R.E.M - Where to start?

thispureamericanriot

Eponymous (Collection 1981-87)
Document
Green
Out Of Time
Automatic For The People
Monster (has a some vital tracks, but the dip in quality starts here IMO)

brianlux

Their first record is the EP, "Chronic Town" and it's fine but I remember when first hearing "Murmur" when it came out thinking right away- this is groundbreaking. It's still an amazing record that holds up well. R.E.M. went on to make several great records and had a fantastic career and were a lot of fun to see live but I would say since "Murmur" is such a classic, that's where I would recommend starting.

Other than maybe holding off on Chronic Town, I agree with JOEJOEJOE's idea of moving through chronologically. The evolution of this band is fascinating. For me, the latter decade definitely hit some bumps but they never made a really bad record and so much of their catalog is fantastic stuff.

ledvedderman

thispureamericanriot said:

Eponymous (Collection 1981-87)
Document
Green
Out Of Time
Automatic For The People
Monster (has a some vital tracks, but the dip in quality starts here IMO)

I honestly see Monster as a terrible album. It feels forced and sounds flat. Give me Around the Sun or Accelerate any day over Monster.

JH6056

ledvedderman said:

thispureamericanriot said:

Eponymous (Collection 1981-87)
Document
Green
Out Of Time
Automatic For The People
Monster (has a some vital tracks, but the dip in quality starts here IMO)

I honestly see Monster as a terrible album. It feels forced and sounds flat. Give me Around the Sun or Accelerate any day over Monster.

I gotta ditto that about Monster. Other than What's the Frequency Kenneth and Crush with Eyeliner, I don't remember liking any other songs on that album. There are no other REM releases where I only like 2 songs! And that was the only live tour where, after seeing 3 shows on it, I was like "Eh.... those shows were not the best." I saw them a few times after Monster and they were back to being incredible, so I dunno what was up with that period.

thispureamericanriot

ledvedderman said:

thispureamericanriot said:

Eponymous (Collection 1981-87)
Document
Green
Out Of Time
Automatic For The People
Monster (has a some vital tracks, but the dip in quality starts here IMO)

I honestly see Monster as a terrible album. It feels forced and sounds flat. Give me Around the Sun or Accelerate any day over Monster.

OK, upon further reflection Monster is not that good, but it has some faves: What's the Frequency Kenneth, Crush With Eyeliner, Star 69, Bang and Blame.

New Adventures in Hi-Fi is a better album...it's also the last R.E.M. album I ever bought.

brianlux

thispureamericanriot said:

ledvedderman said:

thispureamericanriot said:

Eponymous (Collection 1981-87)
Document
Green
Out Of Time
Automatic For The People
Monster (has a some vital tracks, but the dip in quality starts here IMO)

I honestly see Monster as a terrible album. It feels forced and sounds flat. Give me Around the Sun or Accelerate any day over Monster.

OK, upon further reflection Monster is not that good, but it has some faves: What's the Frequency Kenneth, Crush With Eyeliner, Star 69, Bang and Blame.

New Adventures in Hi-Fi is a better album...it's also the last R.E.M. album I ever bought.

I can see why some would like Monster a lot-- it has some great songs. Overall, not nearly my favorite. But if you can get a hold of this 12" EP with "What's the Frequency Kenneth", and three excellent live cuts of "Monty Got a Raw Deal", "Everybody Hurts" and "Man on the Moon", it great- one of my very favorite R.E.M. platters.



(CD pictured but look for the 12"!)

lolobugg

derbydave said:

Reckoning!!!!

MY Fave......
like Pavement said....Time After Time is my least favorite song........ and it still kicks ASS

derbydave

lolobugg said:

derbydave said:

Reckoning!!!!

MY Fave......
like Pavement said....Time After Time is my least favorite song........ and it still kicks ASS

I hear you...
Murmur is a great album,
but I knew REM was something special the first time I heard Reckoning!!
I mean...come on...
South Central Rain (I'm Sorry)
Harborcoat
Pretty Persuasion
Camera
(Don't Go Back To) Rockville
7 Chinese Brothers
are all INCREDIBLE songs that I still love to listen to today!! :rock_on:

lolobugg

derbydave said:

lolobugg said:

derbydave said:

Reckoning!!!!

MY Fave......
like Pavement said....Time After Time is my least favorite song........ and it still kicks ASS

I hear you...
Murmur is a great album,
but I knew REM was something special the first time I heard Reckoning!!
I mean...come on...
South Central Rain (I'm Sorry)
Harborcoat
Pretty Persuasion
Camera
(Don't Go Back To) Rockville
7 Chinese Brothers
are all INCREDIBLE songs that I still love to listen to today!! :rock_on:

Dave,
Crazy thing is I have heard all of those live except Pretty Persuasion.
Love this album!!!

derbydave

lolobugg said:

derbydave said:

lolobugg said:

derbydave said:

Reckoning!!!!

MY Fave......
like Pavement said....Time After Time is my least favorite song........ and it still kicks ASS

I hear you...
Murmur is a great album,
but I knew REM was something special the first time I heard Reckoning!!
I mean...come on...
South Central Rain (I'm Sorry)
Harborcoat
Pretty Persuasion
Camera
(Don't Go Back To) Rockville
7 Chinese Brothers
are all INCREDIBLE songs that I still love to listen to today!! :rock_on:

Dave,
Crazy thing is I have heard all of those live except Pretty Persuasion.
Love this album!!!

The one that has escaped me is 7 Chinese Brothers...
never got that one!!

I got Pretty Persuasion twice...
The first time was at my 3rd REM show back in '86 in Bloomington, IN:

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/rem/1986/indiana-university-auditorium-bloomington-in-7bd6fe80.html

Closing with South Central Rain is still burned into my memory.

Got it again in Richmond on the Green Tour as well:

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/rem/1989/richmond-coliseum-richmond-va-53d68ff9.html

They did 3 encores that night...what a GREAT show!!

lolobugg

I am jealous of you seeing those early tours. would give anything to have attended just one show from the Reconstruction Tour. some of my fave bootlegs.
I didn't get to see them until the MONSTER tour. just glad I got to see all 4 original mbrs before Bill left.

eeriepadave

Start in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction
Wonder why you haven't before

Now start in the place where you work
Now face west
Think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven't before

If you are confused, check with the sun
Carry a compass to help you along
Your feet are going to be on the ground
Your head is there to move you around

So start in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction
Wonder why you haven't before

Now start in the place where you work
Now face west
Think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven't before

Your feet are going to be on the ground
Your head is there to move you around
If wishes were trees, the trees would be falling
Listen to reason, season is calling

Start in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction
Wonder why you haven't before

Now start in the place where you work
Now face west
Think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven't before

If wishes were trees, the trees would be falling
Listen to reason, reason is calling
Your feet are going to be on the ground
Your head is there to move you around

So start (Start!)
Now face north
Think about direction
Wonder why you haven't before

Now start (Start!)
Now face west
Think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven't

Start in the place where you live
Now face north
Think about direction
Wonder why you haven't before

Now stand in the place where you work
Now face west
Think about the place where you live
Wonder why you haven't before

Start in the place where you are
Now face north
Start in the place where you are
Now face west
Your feet are going to be on the ground
(Start in the place where you are)
Your head is there to move you around, so start

brianlux

lolobugg said:

derbydave said:

Reckoning!!!!

MY Fave......
like Pavement said....Time After Time is my least favorite song........ and it still kicks ASS

Excellent album! One of their best. I saw them tour for that record. It was great. Stipe hung on/held onto/leaned on the mic stand like it was his last safe refuge- but he sounded great. Buck, Mills and Berry were just flat our cool. They jammed with Gang of Four for the encore. Crazy!

lolobugg

brianlux said:

lolobugg said:

derbydave said:

Reckoning!!!!

MY Fave......
like Pavement said....Time After Time is my least favorite song........ and it still kicks ASS

Excellent album! One of their best. I saw them tour for that record. It was great. Stipe hung on/held onto/leaned on the mic stand like it was his last safe refuge- but he sounded great. Buck, Mills and Berry were just flat our cool. They jammed with Gang of Four for the encore. Crazy!

Jealous of you too, Brian... I have a video bootleg of them around that time playing a festival in Athens. basically just them on a flatbed trailer. so laid back.

brianlux

lolobugg said:

brianlux said:

lolobugg said:

derbydave said:

Reckoning!!!!

MY Fave......
like Pavement said....Time After Time is my least favorite song........ and it still kicks ASS

Excellent album! One of their best. I saw them tour for that record. It was great. Stipe hung on/held onto/leaned on the mic stand like it was his last safe refuge- but he sounded great. Buck, Mills and Berry were just flat our cool. They jammed with Gang of Four for the encore. Crazy!

Jealous of you too, Brian... I have a video bootleg of them around that time playing a festival in Athens. basically just them on a flatbed trailer. so laid back.

Simply an "accident of birth", lolbugg. I'm that old.

derbydave

brianlux said:

lolobugg said:

brianlux said:

lolobugg said:

derbydave said:

Reckoning!!!!

MY Fave......
like Pavement said....Time After Time is my least favorite song........ and it still kicks ASS

Excellent album! One of their best. I saw them tour for that record. It was great. Stipe hung on/held onto/leaned on the mic stand like it was his last safe refuge- but he sounded great. Buck, Mills and Berry were just flat our cool. They jammed with Gang of Four for the encore. Crazy!

Jealous of you too, Brian... I have a video bootleg of them around that time playing a festival in Athens. basically just them on a flatbed trailer. so laid back.

Simply an "accident of birth", lolbugg. I'm that old.

I resemble that remark as well!!

JH6056

brianlux said:

lolobugg said:

brianlux said:

lolobugg said:

derbydave said:

Reckoning!!!!

MY Fave......
like Pavement said....Time After Time is my least favorite song........ and it still kicks ASS

Excellent album! One of their best. I saw them tour for that record. It was great. Stipe hung on/held onto/leaned on the mic stand like it was his last safe refuge- but he sounded great. Buck, Mills and Berry were just flat our cool. They jammed with Gang of Four for the encore. Crazy!

Jealous of you too, Brian... I have a video bootleg of them around that time playing a festival in Athens. basically just them on a flatbed trailer. so laid back.

Simply an "accident of birth", lolbugg. I'm that old.

I have a refrigerator magnet that says "Yeah, I'm old, but that means I saw all the cool bands" so yeah, it's a great club to belong to!

You know what I always wonder though... were the 70s, 80s and 90s just THAT full of amazing bands... or will the folks who are teenagers and 20 today be saying the same things about some current bands in the year 2047?

brianlux

JH6056 said:

brianlux said:

lolobugg said:

brianlux said:

lolobugg said:

derbydave said:

Reckoning!!!!

MY Fave......
like Pavement said....Time After Time is my least favorite song........ and it still kicks ASS

Excellent album! One of their best. I saw them tour for that record. It was great. Stipe hung on/held onto/leaned on the mic stand like it was his last safe refuge- but he sounded great. Buck, Mills and Berry were just flat our cool. They jammed with Gang of Four for the encore. Crazy!

Jealous of you too, Brian... I have a video bootleg of them around that time playing a festival in Athens. basically just them on a flatbed trailer. so laid back.

Simply an "accident of birth", lolbugg. I'm that old.

I have a refrigerator magnet that says "Yeah, I'm old, but that means I saw all the cool bands" so yeah, it's a great club to belong to!

You know what I always wonder though... were the 70s, 80s and 90s just THAT full of amazing bands... or will the folks who are teenagers and 20 today be saying the same things about some current bands in the year 2047?

Oh, that's too funny! My wife got me a t-shirt that says basically the same: "I may be old but at least I got to see all the cool bands." Only problem is when I wear it, sure enough someone will come up and ask if I've see so-and-so. They always seem to pick someone I missed!

"will the folks who are teenagers and 20 today be saying the same things about some current bands in the year 2047?"
Now that is a great question! I wondered about that as well. We've talked about it a number of times over on the Steve Hoffman TV Forum (excellent music forum!). Some people will say, oh yeah, they will rave about such-and-such a hip hop or pop artist but in the last twenty years has there been an artist that made an impact as big as Elvis, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Stones, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Who, or The Doors? Sadly, I can only think of maybe one: Pearl Jam. I wish I could honestly say there were others.

JH6056

brianlux said:

JH6056 said:

brianlux said:

lolobugg said:

brianlux said:

lolobugg said:

derbydave said:

Reckoning!!!!

MY Fave......
like Pavement said....Time After Time is my least favorite song........ and it still kicks ASS

Excellent album! One of their best. I saw them tour for that record. It was great. Stipe hung on/held onto/leaned on the mic stand like it was his last safe refuge- but he sounded great. Buck, Mills and Berry were just flat our cool. They jammed with Gang of Four for the encore. Crazy!

Jealous of you too, Brian... I have a video bootleg of them around that time playing a festival in Athens. basically just them on a flatbed trailer. so laid back.

Simply an "accident of birth", lolbugg. I'm that old.

I have a refrigerator magnet that says "Yeah, I'm old, but that means I saw all the cool bands" so yeah, it's a great club to belong to!

You know what I always wonder though... were the 70s, 80s and 90s just THAT full of amazing bands... or will the folks who are teenagers and 20 today be saying the same things about some current bands in the year 2047?

Oh, that's too funny! My wife got me a t-shirt that says basically the same: "I may be old but at least I got to see all the cool bands." Only problem is when I wear it, sure enough someone will come up and ask if I've see so-and-so. They always seem to pick someone I missed!

"will the folks who are teenagers and 20 today be saying the same things about some current bands in the year 2047?"
Now that is a great question! I wondered about that as well. We've talked about it a number of times over on the Steve Hoffman TV Forum (excellent music forum!). Some people will say, oh yeah, they will rave about such-and-such a hip hop or pop artist but in the last twenty years has there been an artist that made an impact as big as Elvis, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Stones, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Who, or The Doors? Sadly, I can only think of maybe one: Pearl Jam. I wish I could honestly say there were others.

See, and I'm not even thinking on that level. I can't even think of who is around today that people will be talking about in 20 yrs who is on the same level as: The Clash, Elvis Costello, Jeff Buckley, The Fugees live (OMG they were PHENOMENAL live), The Roots, Radiohead, The Replacements (on a good night), even bands that not everyone on this board will know but who killed it live and on at least a couple recordings, like Uncle Tupelo, the Afghan Whigs, The Kills (on a great night - no idea how they are now)...

Who in the world is out now who's even close to as good as any of those bands? And I know we don't all agree on the "fantastic-ness" of the bands just listed, but most music-heads will at least agree that a strong case can be made for the talent/innovation/fire of those artists/bands...

Kendrick Lamar, he's the only artist out now that I think most see as truly groundbreaking and incredibly talented (again, I know we don't all agree on that but still)... Is there anyone else?

tbergs

Thanks to this thread, I was finally motivated to listen to the REM catalog from the beginning. Very impressed with everything leading up to Automatic For the People. I had really only known the radio hits from the earlier albums and never really liked their 90's stuff beyond Automatic so it was refreshing to see how much I missed in those early years. Love Document; great album. Everything from The Reckoning to Green is the best stuff. Can't believe I missed out on this growing up. Now I see why people like them so much.