How The West Was Won And Where It Got Us: An REM Thread

Kevin Davis · Post by **Kevin Davis** » Wed January 30, 2013 5:23 pm

"Around the Sun" is less consistent than "Collapse" but I think there are more ideas floating around in the better songs that make it a more engaging listen for me. But I'm one of the few who thinks "Around the Sun" is a better-than-decent album, at least as good as the rest of their minor works. I've never really understood the objections to it.

"Collapse" is good but it feels readymade to me. It's a victory lap that was well-deserved, but you can tell that they're tuckered out from the race.

Post by **epilogue** » Wed January 30, 2013 5:28 pm

Kevin Davis wrote:"Collapse" is good but it feels readymade to me. It's a victory lap that was well-deserved, but you can tell that they're tuckered out from the race.

This is probably true. But as a more casual fan, who hasn't even heard their entire catalog, I adore Collapse. It's probably my second favorite REM album.

They might be tuckered out, but I'm only in the first mile or so of this race. So I don't hear the album that way. At least, not yet.

Norah · Post by **Norah** » Wed January 30, 2013 5:29 pm

durdencommatyler wrote:
Kevin Davis wrote:"Collapse" is good but it feels readymade to me. It's a victory lap that was well-deserved, but you can tell that they're tuckered out from the race.
This is probably true. But as a more casual fan, who hasn't even heard their entire catalog, I adore Collapse. It's probably my second favorite REM album.

They might be tuckered out, but I'm only in the first mile or so of this race. So I don't hear the album that way. At least, not yet.

What's your first favorite?

Post by **epilogue** » Wed January 30, 2013 6:02 pm

cutuphalfdead wrote:
durdencommatyler wrote:
Kevin Davis wrote:"Collapse" is good but it feels readymade to me. It's a victory lap that was well-deserved, but you can tell that they're tuckered out from the race.
This is probably true. But as a more casual fan, who hasn't even heard their entire catalog, I adore Collapse. It's probably my second favorite REM album.

They might be tuckered out, but I'm only in the first mile or so of this race. So I don't hear the album that way. At least, not yet.
What's your first favorite?

New Adventures in Hi-Fi.

One of the best albums of its decade. And easily in my top 25 all-time.

Norah · Post by **Norah** » Wed January 30, 2013 6:03 pm

durdencommatyler wrote:
cutuphalfdead wrote:
durdencommatyler wrote:
Kevin Davis wrote:"Collapse" is good but it feels readymade to me. It's a victory lap that was well-deserved, but you can tell that they're tuckered out from the race.
This is probably true. But as a more casual fan, who hasn't even heard their entire catalog, I adore Collapse. It's probably my second favorite REM album.

They might be tuckered out, but I'm only in the first mile or so of this race. So I don't hear the album that way. At least, not yet.
What's your first favorite?
New Adventures in Hi-Fi.

One of the best albums of its decade. And easily in my top 25 all-time.

Zither is my ringtone.

Post by **epilogue** » Wed January 30, 2013 6:06 pm

cutuphalfdead wrote:
durdencommatyler wrote:
cutuphalfdead wrote:
durdencommatyler wrote:
Kevin Davis wrote:"Collapse" is good but it feels readymade to me. It's a victory lap that was well-deserved, but you can tell that they're tuckered out from the race.
This is probably true. But as a more casual fan, who hasn't even heard their entire catalog, I adore Collapse. It's probably my second favorite REM album.

They might be tuckered out, but I'm only in the first mile or so of this race. So I don't hear the album that way. At least, not yet.
What's your first favorite?
New Adventures in Hi-Fi.

One of the best albums of its decade. And easily in my top 25 all-time.
Zither is my ringtone.

Norah · Post by **Norah** » Wed January 30, 2013 6:13 pm

durdencommatyler wrote:
cutuphalfdead wrote:
durdencommatyler wrote:
cutuphalfdead wrote:
durdencommatyler wrote:
Kevin Davis wrote:"Collapse" is good but it feels readymade to me. It's a victory lap that was well-deserved, but you can tell that they're tuckered out from the race.
This is probably true. But as a more casual fan, who hasn't even heard their entire catalog, I adore Collapse. It's probably my second favorite REM album.

They might be tuckered out, but I'm only in the first mile or so of this race. So I don't hear the album that way. At least, not yet.
What's your first favorite?
New Adventures in Hi-Fi.

One of the best albums of its decade. And easily in my top 25 all-time.
Zither is my ringtone.

Do you like Up?

Post by **epilogue** » Wed January 30, 2013 6:17 pm

cutuphalfdead wrote:
durdencommatyler wrote:
cutuphalfdead wrote:
durdencommatyler wrote:
cutuphalfdead wrote:
durdencommatyler wrote:
Kevin Davis wrote:"Collapse" is good but it feels readymade to me. It's a victory lap that was well-deserved, but you can tell that they're tuckered out from the race.
This is probably true. But as a more casual fan, who hasn't even heard their entire catalog, I adore Collapse. It's probably my second favorite REM album.

They might be tuckered out, but I'm only in the first mile or so of this race. So I don't hear the album that way. At least, not yet.
What's your first favorite?
New Adventures in Hi-Fi.

One of the best albums of its decade. And easily in my top 25 all-time.
Zither is my ringtone.

Do you like Up?

I do. Very much. But I'm more familiar with Collapse and I've listened to it more often. But, yeah, Up and Monster go back and forth as my #3 & #4.

pjammer66 · Post by **pjammer66** » Wed January 30, 2013 6:26 pm

shame that the "3 legged dog" never really revisited the reveal/up/ats era....some real gems littered through those albums.they were really popular in europe but not popular enough for the US. hopefully they will again in the future.

they were always a much better band live.

Norah · Post by **Norah** » Wed January 30, 2013 6:27 pm

Up is very close to the top of my list of REM album rankings.

Post by **stip** » Wed January 30, 2013 10:23 pm

pjammer66 wrote:shame that the "3 legged dog" never really revisited the reveal/up/ats era....some real gems littered through those albums.they were really popular in europe but not popular enough for the US. hopefully they will again in the future.

they were always a much better band live.

I don't know. They put on really good shows but they'll always be a studio band for me.

digster · Post by **digster** » Wed January 30, 2013 10:33 pm

Fables has been knocking me out lately. It's one of the few IRS records that I feel like I haven't ever burned out before. I've never really given it credit for what a knock out its' first four tracks are.

Feeling Gravitys Pull
Maps and Legends
Driver 8
Life and How to Live It

Kevin Davis · Post by **Kevin Davis** » Thu January 31, 2013 3:36 am

Fables, Automatic, and Hi-Fi are my top three REM albums. The second tier consists of what could be classified as "most of the rest of their work."

Post by **stip** » Thu January 31, 2013 11:58 am

For me it's automatic and Hi-Fi but yeah, after that I am pretty much with KD.

southp · Post by **southp** » Thu January 31, 2013 2:45 pm

Top 3 would be:

Monster
New Adventures
Life's Rich Pageant

Post by **epilogue** » Thu January 31, 2013 3:42 pm

I need to listen to Automatic again. It's been far too long.

liebzz · Post by **liebzz** » Thu January 31, 2013 10:01 pm

I was wondering what took until page 5 of this thread to really mention New Adventures in HiFi - which is my favorite. I have been listening to this in the car lately...to the point that my wife keeps asking why we keep hearing the same song over and over (E-bow). I really love this album a lot and it has not been overplayed by me mostly because my computer never seems to be able to read the CD so I only hear it when I am motivated to dig for it.

As far as my other favorites, I am a particular fan of Document, Up, Collapse Into Now, Accelerate, and Automatic for the People. I do enjoy each of their albums though. One of the few bands that I really enjoy every album, but somehow I don't listen as often as I should despite the row of CDs.

super nintendo chalmers · Sun February 03, 2013 5:42 am

kinda works.

Post by **stip** » Sun February 03, 2013 1:29 pm

REM has 16 records. 12 of them are near perfect. Even records like Fables where, if I went song by song, it would score somewhat low, is still an amazing record as a whole. Automatic and Hi-Fi are my top two, but below that I'd include the 5 irs records, out of time, green, monster and accelerate.

The second tier would be collapse, up, and reveal--three albums with some amazing songs but multiple duds.

Around the Sun is the only album that would be in my bottom tier, and even there there are still a number of songs I like quite a bit, and a few other good ideas that are not executed as well as they could be.

darth_vedder · Post by **darth_vedder** » Tue February 05, 2013 2:13 pm

Listening to the iPod on shuffle this morning, and got 5 REM songs during the commute.. This reminded me that I haven't listened to these guys since maybe last Spring, so it was a nice way to start the morning. It's probably time to revisit them again.

The songs I got:

Me In Honey - Forgot how good this one is. I love the riff, and really everything about this song.
Radio Free Europe - Still one of their best, and one of the best alt. rock songs ever made. Hell of a way to start an album / career.
Endgame - Pretty song. Not sure it's really my bag, but I like it enough. 3 star song.
Strange Currencies - This kinda reminds me of a "grungy" version of "Everybody Hurts". I think I like this one better.
Hyena - Classic early REM. Not my favorite song, but I really like it.

Red Mosquito

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