R.E.M. have broken up

[MrPryck2U]

Originally Posted by iron yuppie

It seems I'm one of the few here who doesn't have a high opinion of Up. It's certainly not bad, but I find it hard to ignore what a massive drop in quality and consistency it is from New Adventures. Up very much sounds to me like a band who has lost a major part of its identity.

I don't hate or dislike Up. I just believe it is a notch below Green. I agree with your statement about losing a major part of their identity. I think its name was Bill Berry. Reveal is another album that takes a beating here, but I think its alright. I listened to it a lot when it first came out in 2001, so it's slotted in my personal soundtrack there for life just like Up is for 1998. Green came out when I was first starting to get into REM. A good friend of mine used to crank REM in his car constantly, so we couldn't avoid listening to it.

[lazarus]

Originally Posted by djerdap

I'd argue that they had some short-term inspiration precisely because of the loss of that major part of identity. Once the trauma of losing a band member and a fellow songwriter was gone or the shock had eased down and they started to get comfortable again, they've plummeted into mediocrity.

Exactly. They knew they didn't have a drummer, so instead of trying to replace him they looked to other options in terms of percussion sounds, and were temporarily inspired in their thinking outside the box.

When they settled back into making a more "organic" album like Reveal, the authenticity of Berry (not to mention his insistence on songs having good melodic hooks) was sorely missed.

And the Depeche Mode comparison is apt as well.

[djerdap]

The analogy with R.E.M. and DM is not exact per se, but I can think of another band that has plummeted into mediocrity once they got back to a more organic sound and got really comfortable with it...

[OpenG180]

Originally Posted by djerdap

the analogy with r.e.m. And dm is not exact per se, but i can think of another band that has plummeted into mediocrity once they got back to a more organic sound and got really comfortable with it...

lol

[OpenG180]

Originally Posted by djerdap

I'd argue that they had some short-term inspiration precisely because of the loss of that major part of identity. Once the trauma of losing a band member and a fellow songwriter was gone or the shock had eased down and they started to get comfortable again, they've plummeted into mediocrity.

The same thing happened with Depeche Mode. I think that losing Alan Wilder and everything else that went behind the scenes after Songs of Faith and Devotion did provide inspiration for a great record called Ultra, after which they never made a good album again.

Ultra is an awesome album. I really love it.

[iron yuppie]

Originally Posted by djerdap

The analogy with R.E.M. and DM is not exact per se...

Yeah, but I see what you are getting at with it. Though I would say that Ultra (which I love as well) has far more attitude and focus to my ear than Up, which has always struck me as meandering. Those two albums stand in sharp contrast.

[djerdap]

In any case, I have a soft spot for many of those albums that came at a time where the said band was going through a dark phase, albums that are very divisive among the fanbase, albums where the said bands go out of their comfort zone, that were mostly scathed by music critics and among the millions who usually sing along, but their reputation is seemingly growing over time. Up, Ultra, Pop and Pearl Jam's Binaural all belong to that group.

[LemonMelon]

Up would be stronger with a couple songs cut, but it has more GREAT songs than Green, which does itself have a few.

Glad to know I'm not the only one hiving it up with their REM opinion, thinking their commercial breakthrough period was a step backwards.

[iron yuppie]

Originally Posted by LemonMelon

Glad to know I'm not the only one hiving it up with their REM opinion, thinking their commercial breakthrough period was a step backwards.

Okay, but before you slam Green, how many copies did it sell in South America, and what does Bono have to say about it now???

[lazarus]

Originally Posted by LemonMelon

Up would be stronger with a couple songs cut, but it has more GREAT songs than Green, which does itself have a few.

1. You Are The Everything
2. World Leader Pretend
3. Orange Crush
4. I Remember California
5. (Untitled)

Pop Song 89 and Get Up are fun, but I couldn't describe them as great.

1. Suspicion
2. Hope
3. At My Most Beautiful
4. The Apologist
5. Sad Professor
6. You're In The Air
7. Walk Unafraid
8. Why Not Smile
9. Daysleeper

Subjective, obviously, but I'd only cut a couple tracks from Up. Green has catchy throwaways with little substance and clunkers like The Wrong Child and Hairshirt.

[LemonMelon]

I really, really like You Are the Everything.

Suspicion alone puts Up over the top. Who could have predicted that REM would ever write a song like that? Pretty incredible.

[LemonMirrorSky]

look into my eyes
they hypnotize
the lights the drinks
let the music carry you away

[U2inUtah]

Looks like Green is next in line for a 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition.

R.E.M.'S GREEN REVOLUTION: 25TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION OF THE BAND'S MAJOR-LABEL BREAKTHROUGH OUT MAY 14TH ON RHINO



Once again, the second disc will be a live concert from the era:

Disc Two – Live In Greensboro 1989
1. “Stand”
2. “The One I Love”
3. “Turn You Inside Out”
4. “Belong”
5. “Exhuming McCarthy”
6. “Good Advices”
7. “Orange Crush”
8. “Cuyahoga”
9. “These Days”
10. “World Leader Pretend”
11. “I Believe”
12. “Get Up”
13. “Life And How To Live It”
14. “Its The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)”
15. “Pop Song 89”
16. “Fall On Me”
17. “You Are The Everything”
18. “Begin The Begin”
19. “Low”
20. “Finest Worksong”
21. “Perfect Circle”

R.E.M. - Get Up (From Tourfilm) (Official Video) - YouTube

[LemonMelon]

A 1988 radio special from the Green era is being streamed on P4k.

[lazarus]

Weak album but that live show has a great setlist.

[No spoken words]

I don't deem Green to be weak, just not one of their best....but, we can certainly agree on that setlist....holy fuck.

[lazarus]

The only song on that list I don't like at all is Stand.

And I was also unaware they were previewing Out Of Time material back then.

Cool to see deep cuts like Good Advices too. Even if I still have no clue how that song goes.

[U2DMfan]

Originally Posted by djerdap

Up, Ultra, Pop and Pearl Jam's Binaural all belong to that group.

You mean the '3 good albums and a turd' group?

I'll let you guess which one I'm calling a turd.

Hint: It's the turd.

[U2inUtah]

Originally Posted by lazarus

The only song on that list I don't like at all is Stand.

And I was also unaware they were previewing Out Of Time material back then.

Cool to see deep cuts like Good Advices too. Even if I still have no clue how that song goes.

They also released five other songs from that concert on Record Store Day:

LIVE IN GREENSBORO EP – Record Store Day Exclusive

1. “So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)”
2. “Feeling Gravitys Pull”
3. “Strange”
4. “King of Birds”
5. “I Remember California”

The EP is not included in the Green Deluxe Edition, however.

[bono_212]

I am not the world's greatest R.E.M. aficionado by any stretch of the imagination, but that setlist IS hot.