After the reunited Replacements played a gigantic homecoming show in Saint Paul, Minnesota, a couple of weeks ago, the Internet started buzzing with the possibility of a new record from the indie-rock legends. While I absolutely love the Replacements, so many reunion records of the past have been such overwhelming disappointments (see: Indie Cindy by the Pixies) and I don’t think I can handle seeing that happen to another band so dear to me. So I’m choosing to ignore it all, and listen to today’s 12 O’Clock Track, “I Will Dare,” over and over instead. This song comes off of the Mats’ 1984 masterpiece Let It Be, which marked their transition from fast ‘n’ loose punk into ragged and jangly alt-rock. It’s a perfect opener to a perfect album, and even if these guys go on to make a new, crappy album, at least we’ll always have this.
