I didn't get into REM until I heard Near Wild Heaven but I wasn't in the business of buying albums back then as I didn't have the money so I didn't get anything until Automatic for the People came out. Then I backtracked and got Out of Time and Green. I didn't like Green but loved Out of Time but because I overplayed Automatic I now prefer Out of Time. The only rubbish songs are Shiny Happy people and Radiosong.

 

 

REM are a spent force nowadays, I think, sadly - and why oh why do they always apperar to have Stevie Wonder designing their artwork? They're surely the most consistent band in living memory for having utterly appalling and ugly artwork.... not one of them is in any way pleasing on the eye..... rancid.

REM are a spent force nowadays, I think, sadly - and why oh why do they always apperar to have Stevie Wonder designing their artwork? They're surely the most consistent band in living memory for having utterly appalling and ugly artwork.... not one of them is in any way pleasing on the eye..... rancid.

 

 

last good album was Reveal but I'm not sure anyone else here would agree - but you are totally correct about the artwork. It's as if they are trying to make their albums look terrible. I think New Adventures was a passable album cover but the rest were bad.

Yep, I have to say that I really hated the "pop" direction that REM went in with Out of Time.... "Murmur", "Life's Rich Pageant" and "Document" were absolutely superb albums, then Out of Time comes along and I just thought... "What utter and total PISH is this???".. "Automatic for the People" was better, I loved "Monster" because it was kind of removed from the poppy direction... But since then, I feel they've just been treading water.....

 

You kind of missed out Green there :lol: certainly for me "Orange Crush" is the best single of their career, they've produced some great songs this century (The Great Beyond, Imitation of Life, Supernatural Superserious) but haven't done an album like we know they can. I'd still love to see them live though.

I've Been High, I'll Take the Rain are beautiful songs. Orange Crush is great.

 

I think my favourite is Diminished - his voice is so beautiful on most of the second half of Up and it is my favourite REM album because of that.

Wading in on the R.E.M. debate. I got into them around 1987 and loved them passionately. Life's Rich Pageant and Green are my favourites but the 1990s and 2000s have been cruel to them creatively if not commercially. Out Of Time is very patchy for me and Shiny Happy People is an utter abomination. For ages I refused to believe it wasn't a joke being played on us. The album effectively broke up my love affair with the band although it does have Losing My Religion and there's a good E.P. in there somewhere.

Automatic For The People was better and Monster was solid but since the like someone said treading water. Of all their work in the past 20 years I find only Accelerate captures any semblance of energy or excitement and for that it's my favourite since back then.

 

Otherwise sadly it must be said they are a spent force for me.

I'm really surprised that I'm the only person who likes Out of Time - apart from the two tracks I mentioned.

This shouldn't turn into a rate but here goes

 

Life's Rich Pageant 8/10

Green 6/10

Out of Time 9/10

Automatic 8/10

Monster 6/10

New Adventures 7/10

Up 9/10

Reveal 8/10

Around the Sun 4/10

Accelerate 4/10

 

I haven't bothered with the new album

Edited June 22, 201114 yr by HUMOURless

I absolutely love Green and would rate it much higher than a 6/10. Definitely at least a 8/10 maybe a 9.

I must go back to Green - actually I dont know where my copy is. I'll have to download it.

I think my favourite REM album is 'Reveal' - some absolute gems on there - 'Ive Been High', 'Disappear', 'She Just Wants To Be'....... it's an oft-overlooked classic to my ears. Tooth-crunchingly gruesome artwork, but still.....

This shouldn't turn into a rate but here goes

 

Life's Rich Pageant 8/10

Green 6/10

Out of Time 9/10

Automatic 8/10

Monster 6/10

New Adventures 7/10

Up 9/10

Reveal 8/10

Around the Sun 4/10

Accelerate 4/10

 

I haven't bothered with the new album

 

Does this rate mean you don't have Document, Murmur, Fables of The Reconstruction or Reckoning? If so you really should check them out although Fables... isn't great

I think my favourite REM album is 'Reveal' - some absolute gems on there - 'Ive Been High', 'Disappear', 'She Just Wants To Be'....... it's an oft-overlooked classic to my ears. Tooth-crunchingly gruesome artwork, but still.....

 

 

take off All the Way to Reno and it's a deffo 9/10. Do you like Up?

Does this rate mean you don't have Document, Murmur, Fables of The Reconstruction or Reckoning? If so you really should check them out although Fables... isn't great

 

I have Document but I've never listened to it, even once. It was a gift.

take off All the Way to Reno and it's a deffo 9/10. Do you like Up?

 

hmmm.. 'Up' I'm not so keen on. Agree about 'Reno', though, a bit of a stinker on an otherwise stellar collection.

Does this rate mean you don't have Document, Murmur, Fables of The Reconstruction or Reckoning? If so you really should check them out although Fables... isn't great

I am listening to Fables and Out of Time back to back and I know which one I prefer at the moment.

 

Fables was the first REM album I got. Took me a good old while for me to get into and not really properly til after I got Green.

I have Document but I've never listened to it, even once. It was a gift.

Well dig it out and listen to it.

Wading in on the R.E.M. debate. I got into them around 1987 and loved them passionately. Life's Rich Pageant and Green are my favourites but the 1990s and 2000s have been cruel to them creatively if not commercially. Out Of Time is very patchy for me and Shiny Happy People is an utter abomination. For ages I refused to believe it wasn't a joke being played on us. The album effectively broke up my love affair with the band although it does have Losing My Religion and there's a good E.P. in there somewhere.

Automatic For The People was better and Monster was solid but since the like someone said treading water. Of all their work in the past 20 years I find only Accelerate captures any semblance of energy or excitement and for that it's my favourite since back then.

 

Otherwise sadly it must be said they are a spent force for me.

 

Yep, I thought the same to, AND about The Cure's abomination "Friday I'm In Love"..... Which was probably even worse.... I never forgave Robert Smith for that one... Or for "Wild Mood Swings"....

 

I always assumed "Shiny Happy People" was a joke, the video must be even if the song isn't...

Yep, I thought the same to, AND about The Cure's abomination "Friday I'm In Love"..... Which was probably even worse.... I never forgave Robert Smith for that one... Or for "Wild Mood Swings"....

Urgh! Friday I'm In Love is awful although I'd kind of lost interest in The Cure by then. I'm not quite as keen on their Poppier stuff compared to the brilliance of the 17 Secs, Faith, Pornography trilogy but up until the Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me album I was still largely a fan. Haven't really cared about them at all since after Disintegration