Friday Night Is Killing Me

The album was produced by Don Smith.[5] Stinson was unable to settle on a permanent band lineup, and ended up playing many of the instruments himself; it had already been his intention to switch from bass to guitar.[2][6] Members of the Heartbreakers also contributed to the recording, although Stinson wasn't in the studio during those sessions.[7] The album's last track, "First Steps", was originally demoed for the Replacements' Don't Tell a Soul.[4] Stinson took voice lessons in order to improve his singing on the album; he also asked Paul Westerberg to contribute some backing vocals.[8][9]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[10]
Austin American-Statesman	[11]
Calgary Herald	B+[12]
Chicago Tribune	[13]
Robert Christgau	[14]
The Indianapolis Star	[15]
Los Angeles Times	[16]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide	[17]
Orlando Sentinel	[9]

The Chicago Tribune wrote: "Once past the ersatz Faces riffs, Stinson writes the kind of midtempo heart-wrenchers (the title track, 'Tiny Pieces') and acoustic ballads ('Nothing', 'First Steps') that came a dime a dozen to the Replacements' Paul Westerberg."[13] The Washington Post decided that "unlike Westerberg, Stinson doesn't show much aptitude for the change-of-pace track."[1] Trouser Press considered that "Stinson can do a credible imitation of Rod Stewart’s lurch and rasp might be enough for a journeyman career, but Friday Night is hardly the adult achievement his alma mater primed him for."[18] The Indianapolis Star thought that "it's something like nuclear fission—when a great band breaks apart, astonishing energy is released."[15]

AllMusic wrote that "decades after its release, the album feels like a bit of the hangover from the '80s, a celebration of irreverent roots rock performed with an audible grin."[10] Magnet considered it "the best batch of songs by any Replacement since 1987’s Pleased To Meet Me."[19] The Spin Alternative Record Guide opined that it "got over on sheer bar-band enthusiasm."[20]