Album of the Day

The cover image of The Replacements' 5th studio collection is a telling one:  PLEASED TO MEET ME has one foot in the door and the other one in the gutter, with the spirit of the Minneapolis band's punk roots given a newfound polish and a willingness to explore other genres. If longtime fans bemoaned the absence of anarchic guitarist Bob Stinson, the 1987 Sire collection more than compensates with Paul Westerberg's best-ever set of songs. The 11 originals range from the harrowing "The Ledge" to the aching beauty of "Skyway" to the propulsive "Alex Chilton" (about the Big Star guitarist, who guests here on "Can't Hardly Wait"). Recorded in Memphis' Ardent Studios with producer Jim Dickinson, the near-unimprovable PLEASED TO MEET ME is an album any alternative rock fan will be pleased to hear.