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R.E.M. 1980-2011??


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i realized after reading that CoS list that i've not heard five or so of those records.

Playing devils advocate how would you know if you like them or not? I’d admit they changed a ot over the years but new adventures, up, accelerate, collapse into now all have sonme really great tracks. Even around the sun which is their worst album has 4 or so great songs!
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because Green had some missteps and the songs i heard via the radio of AFTP and Monster onward weren't enough to divert my attention from other records.

Personal I skip over all the album singles when I listen to the albums because I don’t want to tire of them. But some of the non single tracks in my opinion are stronger than the singles.
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That CoS list loses a lot of legitimacy by ranking Accelerate ahead of Fables of the Reconstruction and listing Lifes Rich Pageant as only their 8th best. 

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but new adventures, up, accelerate, collapse into now all have sonme really great tracks. Even around the sun which is their worst album has 4 or so great songs!

That's the thing, there are some good or really good tracks on all the albums, but those first five are start to finish awesome in my book. Not a single track I don't want to hear in the entire five. To me we're comparing masterpieces to albums with some really good songs but overall not great from start to finish. And after New Adventures, the really good songs are fewer and further between. 

 

Totally on board with John Smith: "The albums after NA have their moments but none are consistent enough for my tastes"

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For me, the CoS ranking's biggest fail is putting Fables at #11. Sorry, but no effin' way! It's a Top 5-er.

 

I'm a huge fan of Automatic. I like how CoS tries to explain it:

 

"And yet this darker double-down on Out of Time remains the band’s most celebrated album. I can’t quite explain why. It’s one of those beautiful mysteries that solves itself as you listen to the record, but presents itself all over again when you take your headphones off. Everyone’s criteria for a perfect album differs, but the idea of being able to unlock something mysterious each and every listen some thousand listens later must tick off some box or another."

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Back in the mid '90s I was walking down an alley on the northside of Chicago when I came across a bunch of record albums leaning against a telephone pole. On closer inspection, it turned out to be the first five REM albums. All in great condition. Thank you to the kind soul who thoughtfully put those out there for me to find and cherish.

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That's the thing, there are some good or really good tracks on all the albums, but those first five are start to finish awesome in my book. Not a single track I don't want to hear in the entire five. To me we're comparing masterpieces to albums with some really good songs but overall not great from start to finish. And after New Adventures, the really good songs are fewer and further between.

 

Totally on board with John Smith: "The albums after NA have their moments but none are consistent enough for my tastes"

Up is after new adventures and I think it’s a strong front to back album afterwords maybe I’d agree
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I always thought Up was great ---- I think I enjoy it more than Monster and New Adventures.  

 

It could be that this was first time that I saw them in concert - while they were supporting the Up record --- they definitely played like they had something to  prove  (it was in St. Louis - Wilco opened). 

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I always thought Up was great ---- I think I enjoy it more than Monster and New Adventures.

 

It could be that this was first time that I saw them in concert - while they were supporting the Up record --- they definitely played like they had something to prove (it was in St. Louis - Wilco opened).

I was at that show. I was pleasantly surprised how well the songs from UP sounded live. Still an uneven album that I rarely pull out to listen to though.
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I really like Up. It's hard to say it's a Top 5 R.E.M. album, yet, listening to it, it's got a LOT going for it. It also was released in one of the most amazing few months of my music-listening life.

 

From September 1998 to May 1999:

 

"Deserter's Songs", Mercury Rev

"Up", R.E.M.

"Summerteeth", Wilco

"Soft Bulletin", Flaming Lips

 

 

Wow!!!!!

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I was at that show. I was pleasantly surprised how well the songs from UP sounded live. Still an uneven album that I rarely pull out to listen to though.

 

They really killed Lotus that night - great tune.

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Back in the mid '90s I was walking down an alley on the northside of Chicago when I came across a bunch of record albums leaning against a telephone pole. On closer inspection, it turned out to be the first five REM albums. All in great condition. Thank you to the kind soul who thoughtfully put those out there for me to find and cherish.

 

No problemo mon frere.

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Back in the mid '90s I was walking down an alley on the northside of Chicago when I came across a bunch of record albums leaning against a telephone pole. On closer inspection, it turned out to be the first five REM albums. All in great condition. Thank you to the kind soul who thoughtfully put those out there for me to find and cherish.

That is fucking incredible, man! That's the best story I've heard in quite some time.

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Has anyone taken the plunge and bought the deluxe reissue of AFTP? R.E.M.'s my favorite band ever, but I'm on the fence about spending $75-$80 for a reissue. I don't care much for the demos, and I don't know if I'll ever have the technology to be able to listen to the album in Dolby Atmos. 

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I went to Bull Moose Records last night and the remastered set(s) weren't even on the shelves. The clerk kept seeing the $70 4 cd/Blu-Ray box set in the computer as being in the back room. She finally found the double disc which was much better for my wallet @ $22. I figure I'll use my iTunes gift cards for the demos. I wasn't feeling it to own the videos that they made. Maybe if I want to watch them I can easily go to YouTube.

 

I'm loving this set & everyone posting about their early records had me going back and doing some much needed catching up with these guys. Kohoutek is just amazing! Smiles, chills and tears when listening to these tunes which still sound amazing.

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Really digging "Howler Monkey", which is "Ignoreland" without Stipe singing lyrics.

 

I think I'll make myself a new Automatic disc, replacing the latter with the former.

 

For me, "Ignoreland" never fit lyrically. 

 

Stipe sings, "I know that this is vitriol. No solution, spleen-venting. But I feel better having screamed. Don't you?"

 

Um, no Michael, actually I DON'T feel better hearing you scream and vent.

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I like "Ignoreland." While it's not my favorite song on the album, It adds a nice bit of energy to the second half of the album and I found the vitriol directed towards the Reagan/Bush years a welcome release (and so much more resonant again in the Trump era.)

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