Maybe so, but unless I'm bass-ackwards, that's not even a title!

quote:

Originally posted by Illiniq:

12. Reveal - The best of their post Bill Berry release...still utterly forgetable.

I love this album. I find nothing forgetable about it. Sonically, it's amazing. The soaring synths in The Lifting set the tone for the entire album. I've been high, She Just Wants to Be, Disappear, and I'll Take the Rain are simply beautiful songs. And, Imitation of Life was the best R.E.M. single since Man on the Moon, and would fit very well on either Green or Out of Time. For me, this album is right up there with Life's Rich Pageant, Automatic for the People, and New Adventures in Hi-Fi as one of my favorites.

quote:

Originally posted by mark f:
Maybe so, but unless I'm bass-ackwards, that's not even a title!

I suppose you don't like People For The Automatic either.

quote:

Originally posted by ericg75:

quote:

Originally posted by mark f:
Maybe so, but unless I'm bass-ackwards, that's not even a title!

I suppose you don't like People For The Automatic either.

The title of REM's third full length album is ambiguous. On my vinyl copy the spine reads "Fables of the" on one side, but if you flip it over it reads "Reconstruction of the." I've heard it called both ever since I bought my copy on the day it came out in 1985 (actually though, I bought it on cassette originally). Interestingly, AMG has it listed as Fables of the Reconstruction.

quote:

Originally posted by The Fall of Troy:
For me, this album is right up there with Life's Rich Pageant, Automatic for the People, and New Adventures in Hi-Fi as one of my favorites.

Geez, man. You just listed my three favorite REM albums. You've convinced me to go back and give Reveal another chance.

I'm that easy.

Here's how I'd rank them:

Reckoning > Fables > Pageant > Murmur > Document > Green > New Adventures > Up > Out of Time > Automatic > Monster > Reveal > Around The Sun

I haven't really spent enough time with Reveal or Around The Sun, so I won't rank them, but for me it would go:

1. Lifes Rich Pageant
2. Reckoning
3. Green
4. Murmur
5. Dead Letter Office (Not a real album, but still cool)
6. New Adventures in Hi-Fi
7. Out Of Time
8. Document
9. Automatic for the People
10. Fables of the Reconstruction
11. Monster
12. Up

It's neither here nor there, but I've never heard it called Reconstruction of the Fables. My vinyl has "A Side" (Side 1) labeled Fables of the Reconstruction, while Side 2, labeled "Another Side", says Reconstruction of the Fables. I like that it can be read either way, but I've never read anybody call it Reconstruction... in print.

quote:

Originally posted by ericg75:
10. Fables of the Reconstruction

You guys are killing me.

quote:

Originally posted by mark f:
It's neither here nor there, but I've never heard it called Reconstruction of the Fables. My vinyl has "A Side" (Side 1) labeled Fables of the Reconstruction, while Side 2, labeled "Another Side", says Reconstruction of the Fables. I like that it can be read either way, but I've never read anybody call it Reconstruction... in print.

Hey Mark, did you look at the spine? I was just wondering if your's is like mine.

Sorry for the triple post, but I just busted out my CD copy and it says "Reconstruction of the Fables" on both spines. Can someone else verify this? Please? It's driving me insane.

quote:

Originally posted by Maximum Jack:
Sorry for the triple post, but I just busted out my CD copy and it says "Reconstruction of the Fables" on both spines. Can someone else verify this? Please? It's driving me insane.

My CD copy is the same as yours, maybe it's just the vinyl version.

By the way, don't triple post ever again.

I heard the band designed the title to be circular:

Fables of the Reconstruction of the Fables of the Reconstruction...etc.

However, like Mark, I've always heard it referred to as Fables of the Reconstruction. I don't know of anywhere in print is was referred to the other way around.

Oops, sorry Jack. After reading ericg75's post, I read yours wrong. My copy does say Fables of the Reconstruction.

The spine has it both ways, depending on which way you turn it, but the top of the spine with the front cover facing you has Fables of the Reconstruction. The back side, with the UPC code, has Reconstruction of the Fables. (I picked it as the "back side" based on the UPC code.)

Revisionism (and maybe revisionrevisionism) is alive and well on the Internet! Who would've guessed?

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:

quote:

Originally posted by Maximum Jack:
Sorry for the triple post, but I just busted out my CD copy and it says "Reconstruction of the Fables" on both spines. Can someone else verify this? Please? It's driving me insane.

My CD copy is the same as yours, maybe it's just the vinyl version.

By the way, don't triple post ever again.

IF I SEE ANYMORE TRIPLE POSTING I'M GONNA HAVE TO BUST SOME HEADS!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by ryanryanryan102:

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:

quote:

Originally posted by Maximum Jack:
Sorry for the triple post, but I just busted out my CD copy and it says "Reconstruction of the Fables" on both spines. Can someone else verify this? Please? It's driving me insane.

My CD copy is the same as yours, maybe it's just the vinyl version.

By the way, don't triple post ever again.

IF I SEE ANYMORE TRIPLE POSTING I'M GONNA HAVE TO BUST SOME HEADS!!!!

Damn, can we make this kid a mod?

my favorite REM album is monster, no really i swear...up is pretty good too.

i will now wait to be lambasted

quote:

Originally posted by mymindsblank:
my favorite REM album is monster, no really i swear...up is pretty good too.

i will now wait to be lambasted

I'm not going to criticize anybody for loving these albums. "What's the Frequency Kenneth" and "Star 69" rock harder than anything REM has ever done. And, Up has some moments of shear beauty. I love "Hope", "Walk Unafraid", "Daysleeper", and "Falls to Climb".

But, I'd have to say that these are the two most un-REM albums in their catalogue.

random inconsistencies / opinions-

New Adventures In Hi-Fi is my favorite by far

Monster and Automatic both pretty awesome

Up was weird but has a lot of beautiful songs.

Can't stand Reveal, no idea why.

Green still feels raw for some reason.

Around The Sun was actually pretty solid.

Document is sweet.