3 out of 5

Label: Alternative Tentacles

Produced by: Dean Maher (mixed by)

A fantastic Replacements cover leads us in to two solid, if very 90s, tracks, a then an alternate take on a classics NMN track from Wrong that earns the “more drums” instrument credit in the liner notes.

Dating back to early 80s Replacements, the title track here completely rocks up the track, transforming the kind of roboto-weirdness of the original into crunchy guitar, a muscley low end, and acrobatic vocals. The looseness and energy NMN brings to things – especially the gang vocals – maintain the unnerved vibes of the original, while, of course, making it sound much more like Nomeansno than Replacements, though it’s always fun to better understand the connective tissue between bands. A great cover.

You Are Not One and Rise are quality originals, but they feel of the late 90s era in which this was released, leaning into the indie alt-rock one might’ve found on 4AD or Touch and Go at the time, while we were scrambling our way out of grunge. The heavy duty guitars and manly vocals align with the latter, but there’s a punky / sludge backing that’s more reminiscent of those aforementioned labels versus NMN’s regular Alternative Tentacles home. The songs are somewhat interchangeable in pace and vibes, and don’t really have standout hooks; what I’d qualify as NMN “filler,” which only really gets that tag ’cause you have less to choose from on an EP.

The alternate take on Wrong’s Big Dick turns it into like a Mighty Mighty Bosstones track sans-horns. Lots of tribal drums and chanting. It feels more silly than anything, and I’m not sure how I would rate it without the original as a point of comparison, but “silly” doesn’t equal bad by any means, just, again, not one of the group’s more enduring tunes.