Talk About the Passion - R.E.M.'s Discography Reviewed
 

Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck and Bill Berry, four young ambitious musicians not content with small town life came Athens, Georgia, a small community that would soon become famous as the college music capitol of the United States. There they found each other and formed a band which, after several name changes, would come to be known as R.E.M.

Fourteen studio albums and millions of record sales later, the band remains a powerful force in music, constantly evolving musically and lyrically and selling out shows in the process. Such success stories are the stuff of legends, and as one of the most critically respected and adored bands of the past thirty years, R.E.M. have effectively solidified their legendary status. In short, R.E.M. are perhaps the single group that has influenced me most musically, changing my life in the process.

In this thread I will review all of R.E.M.'s studio albums, plus an array of live albums, b-sides compilations and greatest hits selections. Each review will have a selection of three key tracks from the album that you can download at will. A "Next Step" feature will also be implemented. For each studio album I review, the "Next Step" album will be an album to look into after listening to the reviewed album, which you may be interested in if you liked the reviewed album. Feel free to send me a private message if you ever want anything, and thanks for reading!

Studio albums:

IRS Records (1982-1987)

Chronic Town (EP - 1982) - 9
Murmur (1983 - Reissued 2008) - 10, 8.5
Reckoning (1984 - Reissued 2009) - 10, 8
Fables of the Reconstruction (1985) - 10
Lifes Rich Pageant (1986) - 10
Document (1987) - 7

*Rick's Essential R.E.M. Volume 1: The I.R.S. Years*

Warner Brothers Records (1988-Present)

Green (1988) - 7.5
Out of Time (1991) - 7
Automatic for the People (1992) - 10
Monster (1995)
New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996)
Up (1998)
Reveal (2001)
Around the Sun (2004)
Accelerate (2008)

Live Albums:

Tourfilm (1990) - 9
Blue (MTV Unplugged) (Unauthorized - 1991) - 7.5
R.E.M. Live (2007)
R.E.M. Live at the Olympia (2009)

Compilations:

Dead Letter Office (1987) - 5
Eponymous (1988) - 8.5
R.E.M.: In the Attic – Alternative Recordings 1985–1989 (1997)
In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 (2003)
Itunes Originals - R.E.M. (2004)
And I Feel Fine...: The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 (2006)


Note: Compilations will be reviewed song by song, whereas studio albums will be reviewed as a whole, taking cohesiveness into account.

Other Albums:

Man on the Moon OST (1999)
r.e.m.IX (2002)


Rating System:

10 - Mindblowing/Flawless. A cornerstone of any record collection.
9 - Classic/Essential. A nearly perfect album. Finding flaws will be very difficult.
8 - Exceptional/Great. A very good album worth multiple listens.
7 - Good. A valiant effort, flawed but ultimately worth it
6 - Decent/Above Average. Verging on mediocre, or a musical experiment gone wrong.
5 - Average/Mediocre. Fans of the band may find worthwhile parts, others may be disappointed.
4 - Poor. Verging on bad, not worth paying money for.
3 - Bad. Not worth downloading
2 - Awful. Not worth considering downloading.
1 - Bane of my existence. Should you be in the presence of a record with this score, destroy it.

Excited for this, I've been meaning to complete my R.E.M. collection. Can't wait for the reviews:thumb:

Just gotta finish listening to Suf's Seven Swans and then I'll spin a little Chronic Town and see where it goes. Thanks for the support!

Alright let's get this started shall we?


When R.E.M.'s first single was released on Hib-Tone records in 1981 it became a local hit, garnering them interest from I.R.S. records, a small record label. The single, called "Radio Free Europe" reached great success in the burgeoning college radio community, prompting R.E.M. to record a five-song EP. This EP would come to be known as Chronic Town, and was released the following year on I.R.S. Records, with whom R.E.M. would work until 1988's "Green."

Chronic Town begins with a quick arpeggiated guitar riff courtesy of Peter Buck, who would become known for his jangly style. This riff immediately grabs the attention of the listener, who is swept in by it's cyclical feel and its catchiness. The song, called "Wolves, Lower", progresses into a vocally unintelligible yet straightforward pop song, and serves as a model for the rest of the EP. For all of Michael Stipe's poetic lyricism and Peter Buck's spindly Rickenbacker guitar work, this is simply a collection of five near perfect pop songs and little more. From the hit-single-that-never-was "Gardening at Night", to the stunning "Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)", Chronic Town is, at its heart, a pop album. However despite the very young age of the band members at the time, the EP never fails to come off as mature and well developed, thanks in large part to the fantastic rhythm section that is Mike Mills and Bill Berry.

Honestly, this EP could not have been more promising. With the stellar single Radio Free Europe and the Chronic Town EP at its back, R.E.M. was on the road to becoming a fantastically quirky alternative pop band. However, with their next record and the many subsequent releases, they would prove to be much more than that.

Key Tracks (Click to Download): "Wolves, Lower"; "Gardening at Night"; "Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)"

No way dude, I was just listening to that for the first time earlier today (Seven Swans). What'd you think? I can see the merit in it, I sense it's a grower! :thumb:

Sorry for off-topic, I love R.E.M. too but am lacking in their material. Will be keeping an eye on this thread for sure.

Oh how I love that album... I love it so much. Oh god I could listen to Seven Swans all day. It's a toss up between that and Illinois really; they're both so great.

That's getting a spin from me tomorrow... or maybe tonight if I'm really bored. Greetings from Michigan was great too.

You finally got started with this, I've been needing a R.E.M review thread like this for months.
Keep'em coming :thumb:

Fantastic! R.E.M. is one of my favorites.

Rickenbacker: This may be a bit much of a request, but would you be down with making a compilation album of there discography. Basically picking 12-15 tracks from there studio, live, bootleg, or whatever sources you may have?

I have been trying to get into REM lately and so far its been just a jumbled mess.

I'm excited! Obviously I have their entire collection already (including books and DVD's) but I'm looking forward to other people's opinions. Thanks Rickenbacker!

I was actually planning on making two compilations; one of their IRS years stuff and another of their Warner Brothers stuff. Is that cool? The two halves are very different so I think this would be the best way to understand them. Also, you can download the "key tracks" by clicking them.

Just a minor quibble but none of the members of REM were born or raised in Athens, all of them grew up elsewhere and moved to Athens in their late teens/early twenties.

You're right, had something else written and forgot to change the rest. Will fix. Thanks for the tip

wuuuuuuuu thanks!

Well here it is. R.E.M.'s debut full length record was released in 1983, shocking fans and critics with its masterful blending of Feelies jangle-pop and haunting lyricism delivered in Michael Stipe's austere mumble. For many, the buck stops here for R.E.M. With iconic songs like "Talk About the Passion" and "Radio Free Europe", Murmur is widely seen as the crowning achievement of the band and among the greatest and most significant debuts in music.

Mixed so that no instrument would stand out, Murmur may not reveal its excellence upon first listen. While the album certainly has its share of on-target and upbeat college pop songs a la Chronic Town, such as the undeniably catchy and equally indecipherable "Catapult" and the single "Radio Free Europe", which was re-recorded for the album at the request of I.R.S. records, Murmur's genius lies in the tracks in which the band steps back and sets their angst aside.

"Take a turn, Take our fortune"

Such is the opening line of "Pilgrimage", expertly delivered by a distant sounding Mike Mills, bassist and backing vocalist for the band. With this cryptic line, the song descends into a plodding bass-led masterpiece about none other than a two-headed cow. "Speaking in tongues/ it's worth a broken lip", Stipe sings. Perhaps there is a grain of truth to this statement. Murmur's lyrics may be nonsense when read aloud, but in the context of the album they fit perfectly. Unlike any other album up to that point, Murmur managed to be vocally overwhelming based not on the talent of the vocalist, but on the mystical nature of the lyrics. As such, Michael Stipe is a brilliant lyricist. Not in the conventional sense of course, but rather in his sheer ability to make a piece like "Pilgrimage" make some sense.

Murmur's diversity is exemplified in its experimentalism. Sure, Pilgrimage is wild for its mysticism, but even stranger still is the incredibly beautiful "Perfect Circle". It is easy to dismiss "Perfect Circle" as a simple slow ballad, but it is so much more than that. I may go far as to say that it's my favorite R.E.M. song, if only for it's stunning ability to convey so much with so little. Again, it's not hard to dismiss the song, but it's really one of the best out there. As with any good song, when given repeated listens, one notices certain aspects that you never realized before. The song begins with a hypnotic and accessible, yet strangely different sounding keyboard which is played throughout. Second, that chorus is absolutely gorgeous. "Standing two soon, shoulders high in the room"? That might be the most gorgeous line Stipe has sung even if only for it's delivery. Thirdly, the guitar comes in towards the end and the sound is incredible. Peter might be using an E-bow here. Not totally sure, but the effect is ethereal. Also, by the middle, the drum mix switches from left to right in this really cool way. Not sure how else to describe it. Anyway, it's a beautiful song, but much more than just that. That's what I really love about R.E.M.; their ability to create something beautiful that isn't... just another beautiful thing. Amazing.

All of this of course is not to dismiss the quality pop songs present on Murmur. "Shaking Through", "Catapult" and the stellar album closer "West of the Fields" are all highlights, and I still maintain that the single "Talk About the Passion" is the best pop song ever made. The string arrangement is fantastic, and the song is one of the few examples under I.R.S. Records that Michael's lyrics are (nearly) conventionally beautiful and his delivery clean and intelligible.

"Not everyone can carry the weight of the world"

That's a great lyric. And this is a great record. But what did you expect? It's Murmur! And it is every bit as great as it is hyped to be.

Key Tracks (Click to Download): "Pilgrimage", "Talk About the Passion", "Perfect Circle"

:( no responses to the Murmur review... oh well. Up next:


2008 marked the 25th anniversary of Murmur, R.E.M.'s landmark debut LP, and thankfully for R.E.M. enthusiasts, I.R.S. Records was happy to reissue it. The 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of Murmur includes the original album completely remastered, as well as a bonus disc containing a previously unreleased live show at Larry's Hide-Away in Toronto from 1983, prior to Murmur's release. The track listing is as follows.

1. Laughing
2. Pilgrimage
3. There She Goes Again
4. Seven Chinese Brothers
5. Talk About the Passion
6. Sitting Still
7. Harborcoat
8. Catapult
9. Gardening at Night
10. 9-9
11. Just a Touch
12. West of the Fields
13. Radio Free Europe
14. We Walk
15. 1,000,000
16. Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)

Overall, the live set is excellent. This show finds the band in a place where they don't feel they have to play any hits... because they didn't have any hits! The big problem with R.E.M.'s later, more orthodox live album "R.E.M. Live" is that it casts the band as a big successful rock band. Sure, the sound quality on R.E.M. Live is great, and the songs as good as they were in the studio, but somehow it doesn't feel "real". Live shows, even recorded ones, should feel "real", and this set is very, very real. Stipe, who at the time was known for his shyness, manages to engage the audience between songs as they shout out requests for obscure b-sides and the like. The audience here loves the band, and Stipe even comes out of his shell after some time to tartly respond "No, no, no, no, no!" after powering through a blistering "Radio Free Europe" when a group of people asks them to play "Shaking Through", an underrated Murmur classic. The Murmur songs sound incredible, as does the cover of the Velvet Underground's "There She Goes Again", the b-side to the re-released version of "Radio Free Europe". But even better than the Murmur and Chronic Town songs are those from their forthcoming album Reckoning. The recordings of "Harborcoat" and "7 Chinese Bros." are so filled with energy that it feels like the band is there. And of course there is nothing less than a stellar performance by drummer Bill Berry throughout.

By the way, the best part is where one fan yells out "BOX CARS!" and another yells out even louder "BOOOOOX CAAAAAAAARS!!"

Pure class.

Key Tracks (Click to Download): "There She Goes Again", "Seven Chinese Brothers", "Harborcoat"

^That was the first CD I ever bought on my own. I like it a lot, but the best part was the original album that came with it.

Speaking of which it gets a 0/10 for price. Mine cost nearly 35 dollars! Come on, I.R.S.! Ain't fair!

When I was young, I listened to Reckoning. If someone were to ask me what music I liked, I wouldn't reply with the latest radio hit, or even that I listened to R.E.M. We all have those albums that we know so well; that we have listened to so many times that we can recite them in their entirety, note for note in our heads. For me, this was, and still is, this album.

I listened to Reckoning, and that was it. Pop songs would come and go, musical trends would rise and fall before my eyes, but Reckoning remained my musical rock for years through its sheer power to never age. Somewhat ironically however, Reckoning was not my gateway into good music, simply because I didn't see that there could be anything out there as good as it was (it would take a few years and one play through Automatic for the People before I realized that). Rather, Reckoning served as the album that I could fall back on whenever my musical faith was shaken. This was possible only because Reckoning is universal. Perhaps the most universal album ever. Now of course this doesn't mean that it appeals to everybody. However, I honestly believe that this album has something that, given enough time to reveal itself, everybody who listens to it will appreciate if not love. Now I understand how pretentious this may sound, but believe me I would never say this about any other album. To put it simply, if somebody asked me what music was, I would play them Reckoning.

So how did R.E.M. accomplish this? Conceptually, it is quite simple: Blend the experimental sound and thought provoking songwriting of Murmur with the pop sensibility of Chronic Town, Crazy Rhythms, and Loaded. Executing this would prove to be very risky however, considering how badly the idea could have gone. If the record leaned to much to either side it could have been a disaster. The solution, R.E.M. saw, was not to make a record full of "Talk About the Passion" rip-offs or to change their sound entirely, but rather to find balance and harmony between pop perfection and wild experimentalism. This is why Reckoning succeeds so much. If Chronic Town was a collection of five near perfect pop songs, then Reckoning is a collection of ten. But if Chronic Town ever suffered, it was because of the similarity in the sound of its songs. Reckoning's diversity gives it the edge, and saves it from ever aging or sounding dated.

The secret to Reckoning's sound is Peter Buck's guitar, which effortlessly offers trademark R.E.M. riffs song after song. Nearly every song on the record is built around killer Rickenbacker riff, which is aided by Berry's restrained yet powerful drumming. Mike Mills reveals himself for the first time to be not only a solid bassist, but an incredible backing vocalist and songwriter. Mills' harmonies on "Harborcoat", "Pretty Persuasion" and "Letter Never Sent" totally make the songs, and his contributions to the record as a songwriter are some of the best songs, most notably the countrified single "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville", written about the town of Rockville, Maryland. Of course Michael Stipe has a lot to contribute as well, delivering stunning vocals throughout and writing songs the quality of which he has only rarely met such as the gorgeous "Camera" and his self proclaimed favorite song of the I.R.S. years "Time After Time (AnnElise), a song which Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus would jokingly call his "least favorite song" on Reckoning.

When most bands who release a debut album as incredible as Murmur do so, following it can be critical suicide. R.E.M.'s underrated follow up is even better, and from a songwriting standpoint, may be their best record ever. While not my favorite of theirs, if there is one R.E.M. album to get it would be Reckoning.

Key Tracks (Click to Download): "Harborcoat", "So. Central Rain", "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville"

Great reviews so far. Looking forward to your review for Document as that is probably my favourite R.E.M album but it never hurts to listen back to their earlier stuff and Reckoning is damn good. Can't wait to read what you think about Monster too (I think it's a great album).

Thanks for the high praise Jack! I grew up with all these records constantly on rotation and it's remarkable how easy it is to review albums that have been such a large part of my life. Document should be up in a week or two depending on how much work I have this week so stay tuned!

I was browsing through vinyl at a Goodwill and found great condition copies of Reckoning and Lifes Rich Pageant. That was an amazing day.

I am interested in seeing how you review the Warner albums. I think there is a ton of underrated stuff beyond Automatic, which is usually where the debate starts.

This is probably going to get editors' choice eventually.

But I'm not sure how much I can trust your reviews if you just give every studio album a 10/10;)

i've seen this journal pop up every once in a while but kinda neglected to give it a look. i just read all your reviews...good stuff. having never actually listened to REM's earliest work, i read your review and then checked out the album. your descriptions are spot on.

Agreed wholeheartedly.

Well... not every album.

That is so refreshing and satisfying to hear Duga! After all, I am writing this as a way of getting people into the band, so when I hear that I'm succeeding you can imagine how great that feels. Not sure if you're talking about Chronic Town, Murmur, or Reckoning, but all three records are really great. Whichever one you picked up I'm really glad you did!


Thanks for the high praise everyone. It means a lot, really.

^

i checked out all the albums you have reviewed so far. what can i say...i was bored today and my brother had all of them. just never took the time to listen...which i can now say was a mistake.

i'm actually going to try to hold off listening to the others and listen to them as you review them. makes it interesting.

looking forward to the next one!

Thanks for the great review of the live disc from the deluxe edition of Murmur. I love the early live shows, and especially since this one was recorded in Toronto. Larry's Hideaway and the building it was in are long gone though, sadly, but in it's day it was a great place for U of T students to visit.

Does anybody know if there was a recording done of a show they played at Barrymore's in Ottawa, Ontario around the same time as the Toronto show, in 1983? Just wondering.

http://www.svs.com/zim/boots/myboots.txt


This guy a show there from 85, but obtaining it will be a mess.


By the way, the Reckoning Deluxe Edition live show review will be up within the next few days if not tomorrow. Thanks again for reading!

As Reckoning was released the year following the release of Murmur, the 25th anniversary of its release took place in 2009, the year after Murmur's. In a similar way to Murmur, Reckoning was reissued completely remastered with a bonus disc containing a recording of previously unreleased live show, this time from Chicago's Aragon Ballroom on July 7, 1984. The track listing is as follows

1. Femme Fatale
2. Radio Free Europe
3. Gardening at Night
4. 9-9
5. Windout
6. Letter Never Sent
7. Sitting Still
8. Driver 8
9. So. Central Rain
10. 7 Chinese Bros.
11. Harborcoat
12. Hyena
13. Pretty Persuasion
14. Little America
15. Second Guessing
16. (Don't Go Back To) Rockville

This set is noticeably different than the show packaged with Murmur. I don't mean that there are minor changes in arrangement or lyrics, or even that the atmosphere feels different or anything. Rather, the Reckoning show brings something to light that the uninitiated may find very surprising. This live set is total, high energy, balls to the wall PUNK.

Henry Rollins said once that in the early 80s Black Flag would tour with R.E.M., with the former playing a venue one night and the latter playing it the next. Occasionally people would get the shows mixed up, and would go in expecting to see R.E.M. and being scared out of their minds, or go in expecting to see Black Flag and... needless to say not necessarily appreciating the sombre tones and introspective lyrics of Michael Stipe. This set makes me wonder if that story is true at all.

Not that it doesn't surprise me either, of course. After the show opens with an incredible intimate cover of the Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale", a down tempo Nico-sung classic from their debut record, I certainly didn't expect the band to launch into the most raucous and raw sounding version of "Radio Free Europe" I have heard to date, not to mention following it with seven or eight equally raw and stripped down versions of what would soon be known as early R.E.M. classics. The version of Windout here is the most hectic and unexpectedly brash performance I have heard the band put to record to date, in the studio or otherwise. Sure, it's not that great a song (the studio version was recorded in the Reckoning sessions for the "Bachelor Party" soundtrack) but the sheer energy makes up for it. Adding to this badassery is the addition of two new songs which would later appear on Fables of the Reconstruction and Lifes Rich Pageant, respectively. I've always believed that the riff to "Driver 8" is one of the best ever, and the second it comes in my hairs stand on end. Later on, the listener is surprised by the addition of "Hyena", the arrangement of which is perfectly suited for the live show. It's stripped down, but through Mike Mills' invaluable harmonies it retains its beauty that would be found on the studio recording two years later. Some other songs are changed entirely to make up for the faster tempo adapted for this show as well. So. Central Rain's riff descends into murky chords within thirty seconds simply because Peter can't keep up with the speed. On So. Central Rain this doesn't affect the performance in a negative manner, but some songs suffer for the same reason, notably 9-9 and Sitting Still. Nevertheless, seeing the band in this light is definitely a unique experience, and not one to forget.

Of course, ever the artists, the band still needed to retain a sense of fragility and tranquility. The band comes back for an encore of "Second Guessing" and "(Don't Go Back to) Rockville", the former of which, despite being led by a blistering back beat from Bill Berry, is transformed into a beautiful vocal duet between Michael Stipe and Mike Mills, who trade verses throughout. The affect is transfixing, and I only wish that it had been utilized on the album version. "Rockville" is changed to, trading in the piano flourishes for an arpeggiated guitar sound in tune with the original recording but fitting into the setting of the show.

Overall, the great thing about this show is that it shows how in a year the band has matured not to the point where their performances become almost robotically good (R.E.M. Live, I'm looking at you), but to a point where they are comfortable trying different things. I admire that, but as with any experimentation there are bound to be inconsistencies. This show has its faults, but is well worth it in the end.

Key Tracks (Click to Download): "Windout", "Hyena", "Second Guessing"


Wow, I had a lot to say about that one. Sorry, couldn't find any youtube videos of anything from this show. I might take the time to upload one later.

Great review of Reckoning. I have also tried looking for some live footage from those early shows but to no avail...

Thanks, Burning Down. As I said, it's really fulfilling to review an album that's been such a big part of my life and childhood. More reviews on the way; Fables is next!

You're welcome! Keep it coming, I'm looking forward to the rest of them!

I realized something as I listened to this record, R.E.M.'s third full length release, earlier today. It occurred to me as I am reminded right now, that I have been unsuccessfully trying to review this album my whole life. Ever had one of those albums that scared you as a kid?

Fables scared me.

Fables is the kind of album that gives you nightmares for the longest time...

...Makes you wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night; the harsh, dissonant question-mark guitar riff of Feeling Gravity's Pull ringing in your ears. Fables will play out in your mind over and over again not because it's catchy or clever or interesting at all but rather because it is the kind of record the likes of which you have never heard and will never hear again. The Fables induction period feels like being sick and thinking that you might not even make it out. This record may sound terrible on the first listen. It may sound terrible on the 100th listen. But there will come a time, maybe tomorrow, maybe ten years from now when notice how beautiful the vocal delivery on the bridge of "Feeling Gravity's Pull" is. And then you'll realize for the first time how lush the instrumentation is throughout. Those horns on "Can't Get There From Here" sound incredible! Maybe later you'll look deeper into the record to find that the lyrics to "Wendell Gee" are some of the saddest ever, without any of the sentimentality that stereotypical "sad songs" are so ripe with. You may realize after some persistence that Life and How to Live It is one of the best songs ever. Perhaps most clear is how beautiful Michael Stipe's voice sounds throughout. His delivery on Kohoutek is perhaps better than any other R.E.M. song to date. That's a wonderful song too. Frankly, you will eventually find that every one of these songs is a classic, or at least should be. You will appreciate Fables of the Reconstruction for what it most certainly is, that is to say, one of the absolute best albums ever. I kid you not; it took me that long to realize the genius of this record.

When this great cosmic reversal of opinion occurs, and it always occurs, you may find yourself wondering how in the world this is the least regarded album of the I.R.S. Years. Fables is an incredibly dense and opaque album, nearly impenetrable and inescapably brooding. The reason that even the most hardcore R.E.M. fans don't jump for joy proclaiming Fables as their crowning achievement is that nobody sticks around long enough. Growing up with an album like this in constant rotation makes you think, and after enough thinking this album suddenly works. And by god if it worked for me it will work for you.

My favorite record ever is the Feelies' "The Good Earth", produced by R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck and released one year after Fables of the Reconstruction. Though they never attained any mainstream popularity to speak of, the Feelies understood Fables and took it exactly one step further, blending into R.E.M.'s post-Civil War masterpiece images of wheat fields and pastures. Fans of the band may remember that R.E.M. themselves took much influence from the Feelies' debut, a record called "Crazy Rhythms", the sound of which R.E.M. adapted to produce Murmur. Call the Good Earth some sort of universal payback if you will, but it speaks volumes to R.E.M. that their record could have directly influenced something so incredible. And as such, Fables is incredible.

I'm afraid I can't go into detail further regarding how the album sounds; describing it with words simply wouldn't do it justice. Perhaps the only way it can be described is through its concept, an ingenious one at that, and easy to appreciate simply because it is so immediately interesting. The album is aptly named "Fables of the Reconstruction", as it is in its entirety a collection of songs that serve as modern retellings of Reconstruction-era American myths and stories. The back side (or front side, depending on how you look at it) of the Vinyl art says "Reconstruction of The", whereas the front says "Fables of the", implying that the album is better seen as a verbal cycle, "Fables of the Reconstruction" or "Reconstruction of the Fables". In this way, it is R.E.M.'s only album composed completely of narratives, a first for known abstract lyricist Michael Stipe. It is fascinating to see Stipe take on this challenge for the first time, and he turns out to be very good at it. However, staying true to his trademark style, the narratives are often lyrically muddy and near-indecipherable, and require many listens to fully understand.But even if the future looks bleak, keep listening to this record and it will pay off in the end.

By the way, if anybody ever does get this album to "click" with them, I'd really like to talk to them about it. You know, historical context, subliminal lyrical messages and connotations, sonic texture and the like. I've found this is one of the most fascinating records to discuss.

Key Tracks (Click to Download): "Feeling Gravity's Pull", "Life and How to Live It", "Wendell Gee"

Now, as you know, 2010 marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Fables, and I.R.S. plans to reissue it in a similar fashion to Murmur and Reckoning later in the year. I'll review that when it's released, but for now we'll move right along to 1986's Lifes Rich Pageant.

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

I agree with you 100% on Fables. It's an excellent album, and a genuine piece of art right down to the cover.

Lifes Rich Pageant, in my opinion, has been largely underrated. I think it kind of got swept away after the release of Document.

Fables is a really strong album. It took me a few listens to really sink into it. I agree that Lifes Rich Pageant is like a complete reversal. Some of the songs on the latter, while immediately catchy, didn't strike me as "great" for some reason though. Either way, both albums are brilliant.

I admit due to a lack of enthusiasm of others, some of their albums I have not gotten around to listen to. These being albums that come much later in their progression, but I always seem to find something to like about all of their albums that I have heard.

Thanks for the input both of you! Expect the review of Document up tomorrow. I've got a school dance that day and of course I would rather write some R.E.M. reviews.


I live a sad sad life :(

Nah, I don't know about your school dances but it's much more worthwhile staying home from mine than subjecting yourself to the shitty music, shitty dancing, and shitty everything.