Let It Be [Deluxe 3CD Version] (1984)

"Their 1984 masterpiece "Let It Be" (a joke title, but also a boast, a dare) is the band’s most celebrated record, the one where they trained their homegrown Midwestern punk sensibilities on Paul Westerberg’s most mature songs yet, creating in the process an enduring template for what would come to be called indie rock. This Deluxe Edition is not a rescue mission. It is a work of thoughtful, incremental maintenance. The bonus tracks (goofy Grass Roots and T. Rex covers, plus melodic rocker “Perfectly Lethal”) are joined by two original songs that have yet to appear on an official release: the two-step throwaway “Street Girl,” and the blistering “Who’s Gonna Take Us Alive.” These are minor, more or less unfinished songs that still illustrate how powerful the band’s ensemble playing could be when they decided to make an effort. The value of the live recordings (one full 1984 show from an audience tape, plus selections from another on a bonus 10") is mostly scholarly." (Pitchfork; cijfer: 9.0)

Aanwezigheid