No consensus exists about which album was the most appropriate swan song, fortunately.
probably because they never really made a "perfect" album besides Murmur
― Mr. Que, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 21:49 (thirteen years ago) link
I was never a huge fan, liked some stuff, bored by other stuff (especially after they signed to Warners,) but I found this complete concert from 1982; a great trip down memory lane:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPE-l-tfN0I
― Prostetnic Vogon Limbaugh (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 21:50 (thirteen years ago) link
Their epic peak!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQbAizfsvrQ
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 21:54 (thirteen years ago) link
I'm still hoping dlp can explain why R.E.M. was such a destructive force. I mean, linking to a relatively praising obit for the band doesn't really help.
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 21:57 (thirteen years ago) link
A good obit.
― Anakin Ska Walker (AKA Skarth Vader) (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 21:58 (thirteen years ago) link
When Green was printed with the number "4" in the tracklisting replaced by "R," they rolled with it.
I thought the whole idea was that the 'R' on the cover had a transparent '4' printed over it and so therefore the '4' on the disc etc.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:00 (thirteen years ago) link
singing 'midnight blue' at the rem memorial karaoke tonight, might do 'harborcoat' also.
― balls, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:02 (thirteen years ago) link
I just find the unvarying sound of those 80s albums - clean electric guitar/bass/drums/vocals + occasionally backing vocals - with no overdubs or other instruments ever just really fucking boring
Uh this is not even accurate regarding Murmur let alone any of the other records. I mean you quite literally are 100% wrong.
― Woolen Scjarfs (Phil D.), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:22 (thirteen years ago) link
Cripes, by Fables they're using horns and string quartets and everything. By Green they're already starting with the mandolins, and p sure the SMASH HIT Stand has a damned farfisa on it If you're gonna troll, troll harder.
― Woolen Scjarfs (Phil D.), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:27 (thirteen years ago) link
"occasionally backing vocals"
Yeah, like, on every occasion!
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:27 (thirteen years ago) link
and the worst backing vocalist in the history of rock too. that's nothing to sneeze at.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:29 (thirteen years ago) link
Yeah, man. All that singing.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:30 (thirteen years ago) link
What depressed me was the run of uninspired, redundant albums of the last thirteen years.
Most R.E.M. albums from the past thirteen years are better than what they did in the mid 90s. "Monster" was horrible and "New Adventures In Hi-Fi" was not much better. It was sort of a relief when they did "Up" and "Reveal", realising they were never meant to be a rock band.
― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:30 (thirteen years ago) link
Mills or Berry? Either way you're wrong, but I'm just curious.
― Woolen Scjarfs (Phil D.), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:32 (thirteen years ago) link
xpost I like the idea of that, those albums being the sound of a group realizing they were never meant to rock.
― da croupier, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:32 (thirteen years ago) link
"Automatic For The People" was perfect. And also the one R.E.M. album that always performs best at surveys of the best 100 albums ever made. Sure, if you don't like acoustic 12 string guitars, mandolins, accordions and strings, it may not be your cup of tea. But it is generally considered to be their best (well, maybe besides "Murmur").
― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:33 (thirteen years ago) link
A group realizing they were never meant to rock, as middle aged men, which is why they should have broken up before they recorded them. They should have just released the occasional awesome single. Hell, most bands should do this.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:34 (thirteen years ago) link
the twerpy dude who played bass. his voice. ugh. makes yoko sound like mario lanza. as far as backing vocalists go.
x-post
― scott seward, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:35 (thirteen years ago) link
"Murmur" is almost like an accidental masterpiece, the honor accorded after the fact. "Automatic" showed the band could do it on purpose.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:35 (thirteen years ago) link
perfect albums feh
― Anakin Ska Walker (AKA Skarth Vader) (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:35 (thirteen years ago) link
itt people who are deaf
― Woolen Scjarfs (Phil D.), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:36 (thirteen years ago) link
A group realizing they were never meant to rock, as middle aged men, which is why they should have broken up before they recorded them.
They weren't a rock band to begin with either. Those first two albums were jangle pop. They tried rocking on "Document", some liked that, I did not. Otherwise, they have done best when they were more mellow.
― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:36 (thirteen years ago) link
All complains about horrible backing vocals are very much OTM though.
― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:37 (thirteen years ago) link
complaints even.
i liked begin the begin! that's a good song. john cougar stipe.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:37 (thirteen years ago) link
Mike Mills was certainly a terrible dresser.
― Euler, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:38 (thirteen years ago) link
i mean its a good rock song. not many jangly bands went for a drum sound like that back then. they should have though.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:38 (thirteen years ago) link
rem twerp is the sister twerp to u2's doofus bass player. they both dressed in the dark.
― scott seward, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:39 (thirteen years ago) link
Aw, I really liked Mills' backing vocals.
I'm really weird though because Monster is one of their albums that holds up best for me. Probably my favourite of the major-label years, not that I've heard anything since Up.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:41 (thirteen years ago) link
Didn't even clue in as to why there were two or three R.E.M. threads near the top today--I just heard the news from Amerindie icon Wolf Blitzer! I stopped following them album by album very early, around #4 or #5, but the rest of the way they'd regularly catch me by surprise with a song I really liked (enough so that they topped one of my year-ends with "Man on the Moon," and again came close with "The Great Beyond"). Even when I'd find a cheap CD from the 2000s, there'd be one or two good ones. I was lucky enough to see them in a club their first time through Toronto, July 9, '83, $10.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:56 (thirteen years ago) link
Just downloaded LRP. I haven't listened to this in ages. My cassette is at my parents'. Sounds pretty great.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:57 (thirteen years ago) link
I hated everything from Lifes Rich Pageant onward, so fuck these guys for not staying together so I can keep pointing and laffing at them.
― Antonio Carlos Broheem (WmC), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 22:58 (thirteen years ago) link
Not even Automatic for the People?
― clemenza, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 23:00 (thirteen years ago) link
more like fartomatic for poophole
― Antonio Carlos Broheem (WmC), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 23:06 (thirteen years ago) link
R.I.P.
you were a good band most of the time
― the 500 gats of bartholomew thuggins (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 23:06 (thirteen years ago) link
...in the '80s.
― strongo hulkington's ghost dad, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 23:08 (thirteen years ago) link
Uh this is not even accurate regarding Murmur let alone any of the other records
yr right I forgot that one song on Murmur with the piano. how exciting
― I saw Mike Love walk by a computer once (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 23:31 (thirteen years ago) link
christ in hindsight that jokey NYE 99 split would have been amazing
In reality, the '03 best of would have been a good way to do it. Seen a couple of great shows in Brixton Academy in support, like it was 1987 or something
RIP Berry Buck Mills Stipe
― Master of Treacle, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 23:36 (thirteen years ago) link
I just find the unvarying sound of those 60s John Coltrane albums - tenor saxophone/bass/drums/piano - with no overdubs or other instruments ever just really fucking boring
― shake it, shake it, sugary pee (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 23:45 (thirteen years ago) link
Looking forward to post-band endeavours, though. Peter Buck mezcal, Michael Stipe publishing house... Mike Mills Navajo jumpsuits
― fear itself (Ówen P.), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 23:45 (thirteen years ago) link
any Michael Stipe solo 'project' is going to be the worst thing mankind's produced
never mind the fucking 'guest appearances'
― Master of Treacle, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 23:48 (thirteen years ago) link
LOOOOOOOL at comparing any of the guys in REM to Coltrane's classic quartet
rock and jazz, the same thing!
― I saw Mike Love walk by a computer once (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 23:50 (thirteen years ago) link
Didn't make any such comparison between the two groups, just pointing out the silliness of singling out instrumentation in and of itself as the source of a band's successes or failures.
― shake it, shake it, sugary pee (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 23:54 (thirteen years ago) link
Always liked them! Always! Every album had something that pulled me in, something that moved me.
RIP!
― timellison, Thursday, 22 September 2011 00:08 (thirteen years ago) link
mike mills/adam clayton should form a band: sister doofus twerp.
― Daniel, Esq., Thursday, 22 September 2011 00:13 (thirteen years ago) link
X-Post Even "Around The Sun"? :)
(Well, OK, "Leaving New York" was a great song)
― Hongroe (Geir Hongro), Thursday, 22 September 2011 00:14 (thirteen years ago) link
Squaring off the two behemoths of '80s mushheadedness, I'd take R.E.M. a thousand times over U2.
― clemenza, Thursday, 22 September 2011 00:16 (thirteen years ago) link
Yes, I quite like Around the Sun. On the whole, I think it and the most recent one are my two favorite post-Bill Berry albums.
― timellison, Thursday, 22 September 2011 00:23 (thirteen years ago) link
Any excuse to watch this is a good one. (Tho it's from '83 not '85.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmWW8pZS7ys
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Thursday, 22 September 2011 00:27 (thirteen years ago) link
Murmur is, i think, one of the better rock albums of the 80s. love it so, so much.
also, New Adventures in Hi-Fi is my personal cut-off line. "New Test Leper" and "E-Bow the Letter" are rather good, especially the production on the former.
― Sophomore subs are the new Smith lesbians. (the table is the table), Thursday, 22 September 2011 00:34 (thirteen years ago) link