auctioneer69 Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 Link NPR is having a listening party on Tuesday (3/1) and they'll be streaming the album starting Wednesday. Also, 'Chorus and the Ring' is the best song off Reveal. You can go to I-Tunes (in the States at least) and preview all the songs. Can't wait for it to come out. Based on these clips and the 5 full songs that I have heard this is going to be a really enjoyable album. I don't think it'll be ranked amongst the very top tier of their catalogue but there's lot of melody and energy to enjoy. To bad they aren't touring. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
calvino Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Link NPR is having a listening party on Tuesday (3/1) and they'll be streaming the album starting Wednesday. Also, 'Chorus and the Ring' is the best song off Reveal. Going on now... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SunkenKamera Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 Sounded pretty good to me. 'Blue' really recalls 'Country Feedback' mixed with 'E-bow'. The only track that I didn't really dig was 'Everyday is yours to win'. Might get better with time, but it gave me Around the Sun flashbacks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
auctioneer69 Posted March 2, 2011 Author Share Posted March 2, 2011 Sounded pretty good to me. 'Blue' really recalls 'Country Feedback' mixed with 'E-bow'. The only track that I didn't really dig was 'Everyday is yours to win'. Might get better with time, but it gave me Around the Sun flashbacks. Have to say I am loving this.....nothing startling different...but tons of energy, melody and trademark R.E.M. hooks. Likewise not too taken with "Everyday is yours to win" which is a little too sickly sweet for me. Really like the opening three tracks and "AAAA" and "That Someone is You". They seem to have got the mix between faster and slower songs just right. Also great pacing and song-order. Stipe's singing is up there with people like Chrissy Hynde and Elvis Costello for me. Rich,distinctive and compelling but you couldn't imagine them having a chance before new wave allowed slightly less conventional voices a chance. Also, he has a great ear for a melody. Listen to something like "Walk It Back" and imagine how plain it sounded when it was just an instrumental demo. What baffles me is that is getting a very lukewarm response in Britain. Mojo and Uncut both gave it 3 out of 5 stars and Q gave it 2 out of five. The latter seems pretty insulting especially as Q championed the band in their move from cult to major success. On this side of the pond, NPR's positive reaction is almost universal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dtram Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Gotta say, I'm pretty surprised they had this one in them. I think, even though I'm a huge fan that I can be pretty objective about them and this is a pretty great record. R.E.M. ceased being cool a long time ago so this record won't likely get the respect or recognition it deserves. At the end of the day, if you liked them back in the day , there is something here for you. It rocks as hard as LRP and Document, it has the acoustic feel of OOT and Automatic and closes with what can only be described as a tone poem with patti smith that is the child of country feedback, belong and live for today (1997 fan club single.). And through all of that, it doesn't feel stale or tired. Yes, you've heard it before, but not quite like this. Really, an amazing collection of hooks and melodies. I don't feel that their post Bill Berry work has been nearly as disappointing as some do, I actually quite like most of it, but this album, at least on first impression, is of the quality of their best work. How many bands can you say that about after 30 years? I think I mentioned early in the thread that i thought it may be a good time to pack it in. If they keep up this quality, why should they? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
auctioneer69 Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 Gotta say, I'm pretty surprised they had this one in them. I think, even though I'm a huge fan that I can be pretty objective about them and this is a pretty great record. R.E.M. ceased being cool a long time ago so this record won't likely get the respect or recognition it deserves. At the end of the day, if you liked them back in the day , there is something here for you. It rocks as hard as LRP and Document, it has the acoustic feel of OOT and Automatic and closes with what can only be described as a tone poem with patti smith that is the child of country feedback, belong and live for today (1997 fan club single.). And through all of that, it doesn't feel stale or tired. Yes, you've heard it before, but not quite like this. Really, an amazing collection of hooks and melodies. I don't feel that their post Bill Berry work has been nearly as disappointing as some do, I actually quite like most of it, but this album, at least on first impression, is of the quality of their best work. How many bands can you say that about after 30 years? I think I mentioned early in the thread that i thought it may be a good time to pack it in. If they keep up this quality, why should they? Delighted to see that a long-time fan like me feels the same way about "Collapse Into Now". Maybe a little relieved too in case I was gushing too much myself. I think it's really tough to be objective about R.E.M. especially this late into their career. I'd argue that they had such a consistently brilliant run from "Chronic Town" through "New Adventures in Hi-Fi" that they are definitely weighed down by that legacy. As you correctly state it doesn't feel tired or stale. Overall, it's definitely one of their poppiest albums. With the exception of "Blue" there isn't anything remotely challenging for the casual listener. I mean that as an observation and not a criticism. It's the most Bill Berry sounding of the records that don't feature him. Why? Well Bill Rieflin really plays with a Berry-like fluidity and power on the faster/rockier tracks. There's also a succinctness married to melody that is a very definite hallmark of Bill Berry era albums especially their most commercially successful releases. Lastly, I never tire of Michael Stipe's voice. You could argue it isn't what it was but he's definitely more successfully adapted his delivery than someone like Bono. Just a shame they aren't touring. Close your eyes and imagine the lights going down and the band opening with "Discoverer" and "All The Best"...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dtram Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Delighted to see that a long-time fan like me feels the same way about "Collapse Into Now". Maybe a little relieved too in case I was gushing too much myself. I think it's really tough to be objective about R.E.M. especially this late into their career. I'd argue that they had such a consistently brilliant run from "Chronic Town" through "New Adventures in Hi-Fi" that they are definitely weighed down by that legacy. As you correctly state it doesn't feel tired or stale. Overall, it's definitely one of their poppiest albums. With the exception of "Blue" there isn't anything remotely challenging for the casual listener. I mean that as an observation and not a criticism. It's the most Bill Berry sounding of the records that don't feature him. Why? Well Bill Rieflin really plays with a Berry-like fluidity and power on the faster/rockier tracks. There's also a succinctness married to melody that is a very definite hallmark of Bill Berry era albums especially their most commercially successful releases. Lastly, I never tire of Michael Stipe's voice. You could argue it isn't what it was but he's definitely more successfully adapted his delivery than someone like Bono. Just a shame they aren't touring. Close your eyes and imagine the lights going down and the band opening with "Discoverer" and "All The Best"......Got me thinking as i never really thought of rem records by whether they were challenging or not. I would say, by and large rem records aren't challenging at all. Even the funkier ones like monster or up are still, at the core pop records, one had fuzz, the other, synth noises but stripped to their essense, they are still rem. Where they got into trouble is when they lost that governor, maybe BB, maybe a good producer to keep them focused. One record was still great (up) one was pretty damn good (reveal) and one kinda sucked (ats). Now they have 2 in a row that are great. I am actually surprised at the amount of dissing i have been reading lately about accelerate. I thought it was great when it came out and still do. It's a great collection of songs and now that i finally found a vinyl rip on the internets, I'm loving it even more. The compression is to me the only legitimate criticism of the record. While the vinyl is still compressed, it's light years better than the cd. Gonna listen to CIN again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
auctioneer69 Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 Got me thinking as i never really thought of rem records by whether they were challenging or not. I would say, by and large rem records aren't challenging at all. Even the funkier ones like monster or up are still, at the core pop records, one had fuzz, the other, synth noises but stripped to their essense, they are still rem. Where they got into trouble is when they lost that governor, maybe BB, maybe a good producer to keep them focused. One record was still great (up) one was pretty damn good (reveal) and one kinda sucked (ats). Now they have 2 in a row that are great. I am actually surprised at the amount of dissing i have been reading lately about accelerate. I thought it was great when it came out and still do. It's a great collection of songs and now that i finally found a vinyl rip on the internets, I'm loving it even more. The compression is to me the only legitimate criticism of the record. While the vinyl is still compressed, it's light years better than the cd. Gonna listen to CIN again. LOL. My better-half have been chastising me for playing it too much. Time flies. First REM album I listened to when it came out was "Life's Rich Pageant". It's sweet that one of my favourite bands can still bring out the 17 year boy in me. Agree on "Accelerate". I think a lot of fans hated the production and to some extent the focus on shorter songs. I liked it a lot when it came out but guess I'll play "Collapse Into Now" more over the course. Likewise your assessment of the other albums. "Up" might have been a classic if they were on good enough terms when it was about to be released to decide on which 2 or 3 tracks to leave off the album. I have read and you'd probably know this for sure but seemingly neither Mills or Buck would relent and allow one or two of their compositions to be axed. I don't know if you'd agree but the song "You're In the Air" is one of the most under-appreciated songs in the R.E.M. canon. The emotion in that song never fails to get me. "Reveal" is a really-good failed experiment and "Around The Sun" is just plain awful. Again - you've probably read the same thing. Peter Buck's biggest contribution to that album was to fill up 2 or 3 I-Pods with songs for Stipe and Mills while they completely over-laboured their parts in the studio for months. I also read something by Peter Buck around the time it was released saying the only reason he didn't quit was he wouldn't like to see all the people in the broader REM organisation out of a job. With "Accelerate" and "Collapse Into Now" I am really glad that didn't happen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dtram Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 "Up" might have been a classic if they were on good enough terms when it was about to be released to decide on which 2 or 3 tracks to leave off the album. I have read and you'd probably know this for sure but seemingly neither Mills or Buck would relent and allow one or two of their compositions to be axed. I don't know if you'd agree but the song "You're In the Air" is one of the most under-appreciated songs in the R.E.M. canon. The emotion in that song never fails to get me. Guess I'm gonna have to be disagreable on this, You're in the Air would be one of the 3 tracks I'd have left off Up, To me, it's kind of blah and just slows things down between Sad Professor and Walk Unafraid. The other 2 i'd scratch are Apologist and Diminished. Apologist for me is in the running for the worst song in the catalog, definitely beat his own record for saying I'm Sorry in a song and Diminished is just too slow and drags the record out. What I've noticed is that most people think Up is too long by 3 songs but no one agrees on the 3 that should have been cut. Guess were lucky that we can all make our own running order. 3 more listens into CIN and I still love it. AAAA is really surprising at how good it is, love That Someone is You, sounds like it could've been off of one of those 1980 Tyronnes boots. Tired of listening the shitty stream rip. Ready for the real thing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
remphish1 Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 I am attending the Tibet House benefit at Carengie Hall with Mr. Stipe performing tonight..I hope he plays something off the new album as I am digging it too! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dtram Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 I am attending the Tibet House benefit at Carengie Hall with Mr. Stipe performing tonight..I hope he plays something off the new album as I am digging it too!Have fun. I went in 1999 when REM played. They did e-bow w/patti, PJ's The Long Road witht some dude playing a 20ft horn and At My Most Beautiful with Mills and Philip Glass sharing the same piano. It's gotta be one of the most interesting 3 song sets the band ever played and it kills me there has never been a recording surface. I love Carnegie Hall too. You'll enjoy this next part of the story given your user name. Trey was playing as well and there was this obnoxious phish fan who wouldnt shut the fuck up yelling Trey, Trey every 5 fucking minutes until he came on. Some one finally responded to him, tray of what, tray of cold cuts? or something like that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
imsjry Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I be the negative one in the bunch. On first listen, this sounds like REM trying hard to sound like REM (much like Atomic Bomb and All That You Can't Leave Behind were for U2). At least the last few releases were a band trying to do something different (although mostly disappointing). I hope this is a grower because I was disappointed on my first pass, especially with all the hype. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lost highway Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 It's a great collection of songs and now that i finally found a vinyl rip on the internets, I'm loving it even more. The compression is to me the only legitimate criticism of the record. While the vinyl is still compressed, it's light years better than the cd. Dude, just buy a record player. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
airtaco Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 After three listens I have to say I'm very pleased. IMO this blows Accelerate, which had its moments but also a fair amount of underdeveloped songs, out of the water. As someone else pointed out, the sequencing is perfect and I'm enjoying certain songs in the context of the album better than I did on their own (It Happened Today, Oh My Heart). Production is great and Michael's voice sounds great. And I will stick my neck out and say I'm really enjoying EDIYTW. Just beautiful, great harmonies. Really a pity they aren't touring behind this. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I be the negative one in the bunch. On first listen, this sounds like REM trying hard to sound like REM (much like Atomic Bomb and All That You Can't Leave Behind were for U2). At least the last few releases were a band trying to do something different (although mostly disappointing). I hope this is a grower because I was disappointed on my first pass, especially with all the hype. That was my first thought. It sounded like a laid back Monster. R.E.M. Recruits James Franco, Albert Maysles to Helm 'Collapse Into Now' Videos Every song on the new R.E.M. album, "Collapse Into Now," will be accompanied by a short film created by 11 different filmmakers, among them documentarian Albert Maysles and Michael Stipe himself. Actor James Franco directs two of the films, for "That Someone is You" and "Blue." Stipe personally curated the Collapse Into Now Film Project. The band's website, remhq.com, will release details about when and where the films will be available for viewing over the next several weeks. The directors for each song are Michael Stipe and Lynda Stipe ("Discoverer"); James Herbert ("All the Best"); Sam Taylor-Wood ("Uberlin"); Jem Cohen ("Oh My Heart"); Tom Gilroy ("It Happened Today"); Jim McKay, Chris Moukarbel and Valerie Veatch ("Every Day is Yours to Win"); Dominic DeJoseph ("Mine Smell Like Honey"); Sophie Calle ("Walk It Back"); Lance Bangs ("Alligator_Autopilot_Antimatter"); James Franco ("That Someone is You," "Blue"); and Albert Maysles and Bradley Kaplan ("Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando and I"). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
auctioneer69 Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 That was my first thought. It sounded like a laid back Monster. R.E.M. Recruits James Franco, Albert Maysles to Helm 'Collapse Into Now' Videos Here is the the link for the "It Happened Today" http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/03/pop-song-2011-the-video-for-r-e-m-s-it-happened-today/ and "Uberlin" http://www.hennemusic.com/2011/03/new-videos-rem-uberlin-and-it-happened.html Was pretty skeptical about this project initially but I really enjoy the results for these two songs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 That is sort of an interesting thing to do. I believe Blondie was the first band to make a film for each song on an album (Eat To The Beat). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
remphish1 Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Have fun. I went in 1999 when REM played. They did e-bow w/patti, PJ's The Long Road witht some dude playing a 20ft horn and At My Most Beautiful with Mills and Philip Glass sharing the same piano. It's gotta be one of the most interesting 3 song sets the band ever played and it kills me there has never been a recording surface. I love Carnegie Hall too. You'll enjoy this next part of the story given your user name. Trey was playing as well and there was this obnoxious phish fan who wouldnt shut the fuck up yelling Trey, Trey every 5 fucking minutes until he came on. Some one finally responded to him, tray of what, tray of cold cuts? or something like that.Yeah it was a great short set this year too... First performance of both Saturn Returns and Everyday is Yours to Win... That is funny with the Trey stuff...as much as I enjoy Phish from time to time their fans are 99% very annoying and do take away from the live expierence. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
u2roolz Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I think I'm going to wait until Tuesday to hear Collapse Into Now. I vaguely remember the 4 or 5 tracks that were leaked, so it should be a somewhat fresh experience. I am pretty excited for it. RE: Remphish meeting Michael Stipe - Awesome! He was probably in a great mood because he was on Jimmy Fallon last night. Michael Stipe On Late Night PART 1Edit: Fallon laughed when Stipe told him about Mine Smell Like Honey. To be exact, Fallon laughed at the title to which Stipe explained it was part of "The Male Trio" or something like that. Also, in regards to video albums, I know that Elton John did one way back in the early 80s for probably his most obscure album The Fox. Not the first, but I wonder why bands didn't do more of this back then? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dtram Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Dude, just buy a record player. Wish I had thought of that. Seriously, i dont have a spot for it that wouldn't keep it out of harms way of a 3 and 6 year old. That was my first thought. It sounded like a laid back Monster. R.E.M. Recruits James Franco, Albert Maysles to Helm 'Collapse Into Now' VideosReally? Interesting, the only song that reminds me at all of Monster is All the Best. To me, one of the biggest problems with monster is that even though they're all loud, they are also pretty much all slow, the only one with a fast tempo is Star 69. All the rockers on CIN are really fast, much more reminicent of LRP. Yeah it was a great short set this year too... First performance of both Saturn Returns and Everyday is Yours to Win... That is funny with the Trey stuff...as much as I enjoy Phish from time to time their fans are 99% very annoying and do take away from the live expierence.How was Saturn Return, what was the instrumentation? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
remphish1 Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Wish I had thought of that. Seriously, i dont have a spot for it that wouldn't keep it out of harms way of a 3 and 6 year old. Really? Interesting, the only song that reminds me at all of Monster is All the Best. To me, one of the biggest problems with monster is that even though they're all loud, they are also pretty much all slow, the only one with a fast tempo is Star 69. All the rockers on CIN are really fast, much more reminicent of LRP. How was Saturn Return, what was the instrumentation? here is a thread with some video.. http://www.murmurs.com/topic/117131-stipe-performing-everyday-is-yours-to-win-at-carnegie-hal/ It was done at the Piano...one member of Patti Smiths band played the piano (forgetting his name) it sounded really pure..I liked it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Wish I had thought of that. Seriously, i dont have a spot for it that wouldn't keep it out of harms way of a 3 and 6 year old. Really? Interesting, the only song that reminds me at all of Monster is All the Best. To me, one of the biggest problems with monster is that even though they're all loud, they are also pretty much all slow, the only one with a fast tempo is Star 69. All the rockers on CIN are really fast, much more reminicent of LRP. How was Saturn Return, what was the instrumentation? I need to check it out some more. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
auctioneer69 Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 I need to check it out some more. Agree on the "Life's Rich Pageant" reference or parts of "NAIHF". The trouble with "Monster" is that despite its claim it rarely rocks. Absolutely loving "Collapse into Now" now I have listened to it 10 + times. Again no prizes for originality but lots of energy and more hooks than a butcher's shop Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dtram Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Agree on the "Life's Rich Pageant" reference or parts of "NAIHF". The trouble with "Monster" is that despite its claim it rarely rocks. Absolutely loving "Collapse into Now" now I have listened to it 10 + times. Again no prizes for originality but lots of energy and more hooks than a butcher's shop Only song I'm having trouble getting is Everyday is Yours To Win and I love the way it sounds, just not connecting. I agree, it really is a hook fest. I'm ready to stop with this hybrid, MP3 leak/stream burn and listen to the real thing. Know of any rips from Australia or Europe where it's already out floating around? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
auctioneer69 Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 Only song I'm having trouble getting is Everyday is Yours To Win and I love the way it sounds, just not connecting. I agree, it really is a hook fest. I'm ready to stop with this hybrid, MP3 leak/stream burn and listen to the real thing. Know of any rips from Australia or Europe where it's already out floating around? No afraid I am a luddite on this stuff. Can't wait until Tuesday. Agree on "Everyday is Yours To Win". Find the part where the lead guitar and Mill's backing vocals come in kinda clunky and clumsy relative to the rest of the song. Bot overall. far effin better than I dared imagine 15 albums and 30 years in. Really hope the positive response from fans and critics inspires a tour. Living in Seattle it would be very conceivable to see Eddie Vedder joining them for "It Happened Today". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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