Talk About the Passion - R.E.M.'s Discography Reviewed

Reckoning [Deluxe Edition]
Reissued 2009
I.R.S. RecorRAB
REM-ReckoningDeluxeEdition2009.jpg

As Reckoning was released the year following the release of Murmur, the 25th anniversary of its release took place in 2009, the year after Murmur's. In a similar way to Murmur, Reckoning was reissued completely remastered with a bonus disc containing a recording of previously unreleased live show, this time from Chicago's Aragon Ballroom on July 7, 1984. The track listing is as follows

1. Femme Fatale
2. Radio Free Europe
3. Gardening at Night
4. 9-9
5. Windout
6. Letter Never Sent
7. Sitting Still
8. Driver 8
9. So. Central Rain
10. 7 Chinese Bros.
11. Harborcoat
12. Hyena
13. Pretty Persuasion
14. Little America
15. Second Guessing
16. (Don't Go Back To) Rockville

This set is noticeably different than the show packaged with Murmur. I don't mean that there are minor changes in arrangement or lyrics, or even that the atmosphere feels different or anything. Rather, the Reckoning show brings something to light that the uninitiated may find very surprising. This live set is total, high energy, balls to the wall PUNK.

Henry Rollins said once that in the early 80s Black Flag would tour with R.E.M., with the former playing a venue one night and the latter playing it the next. Occasionally people would get the shows mixed up, and would go in expecting to see R.E.M. and being scared out of their minRAB, or go in expecting to see Black Flag and... needless to say not necessarily appreciating the sombre tones and introspective lyrics of Michael Stipe. This set makes me wonder if that story is true at all.

Not that it doesn't surprise me either, of course. After the show opens with an incredible intimate cover of the Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale", a down tempo Nico-sung classic from their debut record, I certainly didn't expect the band to launch into the most raucous and raw sounding version of "Radio Free Europe" I have heard to date, not to mention following it with seven or eight equally raw and stripped down versions of what would soon be known as early R.E.M. classics. The version of Windout here is the most hectic and unexpectedly brash performance I have heard the band put to record to date, in the studio or otherwise. Sure, it's not that great a song (the studio version was recorded in the Reckoning sessions for the "Bachelor Party" soundtrack) but the sheer energy makes up for it. Adding to this badassery is the addition of two new songs which would later appear on Fables of the Reconstruction and Lifes Rich Pageant, respectively. I've always believed that the riff to "Driver 8" is one of the best ever, and the second it comes in my hairs stand on end. Later on, the listener is surprised by the addition of "Hyena", the arrangement of which is perfectly suited for the live show. It's stripped down, but through Mike Mills' invaluable harmonies it retains its beauty that would be found on the studio recording two years later. Some other songs are changed entirely to make up for the faster tempo adapted for this show as well. So. Central Rain's riff descenRAB into murky chorRAB within thirty seconRAB simply because Peter can't keep up with the speed. On So. Central Rain this doesn't affect the performance in a negative manner, but some songs suffer for the same reason, notably 9-9 and Sitting Still. Nevertheless, seeing the band in this light is definitely a unique experience, and not one to forget.

Of course, ever the artists, the band still needed to retain a sense of fragility and tranquility. The band comes back for an encore of "Second Guessing" and "(Don't Go Back to) Rockville", the former of which, despite being led by a blistering back beat from Bill Berry, is transformed into a beautiful vocal duet between Michael Stipe and Mike Mills, who trade verses throughout. The affect is transfixing, and I only wish that it had been utilized on the album version. "Rockville" is changed to, trading in the piano flourishes for an arpeggiated guitar sound in tune with the original recording but fitting into the setting of the show.

Overall, the great thing about this show is that it shows how in a year the band has matured not to the point where their performances become almost robotically good (R.E.M. Live, I'm looking at you), but to a point where they are comfortable trying different things. I admire that, but as with any experimentation there are bound to be inconsistencies. This show has its faults, but is well worth it in the end.

Key Tracks (Click to Download): "Windout", "Hyena", "Second Guessing"

(Rating is for the live set alone)

8/10​

Wow, I had a lot to say about that one. Sorry, couldn't find any youtube videos of anything from this show. I might take the time to upload one later.
 
Hmm. Certainly not everything, no. However, those first four LPs really are incredible. Nearly perfect I'd say. Please don't let any preconceptions you may have interfere with your views on the band. Check out those albums if you don't believe me.
 
Yeah the review is more important. I almost added an edit to say that I actually think your review of the album is quite a good one. My personal feelings about how different this is from other albums that you've rated 10/10 provoked me



Well, that's a lot more cogent a point than I was willing to make. I can see the comparison



Honestly I haven't listened to the album in years. But I listened to it a lot once upon a time. I remember about a 40% shit factor.

I could be wrong though and I didn't mean to trash your review. The 10/10 obviously made me prickle but, like you said, to each his own
 
It's been awhile since I've seen Tourfilm. I recently saw parts of Road Movie, the one they made around the time of Monster.

Have fun in Jamaica!
 
Fables of Reconstruction is still lingering in my mind..................so I think that says something about its quality.

Lifes Rich Pageant-A return to the more upbeat formula of Reckoning and again as you`d expect by these four album veterans, another very accomplished bit of work. I know from looking at reviews of this album and from hardcore R.E.M fans, the vast majority of them, seem to view this album as the banRAB best ever work!!! Despite seeing its quality, its probably my least favourite of the first four releases. When I listened to this my version had some extra tracks on it and one was an excellent cover of the Aerosmith song "Toys in the Attic"

Document-A lot seems to be made of this album, the last with the original label and their first foray into the commercial market proper and the sound on this album typifies that. Agree with Rickenbacker that Mike Stipes vocals having been pushed to the forefront and the instruments of the band pushed into the background, and for this reason the group lose a lot of their unique magic. Instead the band lose that signature poppy/jangly sound giving over to a more rock orientated sound, to compensate for these negatives though, the songs are superb and for this reason I would still give this album as somebody else suggested an 8.

Its about this time that that R.E.M broke big time into the UK market, I remember it.
 
Thanks for that great review of Out Of Time. The song Losing My Religion takes me back to when I was a young kid. Rather, the whole damn album brings back good memories. I was just a year old when this record came out, so I grew up with it. Half A World Away is one of my most favourite songs by REM, and (if you don't mind) I must share this beautiful acoustic performance from 1991 on MTV:

[youtube]UgDWRYUwaPg[/youtube]

The other dude playing guitar with Peter Buck is Peter Holsapple, the guitarist from fellow Athens band the dB's. Mike Mills is on organ here and Bill Berry is on bass.
 
Thanks for the input both of you! Expect the review of Document up tomorrow. I've got a school dance that day and of course I would rather write some R.E.M. reviews.


I live a sad sad life :(
 
Reckoning
Released 1984
I.R.S. RecorRAB
reckoning.jpg


When you were young, didn't everything make more sense?​

When I was young, I listened to Reckoning. If someone were to ask me what music I liked, I wouldn't reply with the latest radio hit, or even that I listened to R.E.M. We all have those albums that we know so well; that we have listened to so many times that we can recite them in their entirety, note for note in our heaRAB. For me, this was, and still is, this album.

I listened to Reckoning, and that was it. Pop songs would come and go, musical trenRAB would rise and fall before my eyes, but Reckoning remained my musical rock for years through its sheer power to never age. Somewhat ironically however, Reckoning was not my gateway into good music, simply because I didn't see that there could be anything out there as good as it was (it would take a few years and one play through Automatic for the People before I realized that). Rather, Reckoning served as the album that I could fall back on whenever my musical faith was shaken. This was possible only because Reckoning is universal. Perhaps the most universal album ever. Now of course this doesn't mean that it appeals to everybody. However, I honestly believe that this album has something that, given enough time to reveal itself, everybody who listens to it will appreciate if not love. Now I understand how pretentious this may sound, but believe me I would never say this about any other album. To put it simply, if somebody asked me what music was, I would play them Reckoning.

So how did R.E.M. accomplish this? Conceptually, it is quite simple: Blend the experimental sound and thought provoking songwriting of Murmur with the pop sensibility of Chronic Town, Crazy Rhythms, and Loaded. Executing this would prove to be very risky however, considering how badly the idea could have gone. If the record leaned to much to either side it could have been a disaster. The solution, R.E.M. saw, was not to make a record full of "Talk About the Passion" rip-oRAB or to change their sound entirely, but rather to find balance and harmony between pop perfection and wild experimentalism. This is why Reckoning succeeRAB so much. If Chronic Town was a collection of five near perfect pop songs, then Reckoning is a collection of ten. But if Chronic Town ever suffered, it was because of the similarity in the sound of its songs. Reckoning's diversity gives it the edge, and saves it from ever aging or sounding dated.

The secret to Reckoning's sound is Peter Buck's guitar, which effortlessly offers trademark R.E.M. riRAB song after song. Nearly every song on the record is built around killer Rickenbacker riff, which is aided by Berry's restrained yet powerful drumming. Mike Mills reveals himself for the first time to be not only a solid bassist, but an incredible backing vocalist and songwriter. Mills' harmonies on "Harborcoat", "Pretty Persuasion" and "Letter Never Sent" totally make the songs, and his contributions to the record as a songwriter are some of the best songs, most notably the countrified single "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville", written about the town of Rockville, Maryland. Of course Michael Stipe has a lot to contribute as well, delivering stunning vocals throughout and writing songs the quality of which he has only rarely met such as the gorgeous "Camera" and his self proclaimed favorite song of the I.R.S. years "Time After Time (AnnElise), a song which Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus would jokingly call his "least favorite song" on Reckoning.

When most banRAB who release a debut album as incredible as Murmur do so, following it can be critical suicide. R.E.M.'s underrated follow up is even better, and from a songwriting standpoint, may be their best record ever. While not my favorite of theirs, if there is one R.E.M. album to get it would be Reckoning.

Key Tracks (Click to Download): "Harborcoat", "So. Central Rain", "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville"

10/10

[YOUTUBE]T6mDZqIMNrU[/YOUTUBE]

Next Step: Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain​
 
No No, I'm not letting your opinion get in the way. I have those albums, I don't particularly like them. That is not to say R.E.M sucks, but they are not my cup of tea.
 
I'm sorry. Automatic meant a lot to me when I was a little kid and I had to acknowledge that. Sometimes it's hard to downrate an album that you've essentially grown up with. I guess it just has a lot of sentimental and nostalgic value, even though it doesn't matter to me as much now as it did when I was younger.
 
Nah, I don't know about your school dances but it's much more worthwhile staying home from mine than subjecting yourself to the shitty music, shitty dancing, and shitty everything.
 
About time I got this started again.

Tourfilm
Released 1990
Warner Bros. RecorRAB
Untitled-1.jpg


That better not be styrofoam, pal.​

In support of their first major label record, R.E.M. embarked on their first world tour in 1988. Shows on the Green Tour found the once-unknown Athens Georgia band playing stadiums and selling out arenas for the first time. This change in scope would force the band to take a different approach to performing live, and noticeable changes in the band's confidence and playing ability can be observed on this film, known simply as Tourfilm, which documents an arena show from 1989. The tracklisting and more, after the jump.

1. "Stand"
2. "The One I Love"
3. "So. Central Rain (Detail)"
4. "Turn You Inside-Out"
5. "Belong"
6. "Orange Crush"
7. "Feeling Gravity's Pull"
8. "These Days"
9. "We Live As We Dream, Alone/World Leader Pretend"
10. "Poem: I'll Believe In Anything When I'm There.../Future 40's (String of Pearls)/I Believe"
11. "I Remember California"
12. "Get Up"
13. "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)"
14. "Pop Song 89"
15. "Fall on Me"
16. "You Are The Everything"
17. "Begin the Begin"
18. "With the People"
19. "King Of BirRAB"
20. "Low" (Detail)
21. "Finest Worksong"
22. "Perfect Circle"
23. "After Hours" (credits)

Tourfilm opens with a bang. Before the foot tapping organ riff of "Stand" comes in, the listener hears the roar of a massive crowd cheering on their favorite band. Incidentally, this caught me off guard. Because of this project, I've been listening to R.E.M. chronologically. Before I popped in the audio CD of Tourfilm, I had effectively begun to think of R.E.M. as anyone else might have in 1988. I imagined R.E.M. playing small bars and clubs across the country, not stadiums and arenas. When the thundering roar of the crowd came in, that all changed.

Tourfilm finRAB R.E.M. at the very moment at which their career was about to take wing. Listening, I find that the reason R.E.M. was the most successful of the college rock banRAB was that they were willing to adapt and change. While contemporaries The Feelies were breaking little new ground with "Only Life" (1987) and Pylon had all but given up hopes of a new record, R.E.M. was refocusing their talents, turning up the megaphone, and blasting awesome new music to a new world audience.

Rarely does the band look back. The only song from Murmur performed here is the beautiful Perfect Circle, and while So. Central Rain is represented, it is merely a segment of the song. Rather, R.E.M. uses Tourfilm as a vehicle to document their moving forward. A demo version of the Out of Time (1991) classic "Low" is present, as well as a performance of the much maligned "Belong", which would later appear on the same album. Personally though, I think the song is pretty good, especially this live version, free from any overproduction.

With this forward thinking attitude, the band really shines on Green/Document Era classics such as the anthemic "Orange Crush." Prefaced by a sarcastically sung "BE ALL THAT YOU CAAAAAAN BE... IN THE ARMY", the band launches into this upbeat song with a certain visceral energy. Not the immature punk energy of a band just getting on its feet, but rather the channeled energy of a band with a purpose and a proven method of conveying their message. As the drums pound and Buck's dirty riff repeats, Michael sings into a megaphone while the crowd whoops and shouts like a machine. The performance is perfect, and the message is clear. R.E.M. were ready to truly take on the world.

For Document songs like Finest Worksong, the mixing problems present on the studio versions are cleaned up, and more energy is put into them, revealing the true quality of the songs, and their place on the live stage.

As a stadium rock show, many of the songs performed on Tourfilm are more upbeat, up-tempo numbers. While these are nearly all well done, with the exception of the mediocre performance of "Stand", some of the best moments appear on the lighter side of the show. Prefaced by a poem, the countrified World Leader Pretend rings beautifully onstage. Similarly, Fall on Me and You Are the Everything are played with serene beauty not usually found at shows the scope of Tourfilm. Even the organ-led Murmur classic Perfect Circle sounRAB fresh and beautiful.

That said, the best performance has to be that of the epic "Feeling Gravity's Pull", the nightmare inducing song from Fables of the Reconstruction. Peter Buck's guitar tone is as haunting as ever, and as the song picks up, the band leaves their comfort zone in a way that was only then possible. Even the gorgeous bridge section shines brilliantly amiRABt the jagged-edged verses.

All in all, I would argue that Tourfilm lacks cohesion if only it weren't so damn awesome. Many of the songs sound even better here than in studio, which is saying something, given R.E.M.'s usually excellent production. A great live film/record.

Key Tracks: "Orange Crush", "Feeling Gravity's Pull", "We Live As We Dream, Alone/World Leader Pretend"

(for the audio only)

9/10

[YOUTUBE]AyGW6jUGtrM[/YOUTUBE]​
 
Great review, I thoroughly enjoyed the read and the video. Being a half-assed R.E.M. fan like I am, I should probably own this, but I don't. Although I own most of their albums, this has somehow eluded my collection. But thanks to your review, it is now on my shopping list.
 
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