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

[AndySlash]

i like it.


my local vinyl shop said it's doubtful they'll get the r.e.m. set for rsd, which kind of sucks. hoping that won't be the case- i don't plan on going anywhere else this year.

[ridleybradout]

So how would someone in Australia go about procuring the Unplugged RSD LP set? I have zero chance in hell right?

[Norah]

Spinning Reckoning for the first time in many months.

[digster]

Those Rock and Roll Hall of Fame grab-bag performances can be pretty hit or (mostly) miss, but I'll admit having Stipe (who's inducting Nirvana tonight) take a shot at something like All Apologies would be pretty wonderful. Guess we'll find out soon enough.

[Rangi Guy]

Those Rock and Roll Hall of Fame grab-bag performances can be pretty hit or (mostly) miss, but I'll admit having Stipe (who's inducting Nirvana tonight) take a shot at something like All Apologies would be pretty wonderful. Guess we'll find out soon enough.

Pretty sure Joan Jett is filling in for Kurt

[digster]

I heard St. Vincent as well, which makes me think they'll have a few singers rotating.

[Rangi Guy]

That could make things interesting. I'd really like to see Stipe tackle a Nirvana song

[Coach]

Really looking forward to that CD release of the unplugged sessions. Man, I hope this band gets back together.

[Coach]

The 91 unplugged may have my favorite versions of a few of those songs.

You are the Everything.

[Kaius]

I've been working my way through the catalogue, starting with Murmur and moving chronologically, and though more time and listens may change my perception, I am intially convinced these guys got better with each album up to Automatic for the People. Though Fables of the Reconstruction and Life's Rich Pageant may be better than Document.

[Norah]

I've been working my way through the catalogue, starting with Murmur and moving chronologically, and though more time and listens may change my perception, I am intially convinced these guys got better with each album up to Automatic for the People. Though Fables of the Reconstruction and Life's Rich Pageant may be better than Document.

I don't think it's that linear. Reckoning is easily the best of the IRS years and that's record number 2.

[stip]

I've been working my way through the catalogue, starting with Murmur and moving chronologically, and though more time and listens may change my perception, I am intially convinced these guys got better with each album up to Automatic for the People. Though Fables of the Reconstruction and Life's Rich Pageant may be better than Document.

There are so many great albums in there it's hard to say for sure, but that's not a crazy claim.

The thing with rem is that they have is 10 album streak from murmur through hi-fi that basically can't be matched. Other bands have better albums, but no one has a run like that. And the 4 of the 5 albums afterwards are still really good.

[Kevin Davis]

Rank the IRS albums:

Fables
Reckoning
Life's Rich Pageant
Murmur
Document

[stip]

Pageant
Document
Reckoning
Fables
Murmur

They're all so close though. Pageant as my favorite is the only one I'm sure of. Document is inconsistent but has the highest number of my favorite songs

[Norah]

Rank the IRS albums:

Fables
Reckoning
Life's Rich Pageant
Murmur
Document

Reckoning
Fables
LRP
Murmur
Document

[Norah]

I've been working my way through the catalogue, starting with Murmur and moving chronologically, and though more time and listens may change my perception, I am intially convinced these guys got better with each album up to Automatic for the People. Though Fables of the Reconstruction and Life's Rich Pageant may be better than Document.

There are so many great albums in there it's hard to say for sure, but that's not a crazy claim.

The thing with rem is that they have is 10 album streak from murmur through hi-fi that basically can't be matched. Other bands have better albums, but no one has a run like that. And the 4 of the 5 albums afterwards are still really good.

Include Up in that run and I'm with you.

[stip]

Up (for me, anyway) is a wildly inconsistent album that is too bloated in its final form. Cut it down to 10 songs and it is one of the best.

Lotus ( which I wish was cleaner )
Suspicion
Hope
At my most beautiful
Sad professor
Walk unafraid
Daysleeper
Why not smile
Parakeet
Falls to climb


You've got something there. But airportman, the apologist, diminished, you're in the air - to many sub par songs. And even of the ones above I'd only put 2-3 of them in the top tier.

The great beyond was from this period, I think. It's too bad that wasn't on here

[stip]

I probably like reveal more than up, as a start to finish listen, even if Up has more strong songs. Reveal works really well as an album.

[Kevin Davis]

I love ''You're in the Air''--there's an orchestral arrangement coming out of the chorus that's just beautiful, I look forward to it every time I listen to ''Up.''

And I love ''The Great Beyond'' too but I think it was written after ''Up'' was already released, a year later for that Andy Kaufman movie.

For my money there are no weak REM records, not even ''Around the Sun.'' Though I am sure I went into that at length in the LAL thread a few years ago.

[AndySlash]

mmmmmmm, up.