R.E.M. - upcoming album 'Collapse Into Now' / General Discussion

[lazarus]

Are we just pretending to like R.E.M.?

 

[lazarus]

James Franco has been filming his rehearsals for the Oscars telecast, and has said that the footage will be used for two future R.E.M. videos.

Interesting.

 

[Catman]

 

[LemonMelon]

James Franco has been filming his rehearsals for the Oscars telecast.

Bullshit, Bono rehearsed more thoroughly for TV Gaga than Franco did for this.

 

[U2inUtah]

So here is a stream of the entire album if you want to hear it:

R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now

I think it will be streaming on NPR later today as well.

 

[lazarus]

One more week, Cori!

Be strong.

 

[LemonMelon]

That's a nice surprise. Guess I was naive to think NPR would actually get it first. There was no chance of me being available for that stream at 2. Very excited for this, having only heard the first two tracks released.

 

[corianderstem]

One more week, Cori!

Be strong.

I haven't even really been thinking about it.

 

[Lancemc]

Wow, this is really... boring.

 

[LemonMelon]

I find it fairly lively myself, although it isn't the sonic Viagra that Accelerate was. They're definitely settling down a bit here, allowing themselves to take it down a few notches for the sake of added richness, and this is indeed a much richer, more varied record than the last one.

But have I mentioned that Stipe has become an awful lyricist? Because these lyrics are awful. It Happened Today has somehow gotten worse, but Alligator and Every Day Is Yours To Win are equally lame.

Overall though, I could see myself listening to this one more tha Accelerate. Uberlin is so beautiful.

 

[u2popmofo]

I'll probably just wait until next week, otherwise I'll probably talk myself out of buying it like an illegal downloading douche would do.

Similar to Cori, I haven't been thinking about it at all.

 

[phanan]

Another week - I'll wait.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I'm bouts to listen.

 

[nielsgov]

Uberlin is so beautiful.

This. It's the best REM song in a while imo.

 

[LemonMelon]

This. It's the best REM song in a while imo.

I'm not sure if I like that one or Blue the most, but I think I may just like the latter because it's the sequel to E-Bow The Letter.

 

[lazarus]

Wow, this is really... boring.

More boring than Reveal and ATS?

I'm not interested in another rough but shallow album like Accelerate.

 

[Lancemc]

Not more boring than Reveal or ATS, no. My first and only listen to this so far was hardly concentrated, but it feels like a slightly expanded sequel to Accelerate with little much new to offer. Sounds like I've heard all these songs before a hundred times. I'll give it another chance of course.

 

[lazarus]

I wasn't expecting anything as good as No Net from these guys at this point, to be honest. Or maybe I should rephrase that as "songs as good as the best of No Net", because R.E.E.M. would never put something as idiotic as Stand Up Referee on an album.

Oh wait, I forgot Ignoreland.

Also, LM is right about Stipe's lyrics being in decline. A very far drop from his great work on Up.

 

[mikal]

yeah um.....really enjoying this album. not anything groundbreaking, but a very enjoyable listen.

 

[Catman]

damnit... as soon as I get home, they take the link down

 

[Dalton]

I think it's time for both Stipe and Boner to retire as chief lyricists of their respective groups. Stipe can retreat up Andy Kaufman's rectum and Boner can retreat into a Ben & Jerry's? They'll both be happy and well taken care of.

 

[mikal]

Dalton, you bring up a point. i can't write lyrics, but i can sing. i can sing, dammit. i would have no shame in someone else writing lyrics for me.

 

[MMP]

It's good. Still far away from their best though, especially Around the Sun.

 

[Catman]

I... really... love this album


EDIT: After a first couple of listens, my 2 favorites are "Every Day is Yours to Win" and "Blue"

 

[BigMacPhisto]

Every single song feels like a retread of ground this band has already covered on their previous 14 albums. Bleh.

Slightly more interesting than Up, I guess. That's it. However, that one gave us a few killer tracks amongst the junk whereas this one has nothing really worth salvaging.


For kicks,

1. Murmur
Chronic Town
2. Reckoning
3. Life's Rich Pageant
4. Document
5. Automatic For The People
6. Fables Of The Reconstruction
7. New Adventures In Hi-Fi
........................................
8. Accelerate
9. Out Of Time
10. Green
.........................................
11. Around The Sun
12. Monster
13. Reveal
14. Collapse Into Now
15. Up

 

[mikal]

seeing anyone ranking "Up" as REM's weakest album makes mikal sad.

 

[Pop Artist]

seeing anyone ranking "Up" as REM's weakest album makes mikal sad.

Makes me sad too, I really like that album.

 

[Harry Vest]

Album is streaming at NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR

 

[IWasBored]

seeing anyone ranking "Up" as REM's weakest album makes mikal sad.

same. it's in my top 3, no contest.


hmmmm....i wonder if i can rank them.

1. Murmur
2. Up
3. Document
4. New Adventures
5. LRP
6. Monster
7. Reckoning
8. Green
9. Accelerate
10. Fables
11. Out of Time
12. Automatic
13. Around the Sun
14. Reveal



it's more like a 4-way tie at #4 with nothing til 8, but i guess that's more or less right...

 

[IWasBored]

I think it's time for both Stipe and Boner to retire as chief lyricists of their respective groups. Stipe can retreat up Andy Kaufman's rectum and Boner can retreat into a Ben & Jerry's? They'll both be happy and well taken care of.

i was going too write this post off as dalton being dalton, but i have to admit there's something to it. "oh my heart" made me cringe, and the "it happened...hip hip hooray" chorus was miserable. glad it descended into general "whaaaaooooooooooooooohhhhhhh"s at the end there. i actually liked that part.


musically, i'm digging it for the most part. no, it isn't anything ground-breakingly new. but it's pleasant enough. i couldn't wait and had to go through the NPR stream, the weakling i am. i liked "discoverer" quite a bit having heard it a second time, now.