lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
It's a shame we no longer have the Shuttlecock website to refer people to.
R.E.M. - upcoming album 'Collapse Into Now' / General Discussion
- Thread starter powerhour24
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powerhour24
ONE love, blood, life
I don't take Collapse Into Now as a huge new direction, but it is a much crisper and more layered sound than they've had since Up, and features the most interesting variety since New Adventures, and in the case of R.E.M., variety is what I value in place of cohesion with pretty much any other artist. It seems like a reflection on the various eras of R.E.M., and with its ending and overall feel it very much seems like this could variably be a career capper or a more sure footing into the energetic resurgence they kicked off with Accelerate. I'd say if it was the end of their career I really doubt they wouldn't do a killer last tour.
Laz, your opinion is your own but one thing, your comment about the first 2 rockers on Accelerate, though I'm no big fan of Man-Sized Wreath I do think Living Well Is The Best Revenge is definitely a substantial track on that album.
Laz, your opinion is your own but one thing, your comment about the first 2 rockers on Accelerate, though I'm no big fan of Man-Sized Wreath I do think Living Well Is The Best Revenge is definitely a substantial track on that album.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
I don't find it to be more diverse than Up.
Just look a the first 9 songs or so on the latter and tell me what they have in common. Not much.
Just look a the first 9 songs or so on the latter and tell me what they have in common. Not much.
Lancemc
Blue Crack Addict
Airportman-Lotus-Suspicion-Hope alone make a solid argument for UP being one of their most versatile albums to date.
phanan
Blue Crack Addict
After a few listens today, I'd say it's a decent album, probably on par with Accelerate for me. Love the start with the first three songs, and then it meanders a bit with a few songs that really aren't anything special. Things get better with Mine Smell Like Honey, Alligator, and That Someone Is You - really like those songs.
I don't understand the high praise for Blue. Quite frankly, I think it sucks, and they sound like they are trying too hard to churn out another Country Feedback or E-Bow.
So overall, it's certainly not a bad album. I found it enjoyable for the most part.
I don't understand the high praise for Blue. Quite frankly, I think it sucks, and they sound like they are trying too hard to churn out another Country Feedback or E-Bow.
So overall, it's certainly not a bad album. I found it enjoyable for the most part.
cjboog
Refugee
I wish the songs weren’t so damn short!
Michael Stipe’s vocals are clearly not what they used to be. His voice seemed a lot stronger even on Accelerate and sometimes I just wish he would sing and seem excited now and then!
Also, the “Hey, hey, alligator, you’ve got a lot to learn” line ruins an otherwise awesome song.
Also, the "Pull me up and out of cartoon quicksand" line ruins an otherwise decent song.
BUT, beyond that I pretty much love everything about this album
Blue gives me goosebumps every time. It Happened Today is just about the greatest thing since sliced bread. Uberlin is beautiful. All the Best ROCKS. I would LOVE to see them make a couple late night TV performances so we can see some of these songs live.
Michael Stipe’s vocals are clearly not what they used to be. His voice seemed a lot stronger even on Accelerate and sometimes I just wish he would sing and seem excited now and then!
Also, the “Hey, hey, alligator, you’ve got a lot to learn” line ruins an otherwise awesome song.
Also, the "Pull me up and out of cartoon quicksand" line ruins an otherwise decent song.
BUT, beyond that I pretty much love everything about this album
Blue gives me goosebumps every time. It Happened Today is just about the greatest thing since sliced bread. Uberlin is beautiful. All the Best ROCKS. I would LOVE to see them make a couple late night TV performances so we can see some of these songs live.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
Especially when he used "cartoon brick wall" on Up.
cjboog
Refugee
Anticipating this album has also reminded me of the importance of being patient when awaiting an album release you're very excited about.
I probably read 15 reviews for this album before it came out just because I was excited to see it was getting generally good reviews. And I probably listened to It Happened Today, Discoverer, Mine Smells Like Honey, and Oh My Heart about 10 times each before the album came out today. It's just never quite the same when you've heard some of the songs. Also reading so many reviews beforehand gets you thinking about other people's opinions before you even have a chance to formulate your own.
I probably read 15 reviews for this album before it came out just because I was excited to see it was getting generally good reviews. And I probably listened to It Happened Today, Discoverer, Mine Smells Like Honey, and Oh My Heart about 10 times each before the album came out today. It's just never quite the same when you've heard some of the songs. Also reading so many reviews beforehand gets you thinking about other people's opinions before you even have a chance to formulate your own.
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
I listened to about the first half of the album on the way in to work this morning. So far, I really like what I've heard. A few bright spots, nothing I flat-out hate. Yet. 
Danny Boy
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
I've listened once all the way through and I'm about halfway through the second time. I expected to be bored by this album but I'm actually quite enjoying it.
phanan
Blue Crack Addict
A few more listens and I find myself liking this even more. There are still a few songs that I dislike, most notably Oh My Heart and Blue, but overall, this is fairly good.
Combine the best tracks of this and Accelerate and you've got a damn good playlist for current R.E.M.
Combine the best tracks of this and Accelerate and you've got a damn good playlist for current R.E.M.
IWasBored
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the more i hear "discoverer," the more i really like that song. like phanan said, the more i listen to it the more i like.
i do hate the lyrics in a few parts. "oh my heart" and "it happened today" make me cringe, despite that there are other parts of both songs that i actually like quite a bit.
alligator is great. so is uberlin.
i do hate the lyrics in a few parts. "oh my heart" and "it happened today" make me cringe, despite that there are other parts of both songs that i actually like quite a bit.
alligator is great. so is uberlin.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
I'm warming up to Uberlin, mainly the verse and the bridge. But that chorus is corny, and again, too reminiscent of Electrolite.
Also, there's just no two ways about it, Oh My Heart is an eye-rolling turkey. And boring. It's not offensive to the ears like Ignoreland, but does nothing for me.
Also, there's just no two ways about it, Oh My Heart is an eye-rolling turkey. And boring. It's not offensive to the ears like Ignoreland, but does nothing for me.
The_acrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
Just completed my first full run of the album. I'm a big REM fan, so I may be a little biased, but I really like this album. After being let down by so many bands recently, it's good to be genuinely impressed upon first listen. If this were to be their last album (which I think it might be, if not 2nd to last) I'd say it's a really great way to end a great career.
OP
OP
powerhour24
ONE love, blood, life
I really like how Oh My Heart answers Houston, so if that makes me corny for liking it, so be it.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
Yes, it does.
Stipe's been getting way too meta and self-referential with his writing, and combined with the flat-out self-stealing it doesn't go down very well. When The Beatles did this, it was clever. This isn't.
Stipe's been getting way too meta and self-referential with his writing, and combined with the flat-out self-stealing it doesn't go down very well. When The Beatles did this, it was clever. This isn't.
OP
OP
powerhour24
ONE love, blood, life
Yet you loved Sing for the Submarine, the lyrics of which are essentially made up of references to R.E.M. titles? I mean it's a pretty cool song and all (though I dislike the vocals), but your enjoyment of it just seems kind of incongruous with your criticism of Stipe of late.
Unless it was someone else that was talking about that song recently in which case I preemptively apologize,
.
Unless it was someone else that was talking about that song recently in which case I preemptively apologize,
.
Lancemc
Blue Crack Addict
Oh My Heart is also one of the only songs on the album that feels like it comes across with any real sense of sincerity or from a place of artistic truth, misguided though the writing may be.
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
Yet you loved Sing for the Submarine, the lyrics of which are essentially made up of references to R.E.M. titles? I mean it's a pretty cool song and all (though I dislike the vocals), but your enjoyment of it just seems kind of incongruous with your criticism of Stipe of late.
Unless it was someone else that was talking about that song recently in which case I preemptively apologize,
That was me, I think it's the best song on Accelerate.
I don't have a problem with the device itself, but when it starts getting overused? Then it's a problem. And as I said, the straight-up ripoffs just compound the issue.
The_acrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
Just completed my 3rd listen of the album. I don't get all the hate, I absolutely love it. It's such a great, well rounded record, showcasing a lot of their strong points. Ok, it's not incredibly original, but I don't feel like they're treading water with this album. Sometimes his self referencing is annoying, yes, but I've never heard a perfect album. Not even by everybody's precious Beatles.
After being let down this past few weeks by both Radiohead and Liam Gallagher, it's great to hear an album by one of my favorite artists that I really like. I respect that some of you don't like it, but to me it really speaks. I'm so sad they aren't touring this album. I missed the Accelerate tour because the nearest show to me was Chicago.. Haven't seen them since 2004. If they take a couple years to record their next album and tour again, it could very well be 2014 before I see them again. TEN YEARS!! AH!
After being let down this past few weeks by both Radiohead and Liam Gallagher, it's great to hear an album by one of my favorite artists that I really like. I respect that some of you don't like it, but to me it really speaks. I'm so sad they aren't touring this album. I missed the Accelerate tour because the nearest show to me was Chicago.. Haven't seen them since 2004. If they take a couple years to record their next album and tour again, it could very well be 2014 before I see them again. TEN YEARS!! AH!
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
I think it's really good. When I finally got to Blue, I just laughed. The fuck is that?
Oh My Heart is okay. I'm probably giving it extra credit because I'm a sucker for a song in waltz time, particularly from REM.
Am happy that I like it upon first listen.
Oh My Heart is okay. I'm probably giving it extra credit because I'm a sucker for a song in waltz time, particularly from REM.
Am happy that I like it upon first listen.
lazarus
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Pop Artist
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I've listened to the album three times now and, while I think that it isn't "bad" album, it's just not very interesting/exciting to me, it doesn't kick into any kind of gear until the last third of the album for me. And REM albums are not usually "growers", so I probably won't be going back to it much, like I do with Accelerate and the 80s/90s albums.
Here's a video for Alligator, Aviator, Autopilot, Antimatter.
http://pitchfork.com/tv/#/music-videos/1596-rem/2524-alligator-aviator-autopilot-antimatter/
Stipey is lookin' old
Damn I just realized 'Collapse Into Now' fulfills the 5 album deal R.E.M. signed with Warner Bros. way back around the time New Adventures came out (1996). It was one of the biggest record contracts in history if I remember right, something like 80 million dollars. I remember thinking at the time, 'No way do they put out five more albums'...but here we are. With the end of the Warner Bros. contract, this really could be their last album I suppose. In some ways I kinda hope it is.
http://pitchfork.com/tv/#/music-videos/1596-rem/2524-alligator-aviator-autopilot-antimatter/
Stipey is lookin' old
Damn I just realized 'Collapse Into Now' fulfills the 5 album deal R.E.M. signed with Warner Bros. way back around the time New Adventures came out (1996). It was one of the biggest record contracts in history if I remember right, something like 80 million dollars. I remember thinking at the time, 'No way do they put out five more albums'...but here we are. With the end of the Warner Bros. contract, this really could be their last album I suppose. In some ways I kinda hope it is.
Salome
you are what you is
me, marlon brando is the only song i don't care much for (so far)
i like how Stipe stuck to such a clear simple theme for the album
i like how Stipe stuck to such a clear simple theme for the album
The_acrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
If this were their last album, I'd feel that it was a very good and fitting ending to a great career. However, I just want to see them live one more time. An REM concert is just one peg below a U2 concert for me. An entirely different experience, but such a great one. First time I saw them I was drug by my then gf to see them, and I finally "GOT" REM that night. One of the best nights of my life, honestly.
GirlsAloudFan
Blue Crack Addict
I hear ya, but I wouldn't worry about R.E.M. retiring from touring at this point in their career. Sure, they're not touring this album, but they'll head out again at some point down the road. I don't see the Accelerate tour being their touring swan song.
Lancemc
Blue Crack Addict
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
I feel like I've seen that before, but I don't remember where.
Anyway, did anyone happen to read the liner notes and notice that the "photography" is by Anton Cockijn? What a waste of that guy's talen--there's like one wide shot of the band where they're tiny figures, and then the medium shot on the cover; both smudged beyond belief. Remember when Stipe used to oversee some cool album design?
This shit makes the Atomic Serve booklet look like the Automatic For The People wooden boxed set (little insider reference there for you megafans).
Anyway, did anyone happen to read the liner notes and notice that the "photography" is by Anton Cockijn? What a waste of that guy's talen--there's like one wide shot of the band where they're tiny figures, and then the medium shot on the cover; both smudged beyond belief. Remember when Stipe used to oversee some cool album design?
This shit makes the Atomic Serve booklet look like the Automatic For The People wooden boxed set (little insider reference there for you megafans).
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