REM - early albums

pirlo21

Pulled Fables of the Reconstruction out of the collection & stuck in the car stereo on my way to work on Monday morning, and haven't stopped listening to it since!
Class, absolute class. Timeless classic.

Have to admit, I haven't listened to it for quite a few years. Forgotten just how good an album it is.
Can say pretty much the same about each REM album from Murmer through to Document. Just legendary albums in my eyes (or should that be 'in my ears'?!).

It's a little sad to think that most people only know them from that Out of Time period, when they became MTV darlings for a while.
Don't think a lot of people know just how influential & groundbreaking they were back in the 80s.

It's not that I don't like the Green/Out of Time/Automatic period, and although I still absolutely loved New Adventured/Monster/Up, and I think Accelerate was a true retun to form, it's always the early stuff for me.

Am i alone?!!!

Nittany1bn

I love the 4 disc run from fables through green, those are the discs i always grab first, especially life's rich pageant. their later albums are kind of hit or miss, but new adventures in hi-fi is a masterpiece.

bobasfeet

Listened to Green on vinyl last night. One of my favorite bands of all time.

dasvidana

I was a huge REM fan in the 80s. Saw them live for the first time in 1985 which was great. They were groundbreaking for the 80's in the same way that Nirvana was groundbreaking in the 90's. Before REM, there was punk, new wave, and "cow punk" but nothing as visceral or melodic as what REM did. They were a true inspiration to those of us who grew up during the 80's. I love listening to Chronic Town and Murmur....pure delight.

JL19851

In my opinion, one of the greatest album bands of all time. I mean, just about 30 years in, and I am not sure there is a single complete miss in their catalogue...there are a few of the later albums that were hit and miss, but the hits were still up there. The newest was a return to form and as good as anything they have done. A few months back, I was listening to Automatic for the People for the first time in many years and my mind likened what I was hearing to almost a classical album of sorts...the compositions are magnificent. And yet, that doesn't tell even a quarter of their story.

My favorite of theirs is New Adventures in HiFi, true mark of genius in the midst of a very creative time for them.

nuffingman

Fables is a great album like most of their stuff. I get a bit tired of hearing people knocking the later stuff as it seems to be a fashion to only like old stuff from every band on the planet. Each of their albums has some amazing songs. Fable is being re-released in July. It says on their site.

The band has teamed with Capitol/I.R.S. for the July 13 release of an expanded 25th Anniversary 2CD and digital edition of the band’s 1985 album, Fables Of The Reconstruction. The new edition features the digitally remastered original album, plus 14 previously unreleased demo recordings, cut prior to the album’s studio sessions, including one long-sought track that has never been released.

Can't wait

http://remhq.com/news_story.php?id=1167

MysteryTrain

nuffingman wrote:

Fables is a great album like most of their stuff. I get a bit tired of hearing people knocking the later stuff as it seems to be a fashion to only like old stuff from every band on the planet. Each of their albums has some amazing songs. Fable is being re-released in July. It says on their site.

The band has teamed with Capitol/I.R.S. for the July 13 release of an expanded 25th Anniversary 2CD and digital edition of the band’s 1985 album, Fables Of The Reconstruction. The new edition features the digitally remastered original album, plus 14 previously unreleased demo recordings, cut prior to the album’s studio sessions, including one long-sought track that has never been released.

Can't wait

http://remhq.com/news_story.php?id=1167

This is the only album I don't own, so I'm really looking forward to it.

veddertown

REM are a truly magnificent band and I'm a fan of the old and the new. Some people don't seem to rate Monster at all but I think it's classic. I saw them at Loch Lomond in 2005 and they really delivered a great set. Opener was I Took Your Name and they had tons of highlights that night. Star 69, Everybody Hurts, What's The Frequency.... Find The River, Orange Crush. I love the early albums but tend to put on Live At Olympia to satisfy those cravings now. New Adventures In Hi-Fi is like REM's No Code to me and it's never far from the stereo.

dcfaithful

If this is considered hijacking, I apologize...but I've been really wanting to listen to some REM lately, but they have a large catalog and I'd like to know a place to start.

Suggestions?

nuffingman

dcfaithful wrote:

If this is considered hijacking, I apologize...but I've been really wanting to listen to some REM lately, but they have a large catalog and I'd like to know a place to start.

Suggestions?

Start at the beginning and finish at the end. Sorry not helpful. If you want a mixture the Live album is probably a pretty good choice. The recording quality is excellent. After that take your pick. Enjoy, it'll be worthwhile.

dcfaithful

nuffingman wrote:

dcfaithful wrote:

If this is considered hijacking, I apologize...but I've been really wanting to listen to some REM lately, but they have a large catalog and I'd like to know a place to start.

Suggestions?

Start at the beginning and finish at the end. Sorry not helpful. If you want a mixture the Live album is probably a pretty good choice. The recording quality is excellent. After that take your pick. Enjoy, it'll be worthwhile.

That is helpful. I generally do indulge in an artist chronologically, but sometimes on a rare occasion that isn't the best thing to do. I'll take your word.

:thumbup: Thanks!!!

dasvidana

nuffingman wrote:

dcfaithful wrote:

If this is considered hijacking, I apologize...but I've been really wanting to listen to some REM lately, but they have a large catalog and I'd like to know a place to start.

Suggestions?

Start at the beginning and finish at the end. Sorry not helpful. If you want a mixture the Live album is probably a pretty good choice. The recording quality is excellent. After that take your pick. Enjoy, it'll be worthwhile.

I concur. The early stuff is notorius for being hard to understand the lyrics. When Eddie Vedder inducted them into the rock and roll hall of fame, he commented at how he couldn't figure out what Michael Stipe was saying on Murmur. By Fables, you could begin to understand the words Michael was singing better and by the time Out of Time Came Around, the lyrics were pretty audible.

Brisk.

I fucking love Murmur, ever since Vedder mentionened it in that speech I thought i'd listen to and now I worship it. I then wanted to hear more so I got loads of murmur era bootlegs and I started to really like their more punky sound. Got into Reckoning and various others, Pretty Persuasion and Dont Go Back to Rockville are so good amongst many others.

However With R.E.M. there are some really hit n miss songs!

Ricsard

R.E.M. is one of the very best band of the 80's, Life's Rich Pageant, Green are fuckin perfect records but the others were really really memorable as well. Up and Reveal are the only R.E.M. albums I don't really enjoy by the way, everything else they put out was classic in my opinion.

MysteryTrain

Let's have some love for Monster too. It's vastly underrated. REM is one of very few consistently good bands today.

bobasfeet

Inspired by this thread, I went down to the local record store and luckily found a used vinyl of Murmur. I could have grabbed Chronic Town too. Hope I didn't make a mistake not getting it. Life's Rich Pageant is still my all time favorite.

dasvidana

bobasfeet wrote:

Inspired by this thread, I went down to the local record store and luckily found a used vinyl of Murmur. I could have grabbed Chronic Town too. Hope I didn't make a mistake not getting it. Life's Rich Pageant is still my all time favorite.

go get Chronic Town too-it's amazing

tcaporale

Reckoning is my favorite. These guys are definitely in my top five bands.

I love the way they mix harmonies into their songs. For example, the chorus of "Harborcoat". It's absolutely fantastic.

eeriepadave

not really early but listened to Automatic For The People today, great album!

I like Murmur a lot as well as Lifes Rich Pageant.

tcaporale

This is how I'd rank 'em:

1. Reckoning
2. Murmur
3. Automatic for the People
4. Lifes Rich Pageant
5. Document
6. Fables of the Reconstruction
7. New Adventures in Hi-Fi
8. Green
9. Out of Time
10. Monster
11. Accelerate
12. Reveal
13. Up
14. Around the Sun

Even on the bottom-tier records, there are plenty of songs to enjoy.

pirlo21

Nice ot see some love for REM!

When I started the post mentioning the early albums, it's not to say I don't love the later stuff.
Because I really do. New Adventures & Monster I absolutely adore.
It's just when I talk to friends that aren't really fans, they only know Losing My Religion & Everybody Hurts!
Classic tracks, from classic albums, from a classic period of music. But a shame people don't know a bit more about where this ridiculously talented band came from.

REM for me are very much like Pearl Jam. Couldn't really tell you what my favourite album is. Love them all, just depends what kind of mood I'm in.

jammerfall

nuffingman wrote:

I get a bit tired of hearing people knocking the later stuff as it seems to be a fashion to only like old stuff from every band on the planet. Each of their albums has some amazing songs.

Yes!

dcfaithful

nuffingman wrote:

I get a bit tired of hearing people knocking the later stuff as it seems to be a fashion to only like old stuff from every band on the planet.

So true.

tcaporale

dcfaithful wrote:

nuffingman wrote:

I get a bit tired of hearing people knocking the later stuff as it seems to be a fashion to only like old stuff from every band on the planet.

So true.

Well, I agree, to an extent.

The more recent albums haven't been as strong as those of the past, but I do agree that there are some great songs to be found on them.

Brisk.

I think they are finishing their next album?

electronblue

Brisk. wrote:

I think they are finishing their next album?

i can't wait!! and i also NEED to buy the re-release of Fables

BinauralJam

dasvidana wrote:

I was a huge REM fan in the 80s. Saw them live for the first time in 1985 which was great. They were groundbreaking for the 80's in the same way that Nirvana was groundbreaking in the 90's. Before REM, there was punk, new wave, and "cow punk" but nothing as visceral or melodic as what REM did. They were a true inspiration to those of us who grew up during the 80's. I love listening to Chronic Town and Murmur....pure delight.

after monster i stop listening to them, but there were a real rock bacnd back when hair bands were taking over. God Bless em.

dasvidana

KO282453 wrote:

dasvidana wrote:

I was a huge REM fan in the 80s. Saw them live for the first time in 1985 which was great. They were groundbreaking for the 80's in the same way that Nirvana was groundbreaking in the 90's. Before REM, there was punk, new wave, and "cow punk" but nothing as visceral or melodic as what REM did. They were a true inspiration to those of us who grew up during the 80's. I love listening to Chronic Town and Murmur....pure delight.

after monster i stop listening to them, but there were a real rock bacnd back when hair bands were taking over. God Bless em.

Yes, REM were the anti-Motley Crue.

Zoso

r.e.m. 80's work is absolutely outstanding... love everything from chronic town through to document and beyond. my favorite would have to be lifes rich pagent though it has fall on me and begin the begin... although i love life and how to live it also.

West of the fields is my fav from mumor...

if anyone wants a great rem live album check out last years live rehearsals dublin double disc (39 tracks). pure class with really rare tracks.

Ashkorsair

imo all albums off r.e.m take a while to sink in.
but when they do...oh boy u r in for an awesome ride.
somehow when i listen to any album off theirs i zone out to places i have never been and possibly never have existed....
i dunno how to describe it but it takes me places

Who Princess

Zoso wrote:

if anyone wants a great rem live album check out last years live rehearsals dublin double disc (39 tracks). pure class with really rare tracks.

I've been listening to Live at Olympia almost nonstop the last few days! Such a great mix of their old and newer stuff, with lots of emphasis on the older. It helps me remember how much I loved their early albums. I like the later stuff too though. Really love Monster but Life's Rich Pageant is probably my fave.