ll Buy” *** Listen
I’m not sure just what singer Paul Westerberg is on about in this one, although he sounds like an exasperated husband in the chorus: “Anything you want, dear”. The band could hit songs like this out of the park in their sleep.

“Kiss Me on the Bus” *** Listen
Behind the irony and world-weariness on Westerberg’s surface beats the heart of a romantic, as evidenced by this sweet ode to the charms of public transportation.

“Dose of Thunder” ** Listen
For the most part, Westerberg’s heart doesn’t seem to be on the hardest rockers on the album, although the brothers Stinson kick up a pretty good ruckus behind him here.

“Waitress in the Sky” *** Listen
Somewhere along the line, some stewardess must have given The Replacements some shoddy treatment. As a result, the whole profession gets its comeuppance in this wickedly funny song that, musically, borrows heavily from the 60’s pop hit “Mountain Of Love.”

“Swingin’ Party” **** Listen
Ballads like this were supposedly the reason that lead guitarist Bobby Stinson, who preferred the band’s raucous side, clashed with Westerberg. But it’s hard to deny the cracked beauty on display here, as two broken souls find solace in their mutual malaise. Listen to Westerberg’s vocals and how they veer off the mark with emotion and you can hear the influence on Conor Oberst quite clearly.

Side B

“Bastards of Young” **** Listen
Bobby Stinson’s opening riff sounds downright patriotic until Westerberg undercuts it with this memorable salvo: “God what a mess/On the ladder of success”. The generational divide has rarely been so eloquently and furiously depicted.

“Lay it Down Clown” * Listen
I understand that the band’s ragged nature was a big part of its charm, but they sound like they were playing four different songs at once here.

“Left of the Dial” **** Listen
Such a perfect breakdown of the indie-rock spirit that it later lent its title to an anthology of the genre, this song might well be the band’s signature moment. The left of the dial is indeed where they always belonged and reigned.

“Little Mascara” *** Listen
Westerberg sees nothing positive when he peers into the suburbs with this typically observant look at a housewife.

“Here Comes A Regular” **** Listen
The electric guitars are noticeably absent on the closer, as Westerberg finds the dead-ends in the details of small-town life, from the lawns dying at the end of summer to the barstools that keep all the miserable souls from hitting the floor. A heartbreakingly beautiful closing statement.

The Bottom Line

And so, if you can forgive their departures from their DIY aesthetic that gave them their reputation, you’ll find the Replacements at the peak of their powers delivering a true classic.

Create a list of your favorite Replacements’ songs HERE

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