MERGED ---> REM appreciation thread + R.e.m.

[Sparkysgrrrl]

I like Up. There, I said it, and I'm not sorry.

Me too
Walk Unafraid

 

[intedomine]

Favourites for me are:

Out of Time - the best!

Murmur
New Adventures in HiFi

I also feel Around the Sun features some extremely strong tracks, particularly towards the end of the album. High Speed Train is amazingly beautiful in a lethargic way.

However, Final Straw is a horrible horrible song!


E-Bow the Letter

 

[hedgehog]

Never been mad for REM, but a good band they certainly are.

Went to see them live not long ago with my dad (fathers day present), first live concert Ive ever been to, I enjoyed it.

Man on the moon is a song Ive loved ever since I was a kid, and Automatic for the people is a fantastic album, IMO.

I brought their "best of" album for under £5 the other day (absolute bargain) and enjoy that too.

I'll have to take a further look into their music...

 

[djerdap]

I'm a fan of R.E.M.'s early work, when they were an indie band. They had a sound(especially on the first album, Murmur) which was never repeated by the band or any other group. Life's Rich Pageant is my favorite album.
Of the newer records, New Adventures in Hi-Fi is excellent.
Not a very big fan of the other records(that includes Automatic For the People).

My favorite track are the live versions of Country Feedback.
Truly a fantastic song.

 

[uwwedoogie]

everybody hurts one of the few " great songs" that are availible...

 

[alia612]

I'm a big fan of every album. (Alright, so I don't listen to New Adventures very much.) But I do like Up. Have any of you read It Crawled From the South: An R.E.M. Companion? It's a fantastic book; very detailed and informative. It's slightly out-of-date though...I think the last edition was published in 1995. Even so, I highly recommend it.

 

[agentorange]

REM was one of my favorites back around 1991, up there with U2. I absolutely love their early to mid-80's stuff, but I haven't heard anything they've put out since New Adventures, except the singles.

I can appreciate Automatic, and it has beautiful stuff, but I prefer the cryptic, bouncy material like Wolves, Lower; Catapult; Hyena; Live and how to live it; and Pretty Persuasion. I don't have a clue what any of those songs are about, but there's something to be said for music that can move me emotionally without a real lyrical catalyst... Just the drive of the music and the urgency in the vocal delivery, which is more like another musical instrument than "lyrics."

I guess fans of Sigur Ros can relate. And really, U2 fans as well. I mean, really, what is it about "I'm wide awake, I'm not sleeping" in Bad that moves people to tears? Bono could be singing "The tire tool is in the trunk" at that key, and I would think, "man, that guy is dealing with some powerful stuff."

The REM albums that have not lost their grip on me are Murmur and Life's Rich Pageant. Other songs that I love: Crazy; Orange Crush; You are the Everything; Sweetness Follows; Camera; King of Birds; Driver 8; Gardening at Night... I could go on a long time.

 

[bread n' whine]

Wolves Lower is one of their greatest songs. Hands up people who have actually heard it and call themselves REM fans.

Not too many, unfortunately.

 

[Lancemc]

Love every REM album? Sure do.

Especially UP....

 

[corianderstem]

Wolves, Lower? Great song. I'm not a big fan of the other Chronic Town songs, but that one is awesome.

I really like Up, and never understood why it was so maligned. The last two have had a few bright spots, but as a whole, aren't that great for me. Saw them last fall, however, and they were still great.

I think my favorite albums are Automatic For the People, New Adventures in Hi-Fi, and Life's Rich Pageant.

Least favorite REM song is Everybody Hurts, which just puts me to sleep and makes me roll my eyes. Gorgeous video, though.

My only REM-encounter was at the second U2 show in Seattle this spring, when I looked down into the VIP area, pointed and shouted to my friend, "OH MY GOD, IT'S PETER BUCK!"

And my user name is from Find the River, one of the loveliest songs ever.

 

[agentorange]

One more prop for REM: I love! the way those guys extensively use their back catalog during live shows. Just glancing at some of the boots I've seen over the last year or so, those guys apparently keep fresh on probably 50 or more songs. They show no hesitation to bringing out some obscure stuff, not just the singles. They've performed songs recently such as: Disturbance at the Heron House; Me in Honey; Welcome to the Occupation; Begin the Begin; Perfect Circle; Life and How to Live it; Cuyahoga; Maps and Legends... That's just scratching the surface, not mentioning the expected greatest-hits type stuff, which also varies a lot.

That's pretty amazing to me. They have such a confidence in their older material that most bands would grow bored with, and they still see it as having relevance to their set/agenda. It's also a huge risk for the fans - I seriously doubt REM is responding to people on front row yelling "play 'sitting still'!". Can you imagine U2 breaking out this week with Wire or Surrender? That's the equivalent of playing these songs. The hardcore fans would be blown away, but you're going to lose most of the crowd for a while.

It's one thing for U2 to dust off Electric Co. and An Cat Dubh for a tour, and it thrills me that they do that. But REM seems to mix it up at such a level that you have to expect the unexpected. I love the flexibility. And it reveals a true vision and intentional purpose that Michael Stipe has in his shows that goes way beyond entertainment. The man's got guts.

 

[Saracene]

I've only got Automatic for the People, Out of Time and REM's newest Best Of, so one day I'm gonna make an effort and investigate their earlier stuff, as well.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

My only REM-encounter was at the second U2 show in Seattle this spring, when I looked down into the VIP area, pointed and shouted to my friend, "OH MY GOD, IT'S PETER BUCK!"

Ha ha you could be related to me!!! When I saw REM in 1995 when they toured Australia, Grant Lee Buffalo supported them. When GLB were playing, we happened to glance over to the left of the stage and saw Peter sitting on a chair intently watching GLB play. From our position about a third way back on the floor, I'm sure he heard us scream "OH MY GOD, PETER BUCK!!!!!" (as did the people in front, side of........)

We got to meet him later at their hotel. Unfortunately we were struck with useless brain goo syndrome and all I could do was congratulate him on his recent wedding. God, that man's sexy!