Dead Man's Pop—Remixing and Revisting The Replacements Don't Tell A Soul

In 1989, The Replacements released their sixth studio al-bum, Don’t Tell a Soul. Featuring Paul Westerberg (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Tommy Stinson (bass, background vocals), and Chris Mars (drums), it was the first Replacements album to feature new member Slim Dunlap (guitar, keyboards, background vocals). The recording sessions were produced by Matt Wallace, who hoped to mix the record in the immediate, rough-hewn style for which the band was known and loved. The record label at the time had other ideas, and brought in Chris Lord-Alge to imprint his proven hit-making pop sensibilities on the mixes. As a result, Don’t Tell a Soul would become The Replacements’ most commercially successful release. Of course, the all-too-predictable critical backlash divided the band’s already substantial diehard fanbase into opposing camps, and the debate continues to this day. Adding fuel to the fire, archivist Bob Mehr recently unearthed a set of Don’t Tell a Soul rough mixes, hastily assembled by