R.E.M - Wow!

the-lizard-king · #1 09-27-2001, 09:08 AM

Does anyone else like this band? I just discovered them (I know, im only 2 decades late) and Im blown away. I've never gotten into R.E.M before as all I knew of them were the singles which I always thought were a little too 'radio friendly', but after a lot of people telling how good they were, I decided to give them a listen so I picked up 'Automatic For The People', and Im knocked out. The song 'Drive' especially blew my mind.
How many others out there in TB land like REM? What would you say their best albums are? What are their new albums like?
I think Im gonna have to give 'Out of Time' a listen next.

relman · #2 09-27-2001, 10:54 AM

I LOVE REM!!! their old stuff is awesome...my fav albums are Murmur, Life's Rich Paegant, Out Of Time, Automatic for the People, New adventures in Hifi and Monster...glad to find other people who like them

KB · #3 09-27-2001, 01:22 PM

I at one point in my past liked REM, but They have really gone downhill. I agree that "Drive" is by far one of their best songs ever. I also like "Lotus" off of one of their later albums. I own Document, Eponymous, Green, AFTP, Out of Time, and Monster. I don't particularly care for their earliest stuff (Murmur, Fables, etc.) and their newest stuff, well just sucks IMHO.
I did like the Document, Green era and part of LRP. I don't really listen to them very often, but every now and then a yearn for "Drive".
Monster is also an OK album, but a little too much tremelo used and a little too Glam. "Star 69" is a good song from that one.

-KB

Matthew West · #4 09-27-2001, 01:37 PM

Life's Rich Pageant is one of my favorite records of all time. But they really started to go downhill after Green.

Out of Time has some great songs too. Low and Country Feedback still give me goosebumps every time I hear them. If they had just left Radio Song and Shiny Happy People off of that album...

Boplicity · #5 09-27-2001, 02:09 PM

"Automatic for The People" is my personal favorite REM album. I don't really know why, but what they have done since just hasn't resonated with me at all.

Fender Boy · #6 09-27-2001, 05:03 PM

Yeah, I' ve been into them since I first heard "Document" back in '88. I have all of their cds, and would say check out "Life's Rich Pageant", "Document", "Green", and "Out of time" first, then maybe the first three. All are great, and of the newer stuff I really love "New adventures in hi fi", but would say the latest 2 are more mellow and a little different from the earlier work.

Fender Boy · #7 09-27-2001, 05:29 PM

On second thought, if you wanna check out their pre "Green" stuff, pick up "Eponymous". It's an early hits compilation. Might be a good way to see if you like the early material.
I'd love to see them do another "Automatic for the people" type album. Definately one of the best.

relman · #8 09-27-2001, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KB

Monster is also an OK album, but a little too much tremelo used and a little too Glam. "Star 69" is a good song from that one.

-KB

I woner why did peter use so much tremolo?

Max · #9 09-27-2001, 11:58 PM

Big fan here too. Life's Rich Pageant was their best in my opinion. Fall on Me from that album is such an eloquent environmentalist song, and I'm a republican! Then Automatic for the People, then Out of Time. Best song for bass: Texarkana on Out of Time.

purple_haze · #10 09-28-2001, 02:11 PM

"Automatic for the People" is awesome, and the new one's pretty damn cool too.

My favourite REM song is "End of the World", though, has a great bassline too.

bobaweeka · #11 09-28-2001, 09:48 PM

When I was like eight, R.E.M. was my favorite band. I don't listen to them much anymore, but I think that Automatic for the People is a masterpiece. Monster was pretty good, but couldn't hold a candle to Automatic. Don't like Out of Time, though. The radio song is pretty cool though.