R.E.M. Records Ranked (#10 to 6)
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- Опубліковано 12 жов 2024
- R.E.M. were my favorite band, and probably still are, depending on the day. They changed the way I looked at rock and roll, but also the world. They turned me on to countless bands and new ways of thinking. Their catalog is vast and ever changing. So I decided to count down all 15 of their studio records, from least favorite to favorite. This is where I get into the top 10. It becomes a lot harder to rank them because they have so many great records, but I feel fairly confident with this part, albums #11 to 6.
Previous videos in this series:
• R.E.M. Records Ranked ...
• Why R E M ?
#vc #vinylcommunity
I'm so glad you took on the R.E.M. ranking because it got me interested in the revisiting their albums, especially the post-Bill Berry ones which I never gave as much time as the others. I feel bad sometimes that my fascination for them tapered a bit over their career because, without a doubt they were a band that caught my ear right away as something new and exciting and in many ways felt like the band I was looking for or wanted to be like in the 80s. Those incredible sounding electric guitars connected me to 60s folk rock, the bass reminded me of one of my favorite bass players growing, Berry Oakley of the Allman Brothers but in a trio format where the bass guitar really stood out, prominent but also holding down the core and the the simplicity of the snare and other drums was reminiscent of Ringo but all for it together felt modern and strange, especially when adding that mumbling singer whose peculiar lyrics would occasionally jump out and stick in my head (or at least what I thought the lyrics were). I'd always beeline to the "R" section that they shared with the Replacements. But from the earlier records I'd have to say that I didn't spend that much time with "Fables", I thought some of the songs were super cool but many didn't click at the time so the other night I threw on my old vinyl LP, cranked it up and just took it all in. It was almost like discovering a lost treasure. Even though I could hear why I may not have connected with all of it, it was exciting to hear the overall sound of a great band playing live in the studio. I had the volume up loud and it sounded like they were in the room, like a live club show. So even on the songs which felt like a bit of a miss, there was something interesting going on throughout which was the sound of a band making the most of the material they had to work with when it was studio time. I'd heard the stories about nobody wanting their parts up in the mix and I can understand that but somehow that added a bit of under-worked rawness to it all, gave it a great energy.
Very cool breakdown of who the various members reminded you of initially. I was drawn the the "R" section as well. Lou Reed was in there too. Listening to Fables the way you did sounds really cool. There's always some mystery there with that record. I always feel there's more to discover.
Love Shiny Happy People
My top five: Lifes Rich Pageant, Monster, Automatic for the People, Murmur and Document. Their only clunker albums are Reveal and Around the Sun. Fantastic band.
Totally disagree. Reveal is a great lp.
I'm sure I haven't listened to "Monster" (or "Up") this century, but thanks for reminding me of what attracted me to them in the first place. I don't have either of them on LP (they were CD artifacts originally), but I will dig them out now and give them a spin. As for "Out of Time," it's unquestionably "weird" (a good thing) and probably "uneven," but I associate it with a time (early 1990s) when popular music in general was more vital, powerful and exciting than it has probably ever been since. I loved that there were B-52s on "Shiny Happy People" (based on a Chinese propaganda poster -- not unlike the circus poster that inspired "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite") -- and I think the title tells you that it's not so much a song in search of "deeper meaning" any more than "What's the Frequency Kenneth?" (named after an absurd, cryptic utterance reported by Dan Rather) or "Stand" (a "dance craze" song parody that nevertheless has something to say about finding direction -- psychological GPS, if you will). It's mostly "about" the musicality of the words, the sounds, the feeling ("Dit, dit, dit-dit, dit, dit, dit-dit, dit..." -- recalls the Beatles' "tit-tit-tit" from "Girl").
I was maybe more ambivalent about the already anachronistic invocation of KRS-One's "rap" on "Radio Song" (though I had been a Boogie Down Productions fan in the late '80s) -- but I love the irregular rhythms and the joyful "radio listenerrrrrrs...." at the end. Today, removed from the radio playlist trends of the time, it sounds better than ever. "Losing My Religion" is their best riff song ever (on a mandolin rather than an electric guitar -- thanks, Peter Holsapple!). I still get chills from, "That's me in the spot. Light." I probably listen to "Out of Time,," "Murmur" and "Document" more than any other R.E.M. records -- and I still have them all in some form or another.
Automatic For the People was the album that made me an REM fan. I was really annoyed by them from what I knew before that - mainly Stand and Shiny Happy People. So Monster and those mid 90s albums were initially my favorite and changed my mind about them - thought Stipe and Buck were so cool. I really liked Up too. Reveal was the first album that sort of disappointed me. Around the Sun really disappointed me. I didn't come to the early stuff until later. Jacque Cousteou (the Narrator) is such a great song. I have it on a bootleg cd... Anyway, great video. New to your channel - really enjoying it.
Thanks! Yeah, they definitely have some annoying singles. Cool you were able to get past them and discover the true gems.
I'm really enjoying this REM series. Your passion for the band and knowledge comes through. New Adventures in Hi-Fi and Murmur would both be higher for me.
They just have so many great albums. I could make an argument for at least 8 of my top ten being in the top 5. And sometimes Up too.
I think age plays a huge part in how you feel about this discography. Couldn’t agree more! Excellent point and one that I often make about a lot of bands. But with REM it doesn’t even matter what album you heard first. It wasn’t my introduction, but Automatic is one of my favorites because I was 13/14 when it came out. Same reason I love Monster. I was a teenager. In high school, the three REM CDs I listened to the most were Automatic, Monster, and Eponymous. It wasn’t until college that I fully dove into the IRS years.
“Leave” is one of my favorite REM songs. Maybe not Top 10, but definitely Top 20.
Love seeing Murmur at 6. I might have it higher, but I agree on your assessment. Much like how everyone says Pearl Jam’s best album is Ten. That’s BS. They weren’t even Pearl Jam yet. (I’m not even a huge PJ fan, just think that’s a good comparison.). I feel like REM was a band that didn’t really know what they were doing, but they had some great songs. But maybe Murmur is what it is because of Mitch Easter and Don Dixon.
I think we might have the same Top 2. I don’t know. We’ll see.
Happy Holidays, Todd! ✌🏻
Love your analogy with Pearl Jam. Not a big fan either, but totally agree. They’re really a band for all different stages of your life. I always seem to come back to them, although I can take long breaks, or even spend years away from certain albums. Would love to see your ranking sometime.
I remember that time around Green Tour, at University , being told of Stipe's sexuality.And it struck me how I didn't care about his personal life and found it odd how people were taken aback.
It was a coming of age, realising about prejudices.I knew about racial ones by then.
I loved the Green Tour.I loved the Up Tour too.That was cool with Joey Waronker, he was nice and funky too.Monster is a great album but a bit synthetic to my ears.Tongue is awesome.Let Me In and You.Quite brilliant.
Glad he messed with people's preconceptions a bit if they chose to care about something like that.
Really enjoying the series so far.
“Out Of Time” is such an uneven listen. It is an album that is sequenced in such an odd manner. The Tastes Like Music guys did a video where the resequenced the record, and that inspired me to do the same. I like it better now the way I have the running order. ‘Radio Song’ is more bothersome to me than ‘Shiny Happy People’, but I get the hostility that song receives. I would have “Monster” ahead of it on my list, but there are some excellent tracks on “Out Of Time”.
“New Adventures In Hi-Fi” is my favorite record of theirs, but I will admit that it is a long listen since it is from the CD era. I like the variety of songs on that record, and it feels like a victory lap for the original lineup with Bill.
I would probably rank “Fables” lowest of this group. I’ve just never been able to fully connect with that album. It sounds rather flat to me, at least compared to, say, “Reckoning”, or “Life’s Rich Pageant”.
“Murmur” would be in my top 5, but it may land at the number 5 spot. It’s a mysterious sounding album, but I tend to return to individual songs I enjoy rather than listen to the entire album. Maybe I need to give it another spin. I would probably put “Document” on my list where you have “Murmur” on yours.
I'll look for that resequence of Out of Time. I'd include "Fretless" somewhere in there for sure. Peter Buck at some point mentioned that he welcomed people's suggestions on how to resquence the album as part of a potential future reissue. That already happened, but the tracklisting stayed the same. I'd put that alternative cover on there too.
Here you go:
1. Chronic Town EP (1982)
2. Murmur (1983)
3. Reckoning (1984)
4. Automatic for the People (1992)
5. New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996)
6. Lifes Rich Pageant (1986)
7. Document (1987)
Great list! Love Chronic Town.
Have you heard the REMix (see what i did there) of Monster? I think it improves the album. New Adventures... is perfect, except I would replace Wake Up Bomb with Revolution (prefer it).
Personally I don't mind the whole quiet to loud album opening strategy. So many bands do that. And I've never understood people's problems with the track sequence of Out Of Time. It's fine to me.
Murmur and New Adventure would be top 5 for me. But REM are so good, they have about 10 albums id like to put in their top 5, lol.
I found a sealed copy of ‘Out of time’ (along with other records) in a dumpster when I was a kid, and I just opened it after owning it for 25 years
Very enjoyable video. I think Around the Sun is underrated, but that may be because most REM fans like faster, harder alt rock. I also like prog rock, and I think Around the Sun fits well in my collection. Show this album some love.
R.E.M. lost me after Green. O.G. fan since '83....Radio Song, Everybody Hurts definitely killed it for me.
I realize "Everybody Hurts" has been played to death, but I do think it's a beautiful song. Hearing Radio Song for the first time was definitely a wtf moment.
Don't agree with your order at all, but I enjoyed hearing your reasons.
My order would have been different 5 or 10 years ago and will probably be different 5 years from now. Or even a year from now. What's your order?
I still really love R.E.M. but they lost me after Green. It's weird - I have no interest in their music after 1989 or so, even actively dislike it. But I absolutely adore their first five albums. Can't think of another band that I have such a love/hate relationship with.
I have a few bands/artists like that. Arcade Fire after Neon Bible is one of them.
Have you heard the Australian band Quivers cover of the Out of Time album? It came out a few years ago, but I only just discovered it. I think they have done a great job and I love their version of Losing My Religion.
I haven’t. Just found it and bookmarked it. Very few artists seem to cover their material. Curious to check it out. Thanks!
I listened to the Quivers last night and loved it. Their liberties with arrangements and phrasing really drew me into it in a new way. Highlights for me were "Radio Song," "Texarcana," "Half A World Away," and "Near Wild Heaven. Thanks so much for mentioning it.
Quivers made me like the REM version more
@@anthonyburke223 I could totally see that. Might do the same for me.
I think you rated Up way too low. It is not a mood liftener for sure and I think many struggle with it because of that, but it's qualities can't be denied. Also it doesn't have Shiny Happy People on it..
I love Up and have defended it for years. I can definitely see an argument for having it higher. The 1999 tour in support of it was incredible, at least the show I saw in St Paul, MN.
Michael Stipe called it their Nebraska.