R.E.M. Band • Page 7

Just starting to get into these guys and "Harborcoat" is a jam

 

Lifes Rich Pageant is the near-perfect midpoint between early REM and second-era REM imo. if they'd finished Bad Day and put it on there it would be an outright classic

 

I had no idea the song dated back that far. Do you consider Superman part of the album or a bonus track?

 

yup, if you check out the LRP deluxe from a few years ago it has a bunch of demos and Bad Day was one of them (basically finished, too, they just never fully recorded it till In Time). I like the demo version so much more but that's me

I think Superman is considered the actual closer. Swan Swan H seems like the more obvious choice but early REM albums never really end with an obviously closer-y song, they tend to surprise you. Superman is an absolute banger either way

 

Yeah I like it a lot I just couldn't bring myself to include it among their best tracks since it's only a cover. They definitely didn't take the usual route for closing albums until later in their career. Which is kind of a shame because Out of Time and Automatic for the People have a couple of the best closing runs you'll ever find, especially ATP. If anyone knows of a better closing trifecta I'd love to hear it.

 

AFTP closes with probably my favourite 8 minutes ever in music, lmao. Me In Honey, 11/Untitled and Electrolite are all terrific closers as well. but there's something to be said for bucking expectations and going out with something unexpected for sure

 

A Sprawling Birthday Celebration for R.E.M.’s ‘Reckoning’

 

no shit? Completely randomly, I listened to that album for the first time ever today

 

excellent article, especially since breaking down all the references and components of early R.E.M. is borderline impossible

 

"I’ve never liked the Doors and I don’t really like “Camera,” which slows things down more lugubriously than “Time After Time” and is probably on nobody’s list of the best R.E.M. songs ever."

welp I've been called out lol

 

https://www.google.com/podcasts?fee...15aHo0bjJ1cGYxSFFvMHZyUlFJcmNVOXoweWFmVXNyTlU

E: On mobile so that night not be the best link but new RUTREMREM with Mike Mills!

It feels GOOD!

 

I love Camera. Was my second favourite track from Reckoning when I first heard it behind So. Central Rain.

Incidentally when I finally went deep into the REM catalogue last year I had little idea which songs were the 'hits' in the early days. I'd heard Automatic for the People, Losing My Religion and End of the World. Literally can never remember hearing any of their other songs. And as I picked out my fav tracks from each album it turned out they were the most revered ones anyway -- Perfect Circle, So. Central Rain, Driver 8, Fall on Me.

 

Oh my god!

 

no fucking way

 

@EmmanuelSCastle Michael Stipe is actually coming back to serenade us through day-to-day life (apocalypse)!

 

we spoke this into existence hell yeah! so he's writing completely alone? I'm excited and nervous at the same time but mostly just excited

 

Interesting.

 

What were the insta posts? They appear to be deleted now

 

Fascinating, by R.E.M.

 

Man. I love this band so much

 

Looks like they're repressing Monster LPs

 

"Fascinating" really is an understated/beautiful tune. wish it had closed Reveal instead of fuckin' "Beachball" lmao

 

I feel like this cover was just for me

 

Great write-up about a great album

R.E.M.’s ‘Monster’ Is Still Trying to Reach You, If You’ll Let It In