R.E.M. 1980-2011??

[worldrecordplayer]

I hate to be the contrarian here, but I’m sort of shocked by all the highest of praise for Automatic. Like folks here, Steven Hayden did a podcast calling it his favorite, or the best, R.E.M. album. It was such a surprise to me that I went back and gave it a listen and confirmed that I am not in that camp. Not that it doesn’t have some tunes I really like and put up there in the pantheon of all R.E.M. songs, but overall, from start to finish, the album doesn’t come close to the way I react to any number of their others, like all the I.R.S. albums. Maybe because l’m old enough to have lived through all their albums in real time, starting with Radio Free Europe as a single on college radio in Boston. For so many years they were my wife’s and my favorite band. Hey, I’m glad every time anyone wants to talk about R.E.M., so this is more akin to splitting hairs. Just my $.02.

 

 

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[remphish1]

^I am a firm believer that people hole dear the albums that they got into a band with. Automatic was the 2nd or 3rd album I bought by them. It was this album that made me become a fan and it is this style more so then their 80's stuff that got me into them. Not to say I don't hold dear the first 6 albums or so but this is the band that I knew as R.E.M. I was also 12 at the time and my music taste were still forming. Going back and thinking about their catalog this is my favorite of theirs but I think it was a combo of right place, right time for me.

[chuckrh]

i got into them with Chronic Town. came out early in my music biz days when i was in my very early 20s. i heard boxcars & was immediately hooked.

[tinnitus photography]

I hate to be the contrarian here, but I’m sort of shocked by all the highest of praise for Automatic. Like folks here, Steven Hayden did a podcast calling it his favorite, or the best, R.E.M. album. It was such a surprise to me that I went back and gave it a listen and confirmed that I am not in that camp. Not that it doesn’t have some tunes I really like and put up there in the pantheon of all R.E.M. songs, but overall, from start to finish, the album doesn’t come close to the way I react to any number of their others, like all the I.R.S. albums. Maybe because l’m old enough to have lived through all their albums in real time, starting with Radio Free Europe as a single on college radio in Boston. For so many years they were my wife’s and my favorite band. Hey, I’m glad every time anyone wants to talk about R.E.M., so this is more akin to splitting hairs. Just my $.02.

 

 

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i stopped buying REM records at Green. 

 

"Camera" was far too low on that ranking of REM songs.

[Passenger Sid]

More press for the reissue:

 

https://www.stereogum.com/1970139/qa-michael-stipe-on-life-after-r-e-m-and-revisiting-automatic-for-the-people/franchises/interview

 

Stipe: "We spent our entire career trying to not repeat ourselves."

 

​I always liked that about R.E.M. Each album truly was an event. You wanted to hear what they came up with. You knew your were gonna hear an "album" and not a bunch of wannabe singles.

 

I adore the vibe of Automatic. Dark for sure, but so human. 

 

It's a Top 5 R.E.M. album for me. Maybe Top 3.

[Boss_Tweedy]

Stipe: "We spent our entire career trying to not repeat ourselves."

 

​I always liked that about R.E.M. Each album truly was an event. You wanted to hear what they came up with. You knew your were gonna hear an "album" and not a bunch of wannabe singles.

 

I adore the vibe of Automatic. Dark for sure, but so human. 

 

It's a Top 5 R.E.M. album for me. Maybe Top 3.

 

It's definitely my favorite of their Warner Bros. albums and one of my favorites from their entire catalog. I've been listening to it pretty frequently in recent months during my dad's decline and in the days since his death. Despite its darkness it's comforting for me. 

[scribex6]

I got into REM with Document and immediately plunged into their back catalog with Lifes Rich Pageant and the rest immediately afterwards. But Automatic remains my favorite album of theirs. Even though it's pegged as a dark album it does have lighter moments like "Man on the Man" and "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight" and it's got gorgeous songs like "Nightswimming" and "Find the River." "Sweetness Follows" is my favorite though. The album came out a year or so after my mother passed away from cancer and that song in particular meant a lot to me through some difficult times.

[Dmada]

i stopped buying REM records at Green. 

 

"Camera" was far too low on that ranking of REM songs.

 

Yup, they jumped the shark with out of time.

[chuckrh]

I got into REM with Document and immediately plunged into their back catalog with Lifes Rich Pageant and the rest immediately afterwards. But Automatic remains my favorite album of theirs. Even though it's pegged as a dark album it does have lighter moments like "Man on the Man" and "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight" and it's got gorgeous songs like "Nightswimming" and "Find the River." "Sweetness Follows" is my favorite though. The album came out a year or so after my mother passed away from cancer and that song in particular meant a lot to me through some difficult times.

life's rich pageant is another personal fave. that was a really good tour with guadacanal diary opening. at the end, stipe did "we don't need another hero" accompinied by a beat box. strangeness but cool.

[Passenger Sid]

Yup, they jumped the shark with out of time.

 

I love early R.E.M., but if I could only listen to ONE of the following groups of records, I'm not sure which I'd choose. I think maybe I'd lean Group 2.

 

FIRST SIX ALBUMS: Murmur, Reckoning, Fables Of Reconstruction, Life's Rich Pageant, Document, Green

 

SECOND SIX ALBUMS: Out Of Time, Automatic For The People, Monster, New Adventures In Hi-Fi, Up, Reveal

[scribex6]

life's rich pageant is another personal fave. that was a really good tour with guadacanal diary opening. at the end, stipe did "we don't need another hero" accompinied by a beat box. strangeness but cool.

 

Yeah, if I'd probably put Pageant as my second favorite. Love "Fall on Me" and "Cuyahoga."

 

Unlike some fans I don't really separate R.E.M. by time periods because I'd include albums from both the IRS and WB years in my top five.

[chuckrh]

Yeah, if I'd probably put Pageant as my second favorite. Love "Fall on Me" and "Cuyahoga."

 

Unlike some fans I don't really separate R.E.M. by time periods because I'd include albums from both the IRS and WB years in my top five.

totally agree

[Boss_Tweedy]

Here's a good hour-long sit-down interview with Mike and Michael by Rolling Stone Germany in anticipation of the Automatic re-release:

 

http://www.remhq.com/news/watch-mike-michael-live-from-berlin-on-facebook-live/

[blureu]

Missed it!   Hope they archive it.

 

 

 

Here's a good hour-long sit-down interview with Mike and Michael by Rolling Stone Germany in anticipation of the Automatic re-release:

 

http://www.remhq.com/news/watch-mike-michael-live-from-berlin-on-facebook-live/

[Chez]

I listened to Fables last night.  What a brilliant album. Stipe at his most inscrutable, mumbly best.

[Boss_Tweedy]

Missed it!   Hope they archive it.

 

I think it's recorded on that link. At least it was for me.

[Oil Can Boyd]

I listened to Fables last night.  What a brilliant album. Stipe at his most inscrutable, mumbly best.

Totally agree. Kohoutek and Good Advices are two of my all-time favorite R.E.M. songs.  

[remphish1]

Totally agree. Kohoutek and Good Advices are two of my all-time favorite R.E.M. songs.

Fables is the album I keep going back to! Green growes the rushes and auctioneer love it!!

[John Smith]

I really don’t love any one more than the others. It usually depends on my mood and the circumstances that I’m listening to them. It could be Murmur today, Reckoning the Morris and new adventures the day after that. However I would say with certainty that nothing after New Adventure would make my favorites list. The albums after NA have their moments but none are consistent enough for my tastes.

[tinnitus photography]

I love early R.E.M., but if I could only listen to ONE of the following groups of records, I'm not sure which I'd choose. I think maybe I'd lean Group 2.

 

FIRST SIX ALBUMS: Murmur, Reckoning, Fables Of Reconstruction, Life's Rich Pageant, Document, Green

 

SECOND SIX ALBUMS: Out Of Time, Automatic For The People, Monster, New Adventures In Hi-Fi, Up, Reveal

damn.

 

 

for me, this is like choosing between Trump or a flaming dumpster fire. pretty easy choice.

[remphish1]

damn.

 

 

for me, this is like choosing between Trump or a flaming dumpster fire. pretty easy choice.

So which one do you choose!?

[tinnitus photography]

i just rolled boxcars.

[John Smith]

damn.

 

 

for me, this is like choosing between Trump or a flaming dumpster fire. pretty easy choice.

Dumpster fire for sure.

[brownie]

I love early R.E.M., but if I could only listen to ONE of the following groups of records, I'm not sure which I'd choose. I think maybe I'd lean Group 2.

 

FIRST SIX ALBUMS: Murmur, Reckoning, Fables Of Reconstruction, Life's Rich Pageant, Document, Green

 

SECOND SIX ALBUMS: Out Of Time, Automatic For The People, Monster, New Adventures In Hi-Fi, Up, Reveal

If I had to choose between first six and last six, it would definitely be first six, although I don't like Document and Green all that much. I do love Out of Time, but after that, I only really like several songs from the albums and never truly embraced any of them. I can honestly say I hate Monster.

 

(p.s, Chronic Town EP needs to be on that first list!)

[remphish1]

If I had to choose between first six and last six, it would definitely be first six, although I don't like Document and Green all that much. I do love Out of Time, but after that, I only really like several songs from the albums and never truly embraced any of them. I can honestly say I hate Monster.

 

(p.s, Chronic Town EP needs to be on that first list!)

Monster has some great tracks! Strange currencies, I took your name and star 69! Give it another listen