Yeah, it's sort of a weird list. I don't really have issue with the albums listed, just find the order very arbitrary to the opinions of whoever wrote it. They probably spoke with no one else when making their decisions, which is fine if they would have just called it, "Random Popmatters guy's favorite REM albums".
R.E.M. have broken up
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Catman
Rock n' Roll Doggie
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
Maybe it's still too early for me, bit I've read this sentence three times and I can't tell if I'm being insulted or complimented.
phanan
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Green shouldn't be on there, Automatic is too low, and Fables is too high.
Other than that, not necessarily a bad list.
Other than that, not necessarily a bad list.
IWasBored
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Maybe it's still too early for me, bit I've read this sentence three times and I can't tell if I'm being insulted or complimented.
neither. i agree about the up deficiency, also liked to see the monster love, thought the placement of automatic was amusing, and can't disagree with the first statement. so since we never actually agree or like even remotely similar things, it must be a pretty universally bizarre list.
kind of like what happens when phanan and i discuss springsteen. or maybe the opposite of that. i'm not sure. great, now i don't even know what i'm talking about anymore.
Salome
you are what you is
that list is incredibly poor
it fucked up the order of the IRS albums
completely undervalues the WB albums
and has no Up
a toddler randomly ranking R.E.M.'s albums wouldn't result in a poorer list
and a random toddler would have more interesting comments on the music too
it fucked up the order of the IRS albums
completely undervalues the WB albums
and has no Up
a toddler randomly ranking R.E.M.'s albums wouldn't result in a poorer list
and a random toddler would have more interesting comments on the music too
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
I don't think the analyses were that bad. And at least the guy was intelligent enough to leave off Reveal and Around the Sun.
He does, however, lose points for naming Strange as a weak track on Document without acknowledging that it's a cover of a Wire song, which I'm assuming he didn't know. He's right about Lightnin' Hopkins being a stinker and Fireplace being underrated, so on balance not bad.
He does, however, lose points for naming Strange as a weak track on Document without acknowledging that it's a cover of a Wire song, which I'm assuming he didn't know. He's right about Lightnin' Hopkins being a stinker and Fireplace being underrated, so on balance not bad.
djerdap
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
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Since I agree with the guy a lot, this is the first list of this kind I... ever read, probably. Lifes Rich Pageant and Murmur are two of their best albums. Objectively speaking of course.
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
I love Fireplace.
and hate Lightnin' Hopkins, so I guess I'm saying I agree with laz. And the reviewer.
I'm very agreeable today.
GirlsAloudFan
Blue Crack Addict
Yeah, Fireplace is a great track.
I like King of Birds quite a bit. I was somewhat obsessed with an old live version of it in like 1999 or something.
It's weird how high (heyo!) people were on Reveal when it came out. Reviews and fans were all pretty positive. I felt like a huge dick at the time for thinking it stunk aside from a small number of tracks.
It's weird how high (heyo!) people were on Reveal when it came out. Reviews and fans were all pretty positive. I felt like a huge dick at the time for thinking it stunk aside from a small number of tracks.
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
King of Birds is gorgeous.
I always think I don't like Document all that much as a whole, which is weird because there are so many tracks I love on it.
Welcome to the Occupation
Disturbance at the Heron House
King of Birds
Fireplace
okay, I guess that's only four. And I only actively dislike two: Lightnin' Hopkins andFIREHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUSE! Oddfellows Local 151. (Although I don't dislike that one nearly as much as Mr. Hopkins.)
I always think I don't like Document all that much as a whole, which is weird because there are so many tracks I love on it.
Welcome to the Occupation
Disturbance at the Heron House
King of Birds
Fireplace
okay, I guess that's only four. And I only actively dislike two: Lightnin' Hopkins and
GirlsAloudFan
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You don't love Finest Worksong?
Probably in my top 5 R.E.M. songs.
Probably in my top 5 R.E.M. songs.
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
I like it a lot, but don't love it.
You know what song I love from Green that seems pretty underrated? I Remember California.
I love that song. It's all full of forboding and dread and junk.
You know what song I love from Green that seems pretty underrated? I Remember California.
I love that song. It's all full of forboding and dread and junk.
GirlsAloudFan
Blue Crack Addict
Yeah, that's a sweet song. You Are The Everything is probably my favorite on Green.
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
That one's right up there, too, as is World Leader Pretend.
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
I think I said this a month or so ago and hate to have to repeat myself, as it just shows that I still haven't watched it, but ....
... it's time to watch Tourfilm again.
... it's time to watch Tourfilm again.
LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
Did Murmur get the top spot? I haven't cared enough to go back and look.
You know what's underrated? Near Wild Heaven. Great pop song, less obnoxious and more thoughtful than Shiny Happy People.
You know what's underrated? Near Wild Heaven. Great pop song, less obnoxious and more thoughtful than Shiny Happy People.
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
Plus, an always-appreciated lead vocal from Mike Mills!
Which is also partly why I love Texarkana as much as I do.
Life's Rich Pageant was #1 on that list.
Which is also partly why I love Texarkana as much as I do.
Life's Rich Pageant was #1 on that list.
intedomine
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
corianderstem said:
Love Mills' vocals on Outta Time. Texarkana is a gorgeous track all over.
CrashedCarDriver
Refugee
As the band ran out of ideas at the end Stipe was always the lead vocalist
R.E.M got bad publicity towards the end, Peter Buck in an episode of Air rage, and Mike Mills voted the most unattractive man didnt help
R.E.M got bad publicity towards the end, Peter Buck in an episode of Air rage, and Mike Mills voted the most unattractive man didnt help
CrashedCarDriver
Refugee
Ok, so just like how people are putting in an argument for what standout episodes there have been for the Simpsons in the last decade, what would people say were the standout tracks for R.E.M after: New Adventures of HiFi?
For me: I actually liked Reveal back in the day, it had 'Ive been high', 'Imitation of Life', 'All the Way to Reno', 'Saturn Returns' and 'Beachball'.
But Accelerator (??? nup, no patience for this), Up, Around the Sun (Leaving New York is popular, ignored the rest) and Collapse into now (??? Discoverer, yeh... ok) is just totally ignored by me
Had Eddie Vedder not done a cover of 'it happened today' from Collapse into now I would have thought R.E.M lost it
For me: I actually liked Reveal back in the day, it had 'Ive been high', 'Imitation of Life', 'All the Way to Reno', 'Saturn Returns' and 'Beachball'.
But Accelerator (??? nup, no patience for this), Up, Around the Sun (Leaving New York is popular, ignored the rest) and Collapse into now (??? Discoverer, yeh... ok) is just totally ignored by me
Had Eddie Vedder not done a cover of 'it happened today' from Collapse into now I would have thought R.E.M lost it
lazarus
Blue Crack Supplier
Throw in Orange Crush and that's pretty much all Green has to offer. Pop Song 89, Get Up, and Stand (which I've always despised) are all catchy, but are shallow and disposable compared to older upbeat songs by them. Then you have Hairshirt and The Wrong Child, which are painful in their blandness. I have a soft spot for "Untitled" but it's not exactly essential.
FWIW, You Are The Everything is a big favorite of mine, and points towards the more organic stuff to come on Out Of Time.
LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
Out of Time is better than Green because it feels more human and, yes, organic. There's a fairly unique sound to it. Green is hard, dated and bland, and the songs aren't memorable enough to justify its crappy production. Out of Time is fairly unsubstantial too though, and while I can understand why people would feel sentimental towards those records, I don't think they hold up to the surrounding albums.
In light of that, I can understand why the IRS albums would be ranked higher on average than the WB stuff. If those two records hadn't sold well, it would be a pretty unmemorable period for the band.
In light of that, I can understand why the IRS albums would be ranked higher on average than the WB stuff. If those two records hadn't sold well, it would be a pretty unmemorable period for the band.
corianderstem
Blue Crack Distributor
The Wrong Child is just annoying.
OKAYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
I don't know how you can be so entirely dismissive of Accelerate, CrashedCarDriver. What do you mean, no patience for it? It's not worthy of being ranked among their best (see my comments below), but what's so offensive about it?
What I still like from the middling years:
Up: there are only one or two tracks I don't care for; I like the album overall
Reveal: The Lifting, Imitation of Life (It's a pretty easy call to say that for me, this is their worst album by a long shot.)
Around the Sun: Leaving New York (despite that fucking awful line in the chorus), the title track (until the coda, which is unnecessary), The Boy In the Well, I Wanted to Be Wrong
(I hated that album until I saw them touring behind it, and then my opinions softened a bit.)
Accelerate: I honestly like most of the album. I've said it was a good return to form, but missing the spark, but I listened to it this morning and enjoyed it quite a bit.
Collapse Into Now: I have to be honest - I really liked it upon first listen (except for the final track, which is awful), but have not listened to it since.
Although I blame my obsessive "listening to all my CDs" project for that, not the album itself, as I have tons of recent CDs I've barely listened to more than once. Project's almost over (under 350 CDs to go!) and I can go back and catch up a bit.
OKAYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
I don't know how you can be so entirely dismissive of Accelerate, CrashedCarDriver. What do you mean, no patience for it? It's not worthy of being ranked among their best (see my comments below), but what's so offensive about it?
What I still like from the middling years:
Up: there are only one or two tracks I don't care for; I like the album overall
Reveal: The Lifting, Imitation of Life (It's a pretty easy call to say that for me, this is their worst album by a long shot.)
Around the Sun: Leaving New York (despite that fucking awful line in the chorus), the title track (until the coda, which is unnecessary), The Boy In the Well, I Wanted to Be Wrong
(I hated that album until I saw them touring behind it, and then my opinions softened a bit.)
Accelerate: I honestly like most of the album. I've said it was a good return to form, but missing the spark, but I listened to it this morning and enjoyed it quite a bit.
Collapse Into Now: I have to be honest - I really liked it upon first listen (except for the final track, which is awful), but have not listened to it since.
Although I blame my obsessive "listening to all my CDs" project for that, not the album itself, as I have tons of recent CDs I've barely listened to more than once. Project's almost over (under 350 CDs to go!) and I can go back and catch up a bit.
lazarus
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Lancemc
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Out of Time will always be my favorite I think, if only for the closing four-song stretch. The rest of it is so full of, yes, organic shimmering varied beautiful moments. Even the more dated stuff has such a particular charm to it the whole thing just lifts me up.
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