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

[ShipOfFools]

This is a really mellow and down to earth record.

I can't say much more than that, because it's still soaking in. But it's a great album.

 

[LemonMelon]

1. Automatic For The People
2. Murmur
3. Document
4. Reckoning
5. Life's Rich Pageant
6. Chronic Town
7. Up
8. Fables of the Reconstruction
9. Monster
10. New Adventures
11. Out of Time
12. Collapse Into Now
13. Accelerate
14. Green

Still haven't heard Reveal or Around The Sun, but I don't anticipate them topping Collapse.

 

[MMP]

1. Automatic for the People
2. Around the Sun
3. New Adventures In Hi-Fi
4. Murmur
5. Out of Time
6. Monster
7. Up
8. Lifes Rich Pageant
9. Document
Too soon to say, but so far this is where Collapse has landed.
10. Accelerate
11. Reckoning
12. Fables of the Reconstruction
13. Green
14. Reveal

 

[djparky]

In terms of albums

Monster
New Adventures in Hi-FI
Document
Lifes Rich Paegant
Green
Automatic
Out of time
Accelerate

would be my favourite REM albums

the worst moste definitely being the truly dismal Around the Sun- giving Radiohead a run for the most boring album I've ever heard

as for the new stuff- it all sounds very familiar- I don't mind bands taking inspiration from their past (the fab new Duran album does that)- as long as the material is good- this all seems very well made but not especially inspired

edit- hmmmm I think this might be a grower- I'm not really in an REM space right now- this is going to be an album I'll come back to at the right time- I was being a bit harsh with my initial comment. First go round- stand out track is Blue- by far and away the most interesting thing on it

 

[U2inUtah]

NPR First Listen


First Listen: R.E.M., 'Collapse Into Now' : NPR

 

[U2inUtah]

Regardless of how you rank the albums, R.E.M. had a pretty stellar eight album run from Murmur in 1983 through Automatic For The People in 1992.

 

[powerhour24]

This is their best work since New Adventures in Hi-Fi, and fits in that album's vein of brilliant eclectic-ness, don't have a lot of time right now but I absolutely love Uberlin, Blue, Discoverer among others, and the reprising/mirroring closing is excellent.

R.E.M.

That said, this makes me even more sad they aren't touring for this release.

 

[u2popmofo]

Regardless of how you rank the albums, R.E.M. had a pretty stellar eight album run from Murmur in 1983 through Automatic For The People in 1992.

Yes.

 

[lazarus]

Green is not "stellar", and Monster is more consistent. But two great 5-album runs with a misfire in the middle is still impressive.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

As a fanatic, I consider myself a bit of an R.E.M. apologist...I like a lot of what's on Green and Out of Time, but they truly aren't great records whatsoever. For me, R.E.M.'s IRS catalog along with Automatic and New Adventures are what everybody needs to own. The rest is just extra material with various levels of pleasure depending on your point of view, but certainly not classic.

Upon listening to Collapse Into Now for a second time, I'm finding that...just kidding, life's too short and there's too many new albums to give that turd a second chance.

 

[Hollow Island]

This is the first time since 1998 that I haven't tried to make myself like an REM album. It's really hard to believe that they made records as week as Reveal (which has some really good songs), ATS, and Accelerate. ATS is the only record I've heard where I hate every song, and REM are my favourite band.

Blue is their first really haunting song in a long time, and I like that it's bascially a mash up of Country Feedback and E Bow.

Now, the obligatory list:

Reckoning
Hi Fi
Murmur
Automatic
Pageant

Document
Monster
Fables
Up
Collapse Into Now

Green
Out Of Time

Reveal


Accelerate






Around the Sun

 

[lazarus]

As a fanatic, I consider myself a bit of an R.E.M. apologist...I like a lot of what's on Green and Out of Time, but they truly aren't great records whatsoever.

Yeah, Out of Time has some amazing, AMAZING high points, but Shiny Happy People is an embarrassment worse than anything Shuttlecock has recorded, and with the exception of a few tracks, I don't think it's as rich as Automatic (which also has a couple clunkers FWIW).

I think Lance is partial to this album and I while really do like the more experimental stuff like Low, Belong, and Endgame, when you look at that last 3-song stretch on Automatic it's just on another level.

This is the first time since 1998 that I haven't tried to make myself like an REM album.

You know, I didn't force it. I gave Reveal and Around The Sun a couple listens upon their releases and just concluded it was geriatric crap. And time has not changed that opinion. I've never been more disappointed by an album from one of my favorite bands as much as I was with Reveal.

Now, the obligatory list:

Reckoning
Hi Fi
Murmur
Automatic
Pageant

I've never been able to understand the cult of Reckoning. Harborcoat on some days is my favorite R.E.M. song ever, but side 2 just isn't consistent enough. While Murmur may have a couple songs too many (I could do without West of the Fields and 9-9), it blows Reckoning out of the water (no pun intended) for me.

 

[powerhour24]

Probably not entirely accurate after the first 3:

New Adventures in Hi-Fi
Automatic for the People
Lifes Rich Pageant
Murmur
Document
Fables of the Reconstruction
Reckoning
Green
Collapse Into Now
Out of Time
Accelerate
Up
Monster

Reveal



Around the Sun

 

[Lancemc]

Out of Time is my favorite REM album. I think it's pretty much flawless, if rather idiosyncratic. Rightfully divisive, but that just adds all the more charm, personally. Up is probably my second favorite. Maybe Hi-Fi after that.

 

[powerhour24]

I like a lot of things about Up, so its ranking on my list probably doesn't properly reflect that, R.E.M. Is my 2nd favorite band ever, so all those that aren't ATS mean a lot to me.

 

[Lancemc]

Yeah, REM are probably still my favorite traditionally-arranged rock band by quite a margin. I honestly think everything they did from Murmur through the end of Up is next to perfect, with only a couple very minor blemishes along the way.

 

[PhilsFan]

Has this leaked in any high quality yet? I've only seen it in 128.

I'm hesitant to listen to this because I've only heard Murmur-through-Automatic. I've heard none of the later albums.

 

[Lancemc]

Has this leaked in any high quality yet? I've only seen it in 128.

I'm hesitant to listen to this because I've only heard Murmur-through-Automatic. I've heard none of the later albums.

I think you'd enjoy New Adventures.

 

[powerhour24]

He'd better if he knows what's good for him.

 

[lazarus]

I would still go chronologically and start with Monster. It's a very accessible album, and it brings the RAWK.

 

[Lancemc]

Can't go wrong with that plan either. Monster features several of my very favorite REM tracks - Let Me In, Tongue, What's The Frequency Kenneth?

 

[lazarus]

Those three + Circus Envy are my favorites on there.

The only songs I don't care much for on the album are Bang and Blame (generic) and King of Comedy.

 

[powerhour24]

Let Me In

 

[The_acrobat]

I wouldn't consider myself a HUGE R.E.M. fan, somewhere between casual and hardcore. I actually enjoy ATS more than OOT, which IMO is a complete turd with LMR and Country Feedback throw on. Love the 3 songs I've heard from CIN, but I'm being old school and waiting for the release, since it's not an album I really care about.

My ranking:

New Adventures
Murmurs
Life's rich pageant
Automatic for the People
Document
Reckoning
Up
Reveal
Around the Sun
Fables
Monster
Accelerate
Green








Out of Time

Look forward to seeing where CIN ranks. People have always found it odd, but I'm actually a big supporter of the Up, Reveal and ATS trio. I think that sonically, there's some interesting and beautiful music being made. I think that Accelerate is a retreat to more comfortable territory and while it's not bad, it just didn't catch the world on fire.

 

[u2popmofo]

Sometimes I really hate abbreviations.

 

[corianderstem]

Yeah, why can't they just write it Rapid Eye Movements like a non-lazy person!

 

[Catman]

I really, really like "Oh My Heart," "AAAA" (sorry popmofo), and "Blue"

 

[U2inUtah]

My favs on CIN are: D, EIYTW, IHT, OMH, MMBMBAI, and B. CIN is better than A,R or ATS, but still ranks below M, R, FOTR, LRP, D, G, OOT, AFTP, M, NAIHF, or U.

 

[u2popmofo]

My favs on CIN are: D, EIYTW, IHT, OMH, MMBMBAI, and B. CIN is better than A,R or ATS, but still ranks below M, R, FOTR, LRP, D, G, OOT, AFTP, M, NAIHF, or U.

Damn Utahns.

 

[powerhour24]

Yeah, why can't they just write it Rapid Eye Movements like a non-lazy person!

Doesn't R.E.M. in this case supposedly mean "rapid ear movement"?