We'll Inherit The Earth...

An actual record review!

V/A: We'll Inherit the Earth... A Tribute to the Replacements

1-2-3-4-Go! Records, 2006

The tribute album concept is a tricky one for me. I like the idea of hearing reinterpretations of songs by great artists, and that of current artists paying respect to their influences, but on the other hand... well, I'd generally rather just hear the originals. Thus I was both excited and uneasy about the news of a tribute to the Replacements, one of my personal favourite bands of all time. Sure, if there's an artist who deserves it, it's the 'Mats... but yet there's the possibility that a mediocre tribute could colour my fondness for the originals. Plus, the 'Mats are a sort of tricky band to cover – their simplicity makes most songs easy to play, but they have a certain disarming honesty and intensity that makes a lot of covers just not stand up.

Fortunately, the cast of contributors here is particularly excellent. Between heavy-hitters like The Draft, Strike Anywhere's Thomas Barnett, and (the controversial?) Against Me! and lesser-knowns with strong 'Mats tendencies like the Modern Machines and the Obsoletes, this disc promised some great covers, and didn't disappoint. There's not a single song here that Westerberg and the boys would be ashamed of. All 23 contributors put in very competent 'Mats impressions, though certain ones are a bit weaker (I'm looking at you, The Queers – could Joe sound any more bored and monotone on a more angst-charged song?). While there's only one song that surpasses the original here – Almighty Do Me A Favor's version of the originally jokey and minimally-played “Treatment Bound” – that's no fault of theirs, it's just that the 'Mats are basically an impossible act to surpass at their own game. There are still some great renditions of classic 'Mats tunes, like the Modern Machines' stumbling version of “Mr. Whirly” and The Ergs!' even speedier “I'm In Trouble”. In fact, of 23 covers, there's about 17 I would call very good.

Of course, it isn't all good. There are two main issues with this tribute: first, the track choices. The 'Mats' unquestioned masterpiece, Let It Be, is only represented with two tracks – the aforementioned “Unsatisfied” and the Druglords of the Avenues' “Favorite Thing” – in favour of a lot of tracks from the relatively weaker late releases. In this shuffle, plus all over the other records represented, a lot of key 'Mats tracks are absent. Where's “I Will Dare”? “Alex Chilton”? “I Hate Music”? “Swinging Party”? My personal favourite, “Take Me Down to the Hospital”? Also, most of the bands don't really do much besides do their best to imitate the 'Mats – which is reasonable considering it's a tribute, but most of these bands can't match the 'Mats at their own game, so some more reinterpretation would be interesting. Most tracks sound like a slightly worse 'Mats at a different tempo and with a different singer (Against Me! are particularly guilty of this – if you discount Tom Gabel not sounding like Westerberg, it would be pretty much an exact replica), so those which add a bit of a distinctive touch, like Thomas Barnett and his former Inquisition bandmate Rob Huddleston's ethereal version of “Here Comes a Regular”, are particularly appreciated. Still, a passable 'Mats impression is pretty damned worthwhile, so I can't fault this comp too much. All in all, it's a very good tribute to an incredible band, so I recommend it to fans of any of the bands involved, especially 'Mats fans. This is a good example of what tribute comps should be like.