Rickenbacker

No responses to the review of my favorite R.E.M. release, but I soldier on...


If Document would come to be known as the album when R.E.M. went mainstream, then Lifes Rich Pageant [sic] is the album where they first sounded mainstream, at least comparatively speaking. After the audaciously inaccessible masterpiece that was Fables of the Reconstruction, the band turned its sights on making a real, no holds barred pop album, nearly the opposite of Fables and Murmur and more along the lines of Reckoning. With increased revenue from touring and record sales, R.E.M. hired producer Don Gehman. Gehman's production absolutely makes this record, which is perhaps the best sounding record in R.E.M.'s catalogue. Never is a sound out of place or a tone misconstrued, and the inclusion of additional instruments, many of which can be found well hidden within the confines of Fables of the Reconstruction's stony embrace. Banjos, keyboards, hammond organs, accordions and vocal whoops grace this album like a designer dress, enhancing its strengths and hiding any weaknesses it may have had otherwise.

And I'm not kidding. Remember how great that song Hyena was on the Reckoning Live Set? The studio version here is just as energetic, but without all the sloppy playing and with an arrangement ten times better. The song begins with this incredibly catchy keyboard riff, which is later supported by an equally awesome guitar riff that is absolutely mixed to perfection. Easily one of the best R.E.M. songs ever, and certainly one of the best sounding. While Hyena is certainly a highlight, many of the songs on the album share its upbeat tempo and gorgeous production, song after song. Aptly titled album opener Begin the Begin serves its purpose with yet another classic riff that leads right into the anthemic These Days (not a cover of the Jackson Browne song). These Days is filled with awesome nonsensical lyrics and of course YET ANOTHER killer Peter Buck riff. These Days is one of those songs that hits you and makes you stop what you're doing to listen. That seems to be a recurring theme on the album, with I Believe following a similar formula. More nonsensical and even more anthemic than These Days, I Believe is arguably the best song on the album and had a significant run as my favorite R.E.M. song ever a few months ago. From the banjo intro, recorded unbeknownst to Peter Buck while he was playing around in the studio, to the very quotable "I Believe in coyotes and time as an abstract" line, this song is an awesome, cathartic thrill ride.

These songs were perhaps as close as R.E.M. would ever come to "rocking out" in the conventional sense, and as such, carry an air of youth about them. Just a Touch, a song that may have been written as long ago as 1981, is easily the most raw and, well, young sounding song they had recorded to that point, emphasized by the lyrics which convey a certain immaturity that is both lovable and relatable. Curious as it may seem, if the aforementioned songs were released together as a five song EP a la Chronic Town it would be a damn fine EP and a very respectable record. But like all truly great R.E.M. records, Lifes Rich Pageant is not what it may appear to be; a brief yet exhilarating thrill ride of an album. Rather, it is an incredibly mature and intelligent record disguised as a series of innocent, naive teenage anthems that when viewed from that perspective almost verges on self parody at times. If I had any problems with Lifes Rich Pageant, it would be that, but it hardly matters.

We have found a way to talk around the problem.

This record's maturity showcases the lyrical and musical progression of the band, and is best exemplified in the glorious mid-tempo and slow pieces that adorn the album. Such is the nature of Fall On Me, the band's first single to crack the top 100. Fall on Me is a song so beautiful that it requires many listens to fully appreciate. Built upon four guitar overdubs, Fall on Me is musically rich and lyrically genius, exhibiting perhaps Stipe's first truly brilliant lyric, a trite and near-cynical take on the Gallic belief that the sky would fall on the heads of those below. However it is Mike Mills' stunningly gorgeous harmonies and brief vocal solo that make the song, thus affirming my belief that Mills is the most underrated and most valuable member of the band. He trades lines with Stipe in such perfect harmony that the final product is really something to behold. Cuyahoga, which follows, is nearly as fantastic, with Michael delivering a stark narrative regarding the Cuyahoga River, which in 1969 lit on fire due to the number of pollutants occupying it. Stipe's vocal is very on target; an example of how great a voice he possesses and how it would be utilized on forthcoming albums. However, neither of these songs can touch the sheer brilliance of the Scarborough Faire style dirge that is Swan Swan H, a song so hauntingly dark and beautiful that it manages to top all the undeniable classics present on the record. The droning strum of the twelve string signals the arrival of a spindly sounding riff as Stipe descends into stream of consciousness style lyrics atop an off-kilter melody. The effect is breathtaking yet gentle, and easily one of my top five R.E.M. songs if not my absolute favorite.

Honestly, there's not a lot more to say about Lifes Rich Pageant. Just get it, and you'll like it. It's one of the more likeable R.E.M. records, especially after the difficult Fables. And so ends R.E.M.'s string of four perfect albums in a row. To say it's all downhill from here would not exactly be fair, but needless to say, these first four LPs are amazing.

Key Tracks (Click to Download): "Fall on Me", "I Believe", "Swan Swan H"

10/10

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