"It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine"
- MURMUR
- GREEN>
- MONSTERR
- UP
One of the most overrated albums ever released on this planet.
People seems to go crazy, telling to themselves how it's wonderful, deep in
songwriting, perfect in instrumentation, etc. etc. etc. But I say it's all crap.
The first R.E.M. album is just an ordinary second sort garage rock without any
original ideas at all.
But why it is overrated? Only because of one song - "Radio Free Europe". It
was their first single (released in 1981) and was quite popular all over the
states, so it forced lotsa people buy the album and tell to each other how the
songs on Murmur are wonderful. It's a great song, really, with a great guitarwork
and Michael Stipe singing something like "Calling on in the transit" or "Disappoint
is into us absurd". It's got a well done pop chours, too. And this is one of
the real gems on the album.
The other songs I like very much are "We Walk" and "West Of The Fields". Moreover,
"We Walk" seems to be the best song on the whole album - cool marching bass
and Peter Buck sounds like nowhere on this record. And the vocal melody and
those vocal hooks... Thank you, Michael Stipe for singing "Up the stairs to
the landing" and "Take oasis, Marat's bathing" in a such way.
"West Of The Fields" shows some of the best vocal harmonies in the band's entire
career. No joke! I especially dig that superb chours in which Michael sings:
"Long" and Mike Mills sings: "Gone". This "Long gone" goes on forever and forever
until Michael sings with dark and moody voice: "Weeeest of the fields". Oh,
and this little discoteque rhythm!
Other songs? I think that "Pilgrimage", "Laughing", "Talk About The Passion"
and "Shaking Through" are the same one song, but with new lyrics and some minor
changes in music. I don't know how to distinguish one from another. They all
are sounding the same! Go figure! Of course, there's some cool bassline in one
of those songs (I remember it well, but I do not remember the bassline itself)
and some groovy jazzy jamming after the end of another (it must be "Shaking
Through" if I'm not mistaken).
"Moral Kiosk" is fast and unmemorable at all. That's all I remember about this
song. Everything I remember about "Catapult" is the bombastic chours and everything
I remember about "Sitting Still" is that it's weird and simply awful.
But absolute nadir of the album are two other songs - "A Perfect Circle" and
"9-9". The first is extremely overrated. People are completely crazy about it,
but I'll describe the truly indentity of the song. It begins with silly piano
and with Michael Stipe singing with an awful voice and then comes terrible chorus
with horrible drum machine use. And I don't want to talk about "9-9" at all
- I just hate it. Songs like this must be forgeotten in the nearest future.
And now, I'd like to end this quite little review with a description of Michael
Stipe's lyrics. In the beginning they were just impossible to understand. If
other albums have only hard -understandable lyrics, on Murmur they are just
words that have no meaning and don't make any sense at all. It is one of the
many reasons why I do not recommend to you buy this album.
Any comments or reviews to grant us with?
This one is BIG step from boring and absolutely disharmonic
Murmur. Guys have seen (or heard) all of the mistakes they have done
on their debut LP and recorded album full of great songs and showed they actually
could do something good.
The situation with Reckoning is almost the twin brother of the situation
with Murmur-I think people bought this album for two singles again, though
the singles didn't climb so high in charts positions like "Radio Free Europe".
By the way, let me tell ou a word or two about singles-"So, Central Rain" and
"(Don't Go Back To)Rockville". The first one can hardly be called "single"-it
is just a simple R.E.M. song-good melody, great vocal harmonies and strange(but
not meaningless this time)lyrics from Michael Stipe. On the other side, "Rockville"
is great country-influenced pop song (did guitarist Peter Buck was the country
player before founding R.E.M., I wonder?) and catchy chorus with gorgeous singing("Don't
go back to RockvIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIiIIIIIIIIIIlle")-all you need from song to be
the perfect hit.
Unlike Murmur other songs are hardly dull (with the only one exception-the
6 minute "epic" called "Camera") and almost all of them have unforgettable melodies
(again, the only one exception is "Camera"-and what, did you want unforgettable
melody from R.E.M., who writes an epic?). The opener "Harborcoat" is great demonstration
of guys' vocal abilities-chorus is just a messy vocal paradise. "Seven Chinese
Brothers" has the great melody and good riff from Peter again. I agree with
some guy posted comment on this album on Prindle's site-try to get out this
song from your head.
"Pretty Persuasion" is one of my favourite post-punk songs. That vocal parts
before chorus are the greatest moment on the album, I think, but if Stipe could
have stopped singing (unfortunately, he couldn't), I could make the song the
best on the album. The next song-"Time After Time" also suffered a bit from
Michael's vocals, but I like that song-pure atmospheric piece of art that you
won't ever tired of listen of.
"Second Guessing" is a dirty little thing you need to hear at least one time
in your life. The next song-"Letter Never Sent" is very beautiful track with
absolutely great drumming-it is the highlight of Bill Berry on this record and
maybe on all pre-Warner Bros. Period of the band. Great jam. And here the disaster
strikes-the previously mentioned epic called "Camera" is almost 6 minutes long
and for all of its time it has ONLY ONE BORING MELODY. That's all-no instrumental
passages, no enjoyable and catchy chorus (Stipe just SPEAKS "Camera"). How can
I react on this song? And who that crazy one who needs all these 6 minutes?
It's like a combining "Talk About Passion" and "9-9" together (ah!).
The ending number-"Little America"-is the small driving song that just great
to dance. Chours is also fantastic. I may be mistaken but in the second chorus
guys just cry-"Jefferson Airplane" or what? Then come a whole 5 bonus tracks-and
all of them are pure crap, except the short and guitar-led instrumental "White
Tornado", which is really tornado-like and the main highlight of Peter Buck
EVER. Short drum solo is also great. For other bonus tracks I don't care too
much. "Wind Out'? Who are these friends who helped R.E.M. to produce this song
and I really don't want to know-that scream in the beginning makes me decide
that I will never buy the albums of those guys. Another version of "Pretty Persuasion"?
I don't care again-who needs another version of the song that almost identical
to original? Long instrumental "Tighten Up"? Funny, but not for me-thanks. "Moon
River"? Oh man, this is the crappiest song of early 80's I have heard so far-the
song itself little piano ballad, but THIS SINGING... Somebody, help me to understand
who ever needs this bonus track???
And so, I must say the final word. If you are the R.E.M. fan you have this album...
If you're the beginner-this is probably the best starting point to start to
collect R.E.M. albums... No matter who you are-buy this album now.
P.S. Maybe the cover of the album is the shittiest cover I have ever seen-what
that guys were thinking about while putting all of these song titles to the
front? When people see titles like "Little America" and "Seven Chinese Brothers"
wouldn't they think about nazi-propaganda. And when they see the title "Camera"
which is banal as the title can be (the another reason to hate that song!) what
do they think? Of course, not about the band which has titles like "It's The
End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" or "What's The Frequency,
Kenneth?". Please, everyone, won't you be so glad and do not do the covers like
this?
Any comments or reviews to grant us with?
Now,finally free from darkness and strangeness of Fables
Of The Reconstruction,R.E.M. tried to become some kind of new era rock’n’roll
band what means that guys wanted to play the mix of garage rock and pure rock’n’roll.
Fortunately(can you imagine R.E.M. playing mordenise cover of “Roll Over Bethoven”,eh?)the
sound of the band started to be more poppy-just check out songs like “Fall On
Me” or “Swan Swan H”.Anyway,most of the album’s songs are really fast and high-proffesional
rockers-without any imaginative music desicions-only straightforward rock.And
even it’s straightfoward rock without any experiments as it always were with
R.E.M.That’s maybe the main reason why I gave only 13 to this record,but I don’t
sure to the end-maybe,the album really needs to be upgraded...in future.After
all,R.E.M. isn’t Beatles to made EVERY record experimentating in something or
in some way-but,guys,ususual unexperimentting with your own music goes right
into self-copiying.Fortunately, they return to some experemintation on Document.
That “rockin’ roller”-ness of the record shows the band member’s technics in
the best way possible-Bill Berry’s drumming is nothing but awesome and striking,Peter
Buck’s guitar is so fast-just the guy always wanted.Dunno about Mike Mills-in
the final mix of the album I can’t here too much bass.Of course,on some songs
like “Cuyahoga” he plays almsot main role,but I can’t listen his band somewhere
in all of these “rockers”.As for Michael Stipe-his singing and lyrics are the
same as ever.Thematicaly the album is the predseccor of Green-it is also
mostly about ecological problems like pollution,acid rain etc. and etc.
“Begin The Begin” opens the album and it’s the good example of rocking mood
of Pageant-great rocking melody and catchy chours.Most of the songs following
that formula,ncluding the following “These Days”.That song has actually hookless
and boring to the grave chours,but the melody at all is quite interesting.The
old good fan-favourite and famous hit-single that is kinda overplayed,but still
good called “Fall On Me” is maybe the poppiest song they ever did in their early
period,but it is sure worth listnenig-great chours with the Stipe’s vocal that
so emotional and beautiful.
“Cuyahoga” is poppy,but is very good-with a memorable and catchy chours it can
easily be the best song on here. The music is going to be something like compromise
betwen classic rock,country and pop,but it is still good.The next song-“Hyena”-is
kinda the same in conception with more rocking mood,but it is boring,with some
crappy vocals and not very tasteful.
The next song is the real masterpiece-very short(only one and a half minutes),Mexican
cha-cha-cha’s like and with distorted vocals song called “Underneath The Bunker”.It
is great,just the best song on here-and with an only feeling of experimentation.
The second side opens with melancholic and beautiful “The Flowers Of Guatemala”-great
drum/guitar interplay that changed the riff and Buck’s solo in the middle are
definetly one of the best things in R.E.M. song catalog.
“I Believe” is another great rocker which starts with amazingly fast and proffesional
Buck solo on banjo.The melody is great and the chours is memorable enough and
accordion(!!!) solo in the middle makes the song sounds quite strange.The lyrics
are understandable enough-the first and maybe the last thing like that ever
happened to such mindsweaping poet as Michael Stipe.
“What If We Give It Away” is quite nice moody song with memorable guitar interplay
between the Stipe’s singing. The middle,rocking section is quite good too.Next
song-“Just A Toch” is more rocking and combinane bothe of early sound and sound
of the next album-Document.Seems it was recorded live(maybe it was live
in the studio),but I don’t care-the song is so fucking good.And there’s Hammond
organ!I absolutely LOVE Hammond Organ in R.E.M. songs!
“Swan Swan H” is very sad and dark acoustic ballad that seems was taken from
Fables sessions.As someone of R.E.M. fans noticed-this one is really
good fits in the rainy day.
And,finally,closing cover of “Superman”(don’t know who is the author) is rocking
and groovy with Mike Mills lead vocals and stupid lyrics like “I am the superman
and I can do anything”.
So,finally,band decided to follow the direction of guitar mix of rock’n’roll
and garage rock,which finally grew into the popying of the band’s best and next
release-Document.
Any comments or reviews to grant us with?
Yeah, this is the pop album, whatever all R.E.M. fans may
say. This is just a pop album with some classic rock, funk, typical american
folk, New Wave and a lot of Michael Stipe (as usual). Songs aren’t messy anymore
and become much shorter. Lyrics are full of social-critisism and fun, but still
don’t get to "perfect". You know, Michael is really talented lyricist, but his
clichés are rather lame... "To improve your business acumen"? "I’m addressing
the realpolitik"? "Hang your freedom higher"? Anyway, his lyrics were always
too American for my tastes.
Album opens with great "Finest Worksong", which is really the finest worksong
I’ve ever heard. It is really solid pop with great backing vocals. Stipe himself
produced something like weak parody on drunk Peter Gabriel (remember - he sung
with Peter a song or two!). Anyway, his vocals can’t destroy the great song
with that great catchy chorus: "Your finest hour(blow your horn)..."
"Welcome To The Occupation" is the small standard-R.E.M. boring song that somehow
became not boring at all! Stipe produced song with the most social-critical
clichés as possible. Even it can’t stop him turn all of the lyrics into meaningless
something. The song itself is rather "grungy", but your favourite Kurt couldn’t
even have dreamed to write song like this one.
"Exhuming McCarthy" is meaningless social-critic ballad (oh God, again!) with
absolutely great music. Small instrumental part is great. Song goes rather "classical
rocking", but again, even songs like "Revolution" is less "fuck you" to the
governments. And it shows first signs of Stipe’s sexual orientation. "You’re
beautiful, more beautiful than me..."
"Disturbance At The Heron House" shows us great guitarwork. Great riff and great
solo. While riff reminds me country music, solo is as hard-rocking as R.E.M.
can be hard-rocking. But the lyrics suck again. How about "They’re counting
the monkeys", anyone?
"Strange" is small little hard-rocking tune. Lyrics are simple, but they don’t
suck (surprise! surprise!) and it’s fun! Maybe R.E.M. are paroding Aerosmith
(remember that "Toys In The Attic" cover on Dead Letter Office?),eh?
Then goes the small masterpiece aka the best R.E.M. song ever aka IT’S THE END
OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT (AND I FEEL FINE)! (I’ve written the title with that
big letters because it’s so cool). It is just a simple punky pop song, but:
a) The lyrics rule. Michael finally produced something different from his usually
clichés. At the first sight, the lyrics are meaningless and messy, but it’s
the end of the world, isn’t it guys? Moreover, there’s Leonid Brezhnev in lyrics!
I love bands which include him in their lyrics!
b) The music rules extremely. Fast, built on drums phrase with minimum guitar
sounds (except hard zones like chorus), it makes me wonder if Led Zeppelin could
produce something good as this one. By the way, it was taken from commercial
sheet music and corrected by Stipe, as credits says.
c) The chorus is supercatchy. I bet everything that you WILL repeat majestic
phrase: "It’s the end of the world", even if yu hate R.E.M. and bands like R.E.M.
Then goes "The One I Love" - hit single, which is overplayed like Hell, but
still rather good. Lyrics are simple, but it’s good even if we opposite them
to all of this political shit Michael produced. That section with Stipe’s shout:
"FIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEE!" is very cute, in fact, too.
"Fireplace"... Heck, there’s sax in this one! There are cool sax solo and cool
sax in the second part of song. Quite interesting and unusual for bands like
R.E.M. Anyway, lyrics suck again ("Crazy crazy world; crazy crazy times" - is
it some new musical poetry?), but it has great catchy chorus.
"Lightin’ Hopkins" begins as an imitation of Cars-like pop-rocker, but then
it turns into the haunted song with meaningless lyrics ("Lightin’ won! Lightin’
won!") and vocal chorus borrowed from "The One I Love". Great song to dance,
not to think (like Stipe wanted to do).
"King Of Birds"? Absolutely amazing song, even lyrics are shit. Dig that rythm,
man; dig that "Point to point, point observation, man; dig Stipe singing (IT’S
GOOD, OH MY MOMMA!), man and dig that chorus, catchy as Hell, catchy as always.
And maybe someone should get it on radio - let DJ’s turn on not "Losing My Religion"
and "The One I Love",but this one too... And "It’s The End Of The World blah
blah blah" too!
Album ends on a very-very-very high note - "Oddfellows Local 151" could easily
be the best song on here, if "It’s The End..." wouldn’t be included. Stipe sings
good, aggressive guitar tone is SOMETHING and gloomy atmosphere makes me turning
on this song in darkness, maybe it is the best song for Halloween, especially
last one and a half minutes. If you hear this song you will understand all I
said.
Any comments or reviews to grant us with?
So, look here-R.E.M. is the best American band-rich, popular,
but stuck in the unfamous and little label. So what other rich and popular bands
that stuck with little label do? Right, they say “fuck off” to their label and
get the contract with another label-big, rich and popular. So did R.E.M.-Warner
Bors. Got them in their hands... And so what other bands usually do in this
situation? They release AWFUL albums with absolutely ZERO listenability, but
not R.E.M.- in 1988 they released one of their best albums-Green.
The social-critique peak that was on Document gone away-as you may judge
by the title, Green is more about ecological problems(when I think about
it I usually remember that dull text that we used to read in school-terrible,
terrible text with word “polution” appeared in almost every line)-such songs
as “Stand” and “Orange Crush” show all about Stipe lyrics, in fact.
The music didn’t gone away from Document direction-it is same guitar-dominated
pop with some trash of New Wave, punk, classic rock and some alternative-usual
best R.E.M. period. The finest example of it is the opener of the album-“Pop
Song 89”, which is actually idealogical rip-off of The Doors’ “Hello I Love
You”, but with the dummiest Stipe’s lyrics ever appearing in chorus(“Should
we talk about weather? /Should we talk about government? ”-is it shows both
of the concepts of Document and Green). The small punk-pop tune
with a good smash of classic rock and definetly Police-influced gneric guitar.
The song RULES.
Next goes small little tune “Get Up”. Don’t care too much about lyrics, but
the rockin’ drivin’ tune is really great. And check out these vocals-genious
Stipe singing, in fact.
“You Are The Everything”-thinking melody and thinking lyrics. Sounds rather
folky, but that’s don’t matter a thing-the song is catchy. Back-vocals are great
too. And check out that guitar, man!Peter Buck reaslly did good job. “Stand”
can easily be the best on here. Rather generic, but I love such pop songs that
MUST be generic. And here comes Peter Buck again-his solo on here is prorably
the best he ever did. Stipe sings VERY GOOD. The song, though, has rather dummy
structure-the same verse-the same chorus and it last for all of the songs. But
I have nothing against it, actually.
“World Leader Pretends” sounds like good, very solid grunge song, but Stipe
great singing and usual lyrics made this song the simple, but great R.E.M. song.
“The Wrong Child” sounds messy, but it’s still great song-ABSOLUTELY great piano
in the middle that can’t even get into the song... Messy sound with almost classical-style
playing... That’s something. ”The Wrong Child”, by the way is acoustic song
and you may not be waiting for all of these typical R.E.M. hooks that guys usually
did. Great, atmospheric and catchy.
The 7th song in track list is one of the best R.E.M. songs ever-“Orange Crush”.
It’s lead the cocepts with lyrics abou “Agent Orange”. Chorus is VERY catchy-from
the first time I’ve listened this album(almost a mounth ago) I STILL can’t get
out that chorus from my head. Stipe singing is maybe his best singing ever.
“Turn You Inside Out” is a very good classical-rock/alternative song-R.E.M.
still follows this formula and that’s really great-lyrics and atmosphere still
reminds me of this happy late-60’s classic rock days, even the lyrics are still
wuite Stipe-ish.
“Hairshit”... It is THE REAL masterpiece-love this song from the beginning to
the end.Slowly and fast, generic and quiet-it gets as much atmospheres, as,
for example, Gentle Giants’ “Knots” (question to R.E.M. fans-did you expect
me to tell something about Gentle Giant in Green review?).
Then comes “I Remember California”-it is really boring song, but still quite
enjoyable. Lyrics are the most banal lyrics on here-Stipe just describing what
he remember after his voyage to California.
And, finally, eleventh, unttitled song has the boriest melody R.E.M. ever could
do, reminding me about “Cinema” or “9-9”. Lyrics are about gay-love, I think,
somekind of Stipe’s revelation.
So from now, I am going to listen this one again-just want to do this. This
is catchy, funny and one of the best R.E.M. albums-buy it now without saying
“no”.
Any comments or reviews to grant us with?
R.E.M. kept on experimentation with their music that time
again-after Automatic For The People guys just need new view on their
own music.Don’t sure if their new look worked good-Monster isn’t good
as anything they did, except Murmur and Dead Letter Office.Such
hard,alternative-like songs with really “dirty” guitar rarely non-degeneratic.Same
goes for R.E.M.Michel tired to do something new with his lyrics and result is
terrible-lyrics are the worst Stipe’s lyrics ever.Even such political garbage
on Document can’t challenge such messages as “You bang, bang,bang and
bang,blame,blame,blame” or “She’s a sad tomato”(the last one is really funny,though).
The album opens with best track on here-single called ‘What’s The Frequency,Kenneth?”.It
is really a good singalong pop number-nothing more.The chours is extremley catchy
and give you good mood for a day.The next song-“Crush With Eyeliner” is also
good pop-song.Extremley well done chours,again.Unfortunately,the next song called
“King Of Comedy” give us some terrible Vecoder/Stipe vocals and...WOMAN BACK-VOCAL.Imagine-woman
back-vocal background in R.E.M. songs...Lyrics suck again and again and again.
“I Don’t Sleep,I Dream” is really boring-you wanted to do some Murmur-like
garbage,guys?Good luck to you,but certanly not this time.And Stipe sings terrible-what’s
the hell he trying to do in chours?
The next goes great angry,driving and fast song-“Star 69”.Certanly,great vocal
mix and great chours with all these fast “I know you called”’s everytime.Great,great
work,guys.
“Strange Currencies” is Automatic For The People hit “Everybody Hurts”
rip-off.The same,almost 60’s pop atmosphere,but great vocals save the song.The
same doesn’t go for the next song-“Tongue”.My first reaction was something like:”What
da fuck?Did this guys invite Jon Anderson to sing this song?”.Anyway,organ background
is rather nice and that fat gloomy guitar lines in the middle are great.
Here comes the sellout song-“Bang And Blame”.Fan favourite,mostly pop-lovers
favourite...What can I say?Good riff,great mighty and heavy chours,but the song
itself is darn overlong-this one might be near 3 minutes-no more. BUT 5:30 with
absolutely necessery middle part and strange instrumental coda in the end???No
sir,thanks-I don’t need it.
“I Took Your Name” is deadly boring and absolutely uninteresting hard-pop song.Someone
REALLY need this one, eh?Not me-that’s true.Guitar lines are so........UNLISTENABLE-remind
me about all of these KISS crap...
“Let Me In” is lyrically tribute to Mr.Kurt Cobain(the guy who sucked)...and
musically almost too!Who eeds this idiotic heavy guitar on the background,which
remind me about worst days of Nirvana “experimentation”.The song is very painfull
to hear.Did guys want to do some “guitar symphony” with guitar taking a part
of the orchestra?And singing...Melancholic and idiotic garbage.And all of this
lasts for 3 and a half minutes...HELP ME SOMEONE!
“Circus Envy” pretends to be hard and it is the hardest R.E.M. song I’ve heard
so far.Might be really good,if guys just tried to threw out these degeneratic
background effects.Or does my mp3 copy suck???The chours is extremley catchy,I
must notice.
Finally,the closing “You”(really good title before New Adventures Of Hi-Fi
“How The West Was Won And How It Got Us”)is nothing but hard poppy tune-I REALLY
love this one.The second best on album-after “What’s The Frequency,Kenneth?”,of
course.The chours gain A+ rating.
Any comments or reviews to grant us with?
After the release of Monster guys finally decided they
need to go on tour to got some more money.Plus they had an idea-record new alum
on concerts,but then just threw away the sound of audience.So they did,but some
songs was recorded in studio,though.
The album gone far from the previous record-more calm music,more experimentation
and sound that really can make you think:”Oh,didn’t they return to the roots-this
one reminds the old stuff!”More of then-now,after Monster guitar experimentation,Peter
Buck don’t play the biggest role on here and Stipe’s lyrics finally become ABSOLUTELY
FUCKING GREAT.They all hard to get,yes,but with the knowing of meaning you’ll
love them. Songs on here are VERY long to R.E.M.-most of them are longer than
5 minutes!And “Leave” is even 7:16 minutes long-the longest song they ever did.The
whole album is long too-65 minutes.
The album opens with great track called “How The West Was Won And Where It Got
Us”.Absolutely great melody, catchy and brilliant chours and absolutely majestic
piano in the middle that reminds me about such masterpiece as “The Wrong Child”.
Then goes the first “live” track on here-“The Wake Up Bomb”.Great energy,good
playing,amzingly-written melody, good and quite nostalgic lyrics about glam
rock-“Get drunk and singalong to Queen,practice my T-Rex moves and make the
scene...”...yeah,glam-rock rules!The song itself is very hard(for R.E.M.),glammy
rocker-just like enything on Monster,but it’s certanly better than anything
on previous record-that’s for sure.
“New Test Leper” is really dark,crtic-like ballad that looks like outtake from
Automatic For The People.Great, simple,but oh so great melody with beautiful
Stipe vocal that sing about talk shows that usually get junk into the people’s
heads.Surprisingly,the theme of the song is MINE-I HATE talk shows,especially
Russian ones.
Next song-“Undertow”-was also recorded live and features one of the best Mike
Mills bass-lines ever and one of the most furious Bill Berry’s drum lines.Everything
on here is quite wild,but it’s a problem of every “live” record on here with
the exception of previously mentioned “The Wake Up Bomb”.
Next goes one of the most (in)famous R.E.M. songs-“E-Bow The Letter”.As said
in the name there is e-bow using in this song,but the main “highlight” of this
one is certanly vocal parts sung by Patti Smith-an idol of all four R.E.M. guys.Stipe
parts are almost spoken,and,as how I hate Patti’s voice,her parts are great
and so catchy.”I get you oveeeeeeer,there...”
Then goes absolutely brilliant 7:16 “Leave”-as I said,it is the longest song
that R.E.M. recorded.Great acoustic intro goes to the main part of the song.There
is somekind of sample of alarm or something that makes the great atmosphere
of the song that fits perfectly with great Micheal Sipe’s lyrics-one of the
most touchful he had ever wrote and great,very deep and emotional song.
Then goes another song that was recorded live-degeneratic “Depature”-absolutely
wild,bad played and recorded fast punk-rocker(not so “punk”,of course”,but “punky”
or “close-to-punk”).It is,undoubtly,the worst song on here and I often ignore
it.
“Bittersweet Me” is just a good pop ballad,very Reckoning or even Murmur-like.That
dirty “alternative” chours is rather degeneratic,but Stipe’s singing is allright.Not
to mention so touchful,emotional and feeling lyrics-damn,this guy CAN write
great lyrics,so why don’t he do it ALWAYS,I wonder?
“Be Mine” goes then.Great,quite Monster-like ballad with brilliant riff
and even more brilliant short guitar solo in the middle.Stipe’s vocals are quite
dumb,but the song is still great and very relaxing.The chours “You and me” is
great too,but the apge of the power of the song is in great ending.
“Binky The Doormat” was recorded live,and it is certanly the best “live” song
on here.Great melody,amazing, almost Bob Dylan-like riff(Peter Buck spent much
time listening to old good pal Bob,I believe)and catchy chours with great back-vocal.Love
this song.
“Zither” is great short instrumental,almost Buck solo number,quite relaxing,but
hardly boring,shows band instrumental abilities(especially Buck’s ones,as I
said)at the best way possible.The song is prelude to hard-rocking “So Fast,So
Numb” with its great riff and dancy melody.The song is VERY catchy-didn’t they
release it as the single?If the answer is “yes”,so I surprised why it is not
the big hit.Great guitar solo too.
“Low Desert” is slow and catchy pop song,but with absolutely zero number of
rocking energy,that R.E.M. always need-yes,the song has brilliant riff,but it’s
on background of Stipe’s vocals(again!) and overshadowed by Hammond Organ in
chours.And that guitar solo is sooooooo boring.
“Electrolite” is the nice piano-lead ending with great lyrics(such as “Hollywood
is under me-I’m Martin Sheen,I’m Steve McQueen,I’m Jimmy Dean”).But it is quite
boring-better to ignore this one.By the way,the ending of the album is very
weird-Stipe just sings twice “I’m not scared-I’m outta here” and music stops.
Well...Buy this one or not?In my opinion,everyone need to have this one in one’s
own collection,but if you like more proffesional made music-go up to Up-the
next album.
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So waht’s the hell is THIS record,you want to know,eh?And
me too...I mean,it is VERY strange album-you WILL never get into it like anyone
of R.E.M. guys.It is the melancholiest album they have ever realeased and moreover-it
is the most upbeat album the have ever made.Every single track bring you to
the sadness and make you shake your head or dance on.It is very difficult in
the vision of music-almost art-rocky,oh my,but some songs is just the pop music
R.E.M. never came.
Actually,before the recording of Up drummer Bil Berry left the band,’cause
he totally tired from music and wanted to lead countrylife.But I think the main
reason was just his health-on Monster tour six or so concerts were deleted,
because the guy actually had VERY big difficulties with his brains health.Doctors
even did craniotomia on his head (that tour was real “Monster”,by the way-Mike
Mills suffered with his livers and Stipe had problems with his back or so).So
there are no “live” drums-only drum-machine recording.Moreover,ther are MANY
keyboards-Mike Mills recorded them all and you can even hear Mellotron on two
or three tracks(I CAN hear it,but I don’t sure if it’s really on Up).
The album kicks off with 4-minute prelude to the whole album-“Airportman”.Relaxing
music with so quiet Stipe’s vocals is just great.Th song flows to the hit-single
“Lotus” with great,great memorable chours(funny lyrics-“So haven’t you notice?I
ate the lotus”and etc. etc.).The melody is also great.By the way,it was the
first R.E.M. song I’ve ever heard(“Losing My Religion” doesn’t count)-I remember
how I listened it on and on after downloading form Audiogala...(CENSORED.That
site must will pay to us for giving the link on ‘em).
“Suspicion” is a darn long keyboard-dominated ballad with great boring,but tasteful
melody.Stipe’s singing is quite bad,though-just a little bit and guy will come
to “Tongue”-like girl-ish screaming vocals.
“Hope” has rather dancy melody(which was borrowed from Leonard Cohen’s (un)famous
song “Suzzane” and re-maked as well)and has such a good catchy atmosphere!The
next song is even more atmospheric-it is great ballad called “At My Most Beautiful”,that
always reminds me of the best Beach Boys epoch.Absolutely incredible Stipe’s
song makes the song just unforgetable.
“The Apologist” is absolutely great in pieces,but overall song is really nerveous.Absolutely
non-original idea with lyrics taken right from ‘So.Central Rain” makes the song
undobtly the worst on here,but still nice,with happy moody atmosphere.
“Sad Professor” is the best song on here-acoustic verses with some loud chourses
and great instrumental break,and also the Stipe’s singing(he sounds just like
old lonely profession and perfectly play his role in the song)-I love ‘em all.The
song is alos the most complex on here-sometimes TOO complex-Gentle Giant could
tired as Hell,but they just did ten or fifteen tunes that are more complicated
than this song.
The second half of the album opens with “You’re In The Air” which is just the
waste of time and nothing more.Next one-“Walk Unafraid” is more tasty and haven’t
got this stuid “WE CAN DO SOMETHING FUCKIN’ EXPERIMENTAL” idea as a previous
track.
“Why Not Smile” is a little optimistic song that could easily be a single(or
it is already a single?).It is the shortest on here and absolutely great.Same
goes for folky,Fables Of The Reconstruction-like "Daysleeper”,which is
the next track.Great catchy chours on that one too!
“Diminished” is the pure boredom(almost 6 minutes of the same melody!),but still
tasteful.Unfortunately,it is VERY inmemorable.Listen to this one,and after two
or so minutes you won’t be able to remember anything but thing great “Sing along”
part,when Stipe sings like GOD.
“Parakeet” could easily be the best on here with a lots of background effects
and understandable lyrics it is certanly one of my favourites on here.Finally,the
closing “Falls To Climb” sometimes become too boring,but at least the melody
is godlike-almost prog-ish,with some nice touches of world music.I hell love
this song.
So,this album is also the first step to the melancholy period of R.E.M. which
even continues today-in ther days,when Reveal was released.
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