Music Banter - View Single Post - There's More to Life Than Music You Know. But Not Much More.

Badlittlekitten · 01-14-2011, 01:02 PM

Hello all. Welcome to my journal thingie. I apologise for the pathetic title (a twist on a Smiths lyric). I wanted to call it Talk About The Passion but that's already been used (dam him/her!). This is good for me, as I find writing about music quite therapeutic, plus it's nice to do something more proactive with all this music I surround myself with. Occasionally you might find me ranting and rambling about something. In this case just bear with me!

Aaaaaaaanyway . . . lets look at an album.

Album Review

R.E.M. - Green
Warner Bros, 1988

Best tracks; 'Stand', 'You Are The Everything', 'Orange Crush', 'Get Up', 'The Wrong Child'.

For no rational reason I can think of, I stuck this on the other night and was surprised to find that it was hitting all the senses that only a new record you haven't heard before usually does. I'm a huge R.E.M. fan. Have been for donkeys. But I only really listen to their jangly, Byrd's inspired, folk - punk early stuff. What I have discovered is that this is the only R.E.M album that sees me repeatedly grinning like a buffoon, be it the beguiling beauty of' 'You are Everything' or the musical jokes played on 'Stand' (cheesy fairground organ intro, impromptu slap bass- BAMM! "stand in the place where you are", cue Beach Boys pastiche harmonies, wah-wah wanky solo... key change!).

Fully shaking off their cult college rock days and confident in their non ambiguous, non mumbley direction, also with a nice new major label deal, this is the sound of a band having fun, before they grew too wise and too stinking rich. On 'Orange Crush' and 'Turn You Inside Out' they rock out in their restrained trad way, but it's alright cos the chorus to 'Orange Crush'- which is a song about the herbicide, Agent Orange, used in the Vietnam war- is immense. It's only singer Micheal Stipe yelling something nonsensical into a megaphone, and bassist Mike Mills going "Oooooo", but it's powerful; partly because of the killer rhythm sections backbone, partly because Stipe sounds so full of irritation, and mainly because of the androgynous beauty of Mill's voice. 'Pop song 89' is a goofy throwaway that wears it name on its sleeve. 'Get Up' thwacks you from under the duvet with its chugging verses, giddy harmonies and a solo played on music boxes.

The more serious moments pack a hefty punch. 'World Leader Pretend' is ripe with images of weaponry and conflict, and the opening line, "I sit at this table and wage war on myself, it seems like its all . . . its all for nothing", hits me hardest, as Stipe goes to battle with his very being. The song is sung in a sombre, almost intimidating tone that I've never heard in any other R.E.M song. The band seemed to acknowledge the relevance of the words as it was the only song lyrics they printed on sleeve until 1998s 'Up'.

For years Stipe was used to mumbling 'enigmatic' stuff into his fringe, but his burgeoning confidence as a vocalist and lyricist is obvious, especially on 'You Are Everything', where he finds comfort in the mundane with lines like "here's a scene, your in the back seat laying down, the windows wrap around to the sound of the travel and the engine". In the background, crickets chirp and an accordion drifts lazily on the breeze. The second verse is even better,"'I think about this world a lot and i cry and I've seen the films and the eyes, and I'm in this kitchen, everything is beautiful and she is so beautiful". When he does go cryptic, on 'Hairshirt', his vocals carry the emotional weight. Only Stipe can sing guff like "and i can hang my hair shirt away up high in the attic of the wrong dogs like chest" and produce a wee lump in my throat.

And I haven't even mentioned the mandolins! A couple of these tracks have dated poorly, but Peter Buck's chords and beatific plucking on 'The Wrong Child', the aforementioned 'Hairshirt' and 'You are the Everything' is stunning, lending some of this album a timeless quality.

After this R.E.M embarked on a big stadium tour - the natural conclusion to this record, and took an unprecedented (for them) two years break before recording their next album. In that time they lost some of their hunger and never quite regained their verve. But If your curious about this once great band, this is probably the album I'd recommend; it's more accessible than their early 80s stuff, and less of a sedative than their later records. Yeah, save yourself some energy. Choose to go Green.

8/10

Might have to rock out these dance moves next time I'm in town.

01-14-2011, 01:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
Badlittlekitten And then there was music Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Near Wild Heaven Posts: 287	There's More to Life Than Music You Know. But Not Much More. Hello all. Welcome to my journal thingie. I apologise for the pathetic title (a twist on a Smiths lyric). I wanted to call it Talk About The Passion but that's already been used (dam him/her!). This is good for me, as I find writing about music quite therapeutic, plus it's nice to do something more proactive with all this music I surround myself with. Occasionally you might find me ranting and rambling about something. In this case just bear with me! Aaaaaaaanyway . . . lets look at an album. Album Review R.E.M. - Green Warner Bros, 1988 Best tracks; 'Stand', 'You Are The Everything', 'Orange Crush', 'Get Up', 'The Wrong Child'. For no rational reason I can think of, I stuck this on the other night and was surprised to find that it was hitting all the senses that only a new record you haven't heard before usually does. I'm a huge R.E.M. fan. Have been for donkeys. But I only really listen to their jangly, Byrd's inspired, folk - punk early stuff. What I have discovered is that this is the only R.E.M album that sees me repeatedly grinning like a buffoon, be it the beguiling beauty of' 'You are Everything' or the musical jokes played on 'Stand' (cheesy fairground organ intro, impromptu slap bass- BAMM! "stand in the place where you are", cue Beach Boys pastiche harmonies, wah-wah wanky solo... key change!). Fully shaking off their cult college rock days and confident in their non ambiguous, non mumbley direction, also with a nice new major label deal, this is the sound of a band having fun, before they grew too wise and too stinking rich. On 'Orange Crush' and 'Turn You Inside Out' they rock out in their restrained trad way, but it's alright cos the chorus to 'Orange Crush'- which is a song about the herbicide, Agent Orange, used in the Vietnam war- is immense. It's only singer Micheal Stipe yelling something nonsensical into a megaphone, and bassist Mike Mills going "Oooooo", but it's powerful; partly because of the killer rhythm sections backbone, partly because Stipe sounds so full of irritation, and mainly because of the androgynous beauty of Mill's voice. 'Pop song 89' is a goofy throwaway that wears it name on its sleeve. 'Get Up' thwacks you from under the duvet with its chugging verses, giddy harmonies and a solo played on music boxes. The more serious moments pack a hefty punch. 'World Leader Pretend' is ripe with images of weaponry and conflict, and the opening line, "I sit at this table and wage war on myself, it seems like its all . . . its all for nothing", hits me hardest, as Stipe goes to battle with his very being. The song is sung in a sombre, almost intimidating tone that I've never heard in any other R.E.M song. The band seemed to acknowledge the relevance of the words as it was the only song lyrics they printed on sleeve until 1998s 'Up'. For years Stipe was used to mumbling 'enigmatic' stuff into his fringe, but his burgeoning confidence as a vocalist and lyricist is obvious, especially on 'You Are Everything', where he finds comfort in the mundane with lines like "here's a scene, your in the back seat laying down, the windows wrap around to the sound of the travel and the engine". In the background, crickets chirp and an accordion drifts lazily on the breeze. The second verse is even better,"'I think about this world a lot and i cry and I've seen the films and the eyes, and I'm in this kitchen, everything is beautiful and she is so beautiful". When he does go cryptic, on 'Hairshirt', his vocals carry the emotional weight. Only Stipe can sing guff like "and i can hang my hair shirt away up high in the attic of the wrong dogs like chest" and produce a wee lump in my throat. And I haven't even mentioned the mandolins! A couple of these tracks have dated poorly, but Peter Buck's chords and beatific plucking on 'The Wrong Child', the aforementioned 'Hairshirt' and 'You are the Everything' is stunning, lending some of this album a timeless quality. After this R.E.M embarked on a big stadium tour - the natural conclusion to this record, and took an unprecedented (for them) two years break before recording their next album. In that time they lost some of their hunger and never quite regained their verve. But If your curious about this once great band, this is probably the album I'd recommend; it's more accessible than their early 80s stuff, and less of a sedative than their later records. Yeah, save yourself some energy. Choose to go Green. 8/10 Might have to rock out these dance moves next time I'm in town. __________________ 'Said do you feel it? Do you feel it when you TOUCH ME?. THERE'S A FIRE! THERE'S A FIRE!' The Stooges. Dirt. https://soundcloud.com/bad-little-kittens My Top 100 LPs My Top 52 Indie Tracks Of The 21st Century (incomplete)