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Originally posted by Sammo201:
The former I've always found keeps to a general pattern of when a great artist makes a 'once in a lifetime' record. An album where they put absolutely everything they have into an album leaving them searching for a new muse. For me, Automatic For The People was that record for them and inevitably saw a decline immediately post-it.

I thought they rebounded quite nicely with New Adventures in Hi-Fi, which I'd rank among REM's best work. I even like it better than Automatic. After that, however, I'd agree with you. Post-Bill Berry REM, for me, is quite lame.

I think Monster has it's moments, and it's a little better than most people give it credit for. I'd compare it to Out of Time, where the band was essentially trying to take their sound in a new direction, but pulled it off with mixed results. Like that album, I think Monster is about half good (I'd say "What's the Frequency, Kenneth", "Star 69", "Strange Currencies", and "Tongue" are all pretty great tracks). However, I don't think there's anything as cringeworthy as the Out of Time opener, "Radio Song".

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I think Monster has it's moments, and it's a little better than most people give it credit for. I'd compare it to Out of Time, where the band was essentially trying to take their sound in a new direction, but pulled it off with mixed results. Like that album, I think Monster is about half good (I'd say "What's the Frequency, Kenneth", "Star 69", "Strange Currencies", and "Tongue" are all pretty great tracks). However, I don't think there's anything as cringeworthy as the Out of Time opener, "Radio Song".

Yeah. Out Of Time is a good album to compare it to. High peaks and low troughs. I can't agree with New Adventures In Hi-Fi being better than Automatic For The People though. That record is so filled with emotional depth and reaches astounding levels of beauty. I personally rate Up as a more interesting whole than New Adventures.... I felt they really pulled it out the bag with that one.

quote:

Originally posted by Sammo201:
I can't agree with New Adventures In Hi-Fi being better than Automatic For The People though.

It's probably just me. I've never been as wowed by Automatic as most people. It's a good album, no doubt, but I don't consider it to be in the top tier of REM albums. It's one of their better Warner-era albums, but that's about all I can say.

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It's probably just me. I've never been as wowed by Automatic as most people. It's a good album, no doubt, but I don't consider it to be in the top tier of REM albums. It's one of their better Warner-era albums, but that's about all I can say.

Fair enough. I've always felt that album just sounded a little weary but no doubting its an excellent record.

There's a best-of the early years coming out soon. There will be a single-disc version, but the REM fan will want the two-disc set with rare tracks, live cuts, and unreleased stuff.

I'm really hoping they remaster and reissue all of the IRS records soon...

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Originally posted by philosopherEric:
There's a best-of the early years coming out soon. There will be a single-disc version, but the REM fan will want the two-disc set with rare tracks, live cuts, and unreleased stuff.

It's hard to imagine a better rarities collection than the pre-existing Dead Letter Office, but it would be nice to put together a better hits collection than Eponymous which, as best-of's go, was full of odd choices. No "Harbourcoat", "Begin the Begin", or "Superman"? A crappy remix of "Finest Worksong"? Only one track pulled from Life's Rich Pageant?

"Harbourcoat" didn't make it, but "Begin the Begin" is the lead track and "Superman" makes the bonus disc.

The bonus disc has some live and unreleased tracks, plus 'deep' cuts from the records as selected by the members. It also features the debut of the original version of "Bad Day" which appeared (in a new version) on the Warners best-of.

Track listing:

And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 (CD):

01 Begin the Begin
02 Radio Free Europe
03 Pretty Persuasion
04 Talk About the Passion
05 (Don't Go Back To) Rockville
06 Sitting Still
07 Gardening at Night
08 7 Chinese Bros.
09 So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)
10 Driver 8
11 Can't Get There from Here
12 Finest Worksong
13 Feeling Gravity's Pull
14 I Believe
15 Life and How to Live It
16 Cuyahoga
17 The One I Love
18 Welcome to the Occupation
19 Fall on Me
20 Perfect Circle
21 It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

And I Feel Fine... The Best Of The I.R.S. Years 1982-1987 (2-CD Collector's Edition):

01 Pilgrimage (Mike's pick)
02 These Days (Bill's pick)
03 Gardening at Night (slower electric demo; previously unreleased)
04 Radio Free Europe (hib-tone version)
05 Sitting Still (hib-tone version)
06 Life and How to Live It (live at the Muzik Centrum, Utrecht, Holland 9/14/87; previously unreleased)
07 Ages of You (live at the Paradise, Boston 7/13/83; previously unreleased)
08 We Walk (live at the Paradise, Boston 7/13/83; previously unreleased)
09 1,000,000 (live at the Paradise, Boston 7/13/83; previously unreleased)
10 Finest Worksong (other mix)
11 Hyena (demo; previously unreleased)
12 Theme from Two Steps Onward (previously unreleased)
13 Superman
14 All the Right Friends (previously unreleased)
15 Mystery to Me (demo; previously unreleased)
16 Just a Touch (live in-studio version; previously unreleased)
17 Bad Day (session outtake; previously unreleased)
18 King of Birds
19 Swan Swan H (live, acoustic from Athens, GA - Inside/Out)
20 Disturbance at the Heron House (Peter's pick)
21 Time After Time (annElise; Michael's pick)

I've been enjoying the recent double-disc retrospective of the IRS years, and I'm presently watching REM being inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, playing as a full four piece (with Bill Berry!) to mark the occasion. It made mde want to post something.

REM, along with the Replacements, were one of the first bands that I took as my own. There's a sense of magic, a sense of power, and the vague feel of the possibilities in those early tracks (and some of the later ones, too) that are hard to duplicate. Hearing gems like "Sitting Still" and "Begin the Begin" and "Seven Chinese Bros" harkens back to the golden days of college radio and the days when indie rock and alternative rock were the same thing.

Seeing REM get a room full of stodgy, overdressed Georgians (Governor Sonny Purdue looks like he doesn't even know who they are) on their feet for "Losing My Religion" and dedicating "Man on the Moon" to the late Texas Governor Ann Richards just makes me realize how much these guys have meant to me over the years. I don't always agree with their politics, but I admire their veracity and commitment.

(Gratuitous Simpsons reference: when they play in Homer's garage and find out they've been duped, Michael breaks a bottle and threatens Homer. Peter and Mike restrain him, and utter the classic line: "Michael, no! That's not the REM way"...)

Thanks, guys. I forgot about you sometimes, when I'm asked about my favorite bands, but cue up "Radio Free Europe" or "Find the River" and I'm back in line.

I just wanted to be on the record for stating my undying love for R.E.M. Yeah, some of the recent stuff (up, around the sun) have been less than inspiring in my listening life but there are few musical artists who have intrigued me as long (Prince, U2). I remeber buying my first R.E.M. cassette (Reckoning) in 1984 and have purchased every release since (for good or ill). They are still vital and interesting to my ear, despite my deteriorating hearing

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Originally posted by redavenger:
I was surprized not to see any REM post in the alternative forum considering that it was REM that brought alternative Rock into the forefront of music during the 80's. A very gifted band that I don't think gets the credit they deserve. At one time the Rolling Stone cover touted REM as the best band in America. I couldn't have agreed more.
When the lost their drummer Bill Berry to illness it was a shame that they became essentially ignored after that. Some of their music became a bit sappy and flowery and they lost a bit of their edge. But, their earliest music still merits attention and discussion. They could always craft an excellent "pop" song. Some of Michael Stipe's lyrics were so imaginary and lifting it is a shame that they have been forgotten about. Especially in this forum.

Not sure about REM "not getting the credit they deserve". They've always been critically acclaimed and are one of the biggest selling acts in history. Automatic for the People normally finishes towards the top end of any "best albums" poll, as well.
Maybe people don't talk about them as much as they used to and their albums arn't as anticipated with as much media frenzy as they once were. Maybe that's because they simply arn't as good as they once were. Thats life i'm afraid - every band reaches an artistic and commercial peak that they never quite match again. When people realised that there was never going to be another Automatic For The People they started to lose interest. Those of us who stayed loyal know that they still produced fine music on albums like "Up" and "Monster".
They still write great music, they still sell out massive arenas and they will continue to be influential (if not always essential) for many years to come.

I love REM for the scene they've propagated in Athens. I've been up there before and, my God, that's an incredible town if you're into music. Mostly thanks to REM (and the B52s).

I totally love REM, they're my favourite band bar none.

I discovered them in 1989 when I bought a boxset with the IRS albums, and from then on I bought every single album by them (including Chronic Town/Dead Letter Office).

I saw them live just once, in Milan during the Monster tour in 1995 (before Bill Berry's aneurism).

My favourite album is Life's Rich Pageant, followed by Green, Fables, and Automatic for the People. I like New Adventures, whilst I never cared much for Monster or any post-Bill Berry album.

That is, until Accelerate came out. Even though I only recently bought that (i'm around my sixth or seventh listen), right now it would probably make my top 5. I'm really grateful and enthusiastic for it.

Just wanted to chime in and say that REM is truly the epitome of an "alternative" band. They made their way and garnered their success on their OWN terms and are eternally copied by indie bands everywhere.

Furthermore, I'd like to add that people should stop giving Up a lot of shit. It is a really impressive album and not just post-Berry trash like it is often stated on here.

To recap, REM are gods. Up is a significantly good album.