Don't Tell a Soul (Expanded Edition)

The Replacements’ third album for a major label found them finally succumbing to the label’s wishes for a more “radio friendly” sound. This being 1989 that meant a cleaner, less raucous approach with an emphasis on studio echo and other sound-enhancing effects. Singer Paul Westerberg still brought along a great collection of songs. “Talent Show,” “Achin’ to Be,” “They’re Blind,” the album’s single “I’ll Be You,” and “Darlin’ One” rank among his most heartfelt material, while “Rock ‘n’ Roll Ghost” is a bit of self-mythologizing for a man staring into his career’s abyss. The overall sound is surprisingly thin in retrospect, missing the chunky guitars of the band’s live attack. However, this 2008 reissue includes eight bonus cuts that help flesh out the moment. A demo of “Talent Show” isn’t that far removed from the final product and the alternate mix of “We’ll Inherit the Earth” attempts to right the over-ambitious mix that landed on the album. “We Know the Night” stands as a worthy outtake. “Portland” inspires the band’s energy, while “Date to Church” came out of a jam session with Tom Waits in L.A.