New REM LP?

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Originally posted by woodface:
It has been universally panned but as a fan I bought it anyway. Overall I think the reviews are a bit harsh, it is not up there with their best but still a fine record. What do you think?

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Much the same... Its not outstanding like Automatic etc, but i didnt think it was as bad as the reviews.. It needs a few listens before you can fully appreciate it..

Yes, not one of their best, but very enjoyable. Leaving NY nearly worth the price of admission alone. Not enough guitar for me, the songs are all quite similar and at the moment are tending to merge into one another. It'll be interesting to see how many they play from this album next year on the tour.

Chris

See my comments on the CD buying thread. I've listened a fair bit this week and although its not 'bad' the highlights are few and far between and it is resolutely 'safe' and predictable. Didn't REM albums used to contain more variety than this?

Bruce

On a first hearing I think the album sounds pretty good. A bit one dimensional, all mid paced to slow songs , sounding traditionally REM.

I think the critics have had a problem with the album because it is so one dimensional and downbeat, with no livier rawer tracks to balance things out . There's not the experimentaion of 'Up' here either.

I like it so far and Stipe's vocals sound lovely . What with Stipe's and co , bleak outlook on the way of the world at the moment, these musical settings obviously best reflected the songs . No room for Shiny Happy People or Sidewinder sleeps tonite type jollity here.

Looking forward to a good few more plays .


P.S Anyone else apart from me, bought the new Elvis Costello album, which is sounding like his most cohesive album for quite a long time . Recommended !

I really don't like this one. It's just dire, and boring. Shame really. Can't they go back to being a alt country rock college band?

Heard most of the tracks this week on Virgin. Not over impressed by that. May wait until its in the sales.

Howard

I am a great REM fan of old, but have been disappointed with the last few offerings.

Mind you; it must be difficult to maintain that sort of standard. The early albums were just wonderful - Stipe's enigmatic mumbling period, which lead into discernible lyrics that marked him out as a wordsmith par excellence.

The first 'proper' album 'Murmur' is a delight - as is 'Reckoning' and I played 'Green' to death on vinyl.

The later rather more commercial 'Out Of Time' and 'Automatic' were similarly superb in a more readily accessible way.

What a musical legacy - thanks guys.

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Why is it that a band of such Calibre with access to the best recording studios in the world end up with such a middle of the road sound?

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Good point Stuart - it is rather fashionable these days (in some quarters) to produce/engineer a lo-fi sound.

You can buy music produced in bedrooms on PC's that sounds better than this.

I was really disappointed by the new cd at first. REM are one of the few bands whose stuff I buy the day it comes out. I've been listening to them since 83 when I bought Reckoning: only Sonic Youth Nick Cave and Tom Waits have similar longevity. The new cd just sounded dull on first play. Some of the song structures sounded like they were from a Lloyd Weber musical, And I can't be harsher than that! The guitar sounded like bland MOR session playing, Stipe's vocals lifeless and there are proper, dull, workmanlike lyrics. I loved them way back when Stipe often used word sounds rater than proper lyrics. Because its REM, though, I've left it on for a couple of days and some tunes are staring to snag but it's a slow process. The production is still bugging me: as others have commented it's pretty bland and soulless. I've never thought REM have been well produced sine the early Easter/Dixon stuff, but this is really tepid. I'm viewing it as anti "Monster", the only other record of theirs I don't much care for. Maybe the next one will be better. If not, they cease to be in the automatic purchase category.One the bright side, at least they are not just doing the same old stuff, it does sound different to previous records, but, for me, it's lost more than its gained.

Kevin

I bought it the day it came out, and I think it's OK. It is a LONG way from the quality of Murmur, Automatic, Reckoning, etc.

I like Leaving New York, Electron Blue, The Outsider, Final Straw, and I Wanted To Be Wrong, but I don't think any of them rise to the level of their best songs.

Best,

Bob

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Originally posted by Richard @ Soundcraft:
I really don't like this one. It's just dire, and boring. Shame really. Can't they go back to being a alt country rock college band?

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Err..because they made it.
Now they have more money than they know what to do with, hot & cold running girls (boys) and access to the very best shit on the planet. Bit like expecting Pink Floyd to revert to bedroom noodling.


red

ps..I love REM but don't think they've ever made the album we hoped they would. There are lots of pretty good REM albums but not one that you could really call crucial.
Blasphemer over & out!

kj,

You'd have been hard pressed to be listening to Reckoning in 1983 as I seem to recall it emerged in 1984!

I have been listening since 1980 but that was bootlegs! Chronic Town EP came out in 82 and was followed by Murmur in 1983. My how the time flies!!!

New album - listenable, pleasant but dull. They have finally exited my "must buy on first day on sale" category of purchases. Oh well.

Mike

Actually, you're right. I bought reckoning the week before my oldest was born - April 84. Interestingly I took it back as I didn't like it, but of course taped it first, fell in love with it then bought a fresh copy a couple of weeks later, together with Murmur. Maybe the new one will follow that trend!

Kevin

Hmmm...

maybe this is a grower. There are certainly some duds on this but also some moments of beauty. "Make it all ok", the dreadful "Wanderlust" and the aweful "High Speed Train" apart, the rest is hooking me in. I adore "Leaving New York", "Boy in the well" and "Aftermath" are sneaking up. As with so many cds this should only have 40 minutes of music and might then, with a bit of remixing, be a pretty good record. Still think some of the dud stuf sounds like a sub LLoyd Weber musical outtakes. I can imagine Elaine Paige doing Make It All OK.

Mind you, my wife, a long time REM fan, thinks the whole thing sucks and won't let me play it in the house when she's around.

Kevin

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Originally posted by redeye:
ps..I love REM but don't think they've ever made the album we hoped they would. There are lots of _pretty good_ REM albums but not one that you could really call crucial.

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I'd rate "Lifes Rich Pagaent" as crucial, but maybe it's just crucial for me.

I heard three songs off the new one... sounded nice, comfortably REM-ish. Didn't make me turn the volume up and say, "Whoa, listen to what they're doing these days!"

I rate "Lifes Rich Pageant" highly. Tracks like Coyahoga

Also "Document"; "Out Of Time"; "Green" and "Automatic" were great albums.

All 4 albums got played to death when I first got them.

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I am a great REM fan of old, but have been disappointed with the last few offerings

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Strangely I seem to like their latest offerings better than most. To me everthing except Monster since Out of Time is superb, Earlier than Out of Time only 'Murmur' attains this level.

I have to say though, what I have heard from their latest (about 4 tracks) has not gripped me at all. I haven't bought the album yet and I may never get round to it unless I hear someting a bit more interesting.