The Replacements — as they’re wont to do — have been teasing something on social media over the past couple days, tweeting a photo of tape reels on Wednesday and, on Thursday, an image of Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson with the date “7/23/19.”
Sounds like the band’s fixing to announce something next Tuesday, and, as Brooklyn Vegan points out, Amazon UK may have let the cat out of the bag with a product listing for a 4-LP vinyl box set called Dead Man’s Pop that appears to be an expanded and alternate version of 1989 album Don’t Tell a Soul.
That famously problematic album, which featured the singles “I’ll Be You” an “Achin’ to Be” and has a radio-friendly sound that displeased Westerberg, was produced by Matt Wallace and mixed by Chris Lord Alge.
UPDATE 7/19/19: Rhino Records this morning officially announced the Sept. 27 release of Dead Man’s Pop, a “radically reimagined” version of Don’t Tell a Soul that will be released as 4CD/1LP box set featuring the album “mixed as it was originally intended” along with unheard tracks and a live concert from 1989.
Disc 1 features what’s now being called Don’t Tell a Soul Redux, a newly completed mix by Wallace based on his 1988 mix from the band’s Paisley Park sessions. The second disc features unreleased material from the band’s first, aborted session in Bearsville, N.Y., plus a session with Tom Waits.
And the third and fourth discs present the band’s entire June 2, 1989 show at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a set dubbed The Complete Inconcerated Live.
The set will also include the Redux mix on 180-gram vinyl.
See full tracklist and cover art below.
The first 500 people who pre-order Dead Man’s Pop at Rhino.com also will receive a 14-track cassette featuring highlights of the box set along with two unreleased tracks: “Asking Me Lies,” an outtake; and the instrumental version of “I Won’t” recorded in Bearsville. The tape also will feature the unused original Don’t Tell a Soul artwork.
The box set is packaged in a 12×12 hardcover photo book with liner notes by Bob Mehr, the release’s co-producer and author of “Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements.”
Mehr says of the project:
“While it’s impossible to unhear a record that’s been around for three decades, this version, Don’t Tell A Soul Redux, is the album the band made and intended to release. In addition to Matt Wallace’s mix, Redux also restores several crucial elements from the sessions, including original drums tracks, vocal takes and tempos that were altered in post-production… (and) the band’s original sequence of the album.”
This set is the second post-reunion archival release for the ‘Mats, following the 2017 live set For Sale: Live at Maxwell’s 1986, which was also teased with cryptic social media posts. And if the last two days were any indication, fans can expect to see a new teaser online at 1 p.m. Eastern on Friday.
The Replacements, Dead Man’s Pop
Disc 1: Don’t Tell a Soul Redux
1. “Talent Show” (Matt Wallace Mix)
2. “I’ll Be You” (Matt Wallace Mix)
3. “We’ll Inherit the Earth” (Matt Wallace Mix)
4. “Achin’ to Be” (Matt Wallace Mix)
5. “Darlin’ One” (Matt Wallace Mix)
6. “Back to Back” (Matt Wallace Mix)
7. “I Won’t” (Matt Wallace Mix)
8. “Asking Me Lies” (Matt Wallace Mix)
9. “They’re Blind” (Matt Wallace Mix)
10. “Anywhere’s Better Than Here” (Matt Wallace Mix)
11. “Rock ‘n’ Roll Ghost” (Matt Wallace Mix)
Disc 2: We Know The Night: Rare and Unreleased
1. “Portland” (Alternate Mix) [Bearsville Version]
2. “Achin’ To Be” (Bearsville Version)
3. “I’ll Be You” (Bearsville Version)
4. “Wake Up” (Alternate Mix) [Bearsville Version]
5. “We’ll Inherit The Earth” (Bearsville Version)
6. “Last Thing In The World”
7. “They’re Blind” (Bearsville Version)
8. “Rock ‘N’ Roll Ghost” (Bearsville Version)
9. “Darlin’ One” (Bearsville Version)
10. “Talent Show” (Demo Version)
11. “Dance On My Planet”
12. “We Know The Night” (Alternate Outtake)
13. “Ought To Get Love” (Alternate Mix)
14. “Gudbuy t’Jane” (Outtake)
15. “Lowdown Monkey Blues” (Featuring Tom Waits)
16. “If Only You Were Lonely” (Featuring Tom Waits)
17. “We Know The Night” (Featuring Tom Waits) [Rehearsal]
18. “We Know The Night” (Featuring Tom Waits) [Full Band Version]
19. “I Can Help” (Featuring Tom Waits)
20. “Date To Church” (Matt Wallace Remix)
Disc 3: The Complete Inconcerated Live, Part 1
1. “Alex Chilton” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
2. “Talent Show” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
3. “Back To Back” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
4. “I Don’t Know” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
5. “The Ledge” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
6. “Waitress In The Sky” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
7. “Anywhere’s Better Than Here” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
8. “Nightclub Jitters” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
9. “Cruella De Ville” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
10. “Achin’ To Be” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
11. “Asking Me Lies” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
12. “Bastards Of Young” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
13. “Answering Machine” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
14. “Little Mascara” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
15. “I’ll Be You” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
Disc 4: The Complete Inconcerated Live, Part 2
1. “Darlin’ One” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
2. “I Will Dare” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
3. “Another Girl, Another Planet” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
4. “I Won’t” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
5. “Unsatisfied” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
6. “We’ll Inherit The Earth” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
7. “Can’t Hardly Wait” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
8. “Color Me Impressed” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
9. “Born To Lose” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
10. “Never Mind” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
11. “Here Comes A Regular” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
12. “Valentine” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
13. “Left Of The Dial” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
14. “Black Diamond” (Live at University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, WI, 6/2/1989)
It’s true: we threw a buncha tapes in the river once. But these? These we just hid in the basement. pic.twitter.com/RV3fF3azL5
— The Replacements (@TheReplacements) July 17, 2019
7/23/19 pic.twitter.com/Cjkhyv8zGJ
— The Replacements (@TheReplacements) July 18, 2019
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- The Replacements dig up classic-era gig for ‘For Sale: Live at Maxwell’s 1986’ album
- Listen: Paul Westerberg’s ‘Got it Made’ with bouncy new solo synth track
- ‘Coming soon’: The Replacements appear to be up to something… but what, exactly?
- Listen: Exclusive uncut interview with Tommy Stinson from Rockin’ the Suburbs podcast
- Twin/Tone opens its vaults on YouTube: The Replacements, Suicide Commandos and more
Thanks for posting Matt!!
One observation I would make is that although the Amazon listing was for a vinyl box set (and there may be a vinyl version), it seems unlikely that the tracks, as configured in the listing, would fit on four LPs (especially disc 2). My guess is that there will be a 4-CD box set and perhaps a slimmed down vinyl version.
$79.99 plus $10.99 for shipping from Rhino just to get a cassette I can’t play (with two songs I’ll find online the day before release anyway)? Most of this was on the Deluxe reissue a few years back, so we’re essentially paying for the remaster and the rest of the show from Inconcerated. No thanks. I’ll wait for Amazon.
John,
Thanks for snapping me back to reality. Waiting for Amazon, too. Meanwhile, I just resequenced the original on Spotify for a preview.
I would disagree that “most of” the disc 2 material was on the 2008 reissue. That reissue had only seven bonus tracks (all seem included on the new version), but that’s just 35% of disc 2, so not “most”. There are still 13 “new” bonus tracks…although not disputing that $90.98 is a little steep, not loving that I have to par for the vinyl, and the cassette is pretty worthless.
Great news! Can’t wait to hear this.
Next candidates for “redux” treatment: the Church mixing untreated/real drums into Seance and Gold Afternoon Fix.
Hear, hear!!! And let’s follow those releases with a second Future Past Perfect tour with both albums featured…and Marty back in the fold! (Uh, starting to get greedy here…)
Back to the ‘Mats. Thanks for posting, Matt! I also can’t (hardly) wait for this. Having the Complete Inconcerated show alone will be fantastic.
A cassette?
What is with this cassette revival? Seriously.
I don’t claim to be the world’s most enlightened audiophile, but cassette’s are the lowest rung on the audio ladder. They are flimsy, easily damaged beyond use and cumbersome to find the track you want to play.
Sure, I have a bit of nostalgia for the days of the mixtape, but CDs can serve the same purpose without any of the hassles.
What’s up with this cassette comeback, while the CD goes on deathwatch?
The above comment is mine via a goof in typing in my username.
I still have most of my cassettes. I don’t know why. I have no way to play them, and have no intention of buying a new deck. They were the best option until digital. I do not get the comeback either. Perhaps just a way to be contrary? I’m big into vinyl again, and truly love the whole experience. I never loved cassettes, and always opted for another format when I could. Mixtapes were fun though, and required a bit of skill to get that last track timed correctly.
None of the reasons given for the cassette comeback make any sense to me. Back in the day the only cassettes I ever had, other than mixtapes and some I would dub from vinyl to listen to in my car, were cutouts I might nab for 79 cents at Woolworth’s or my college’s bookstore. For “real” purchases I always bought vinyl and then CDs.
What particularly irks me is that the cassette comeback coincides with the downfall of the CD. It seems like more and more that any CD I want to buy I have to order from Amazon. Even my nearby Barnes and Noble drastically scaled back their CD section to just a few select titles and replaced the CD section with vinyl.
There are still those of us who want to have a physical copy of the music we listen to (what if the streaming service one uses loses the streaming rights?). As appealing as vinyl is it is still impractical and new vinyl is quite expensive, while cassettes are just crap. Thus CDs fit the bill.
Yet the CD becomes the uncool and unhip format with constant forecasts for its demise. But surely if cassettes can make a comeback why not the CD, which I might add remains the best selling physical format, yet they are getting so hard to find.
I agree. CDs are great and sound excellent. I love vinyl, but I play CDs far more. I think that there will always be a market for CDs, just like there is for vinyl. Even though they are not hip, they still sell for more than records. Luckily, almost everything that is released still comes out on CD. Those of us who like physical media and care about sound appreciate them and purchase them.
I still buy them but it is getting harder to find them other than at Amazon.
It also irks me that cassettes can make a “comeback” while the CD is on deathwatch. Hipster irony makes cassettes cool and CDs uncoool.
Many more details on the Rhino website, including this: “In total, the box includes 60 tracks–58 of which have never been heard before.”
The “58 out of 60” thing is a bit deceptive. Rhino is counting anything that was re-mixed as “never heard”, but really, five of the concert tracks were already released on the “Iconcerated” promo, and a handful of tracks from disc 2 werd on the 2008 reissue. Still, lots of truly unreleased material to enjoy.
I’m super excited to hear this but I can’t stand the Rhino direct sells. They do a great job producing these types of releases but their cash grab tactics are so blatant. Their shipping is even a rip off. But I get it. Captive audience. I have no less than four copies of DTAS. No way I’m not buying this. Just not from Rhino. This Is a $50 item and will probably sell for that on Amazon. Like everyone else I am also puzzled by the cassette. Why, when there are only 2 exclusive tracks, would they choose a cassette? Wouldn’t a 7” have been more fitting? I might have been more inclined to pay Rhino’s price had they gone this route. But, hey! It wouldn’t be a Replacements release if there wasn’t something confounding about it.
Really was excited by this initially, but I imagine my indifference thereafter is shared by a lot of fans of a certain age and ‘net speed. If you didn’t grab a lot of this on bootleg, you got it as .rar/.zip files.
Hi, Gate! Wish you could’ve met Bull, but he ran off a while ago.