I finally had a chance to read this. Well done! I love R.E.M. I never got to see them play live and I wish I had made more of an effort. They’re so good. Thanks for the fun read and trip down memory lane.
Current R.E.M. favorite is "Nightswimming". I will change this vote in forty five minutes. A half hour later, I will have a third, different answer. Great tribute!
Great band! Got to see them twice, once on the Green tour around ‘89, then about a decade later in support of Up. I don’t think they really ever got their due as a live band.
Favorite songs? (Don’t Go Back To) Rockville, Begin the Begin, I Believe, Driver 8, Finest Worksong, Pilgrimage, Catapult, Orange Crush, I could go on…
Beautiful tribute! Been thinking a lot about R.E.M. lately and how lucky we were to have them. I love the framing of them as the band that “did it best.” When I think about artists breaking through to mainstream success and holding onto their ethics, they’re always at the top of the list.
For a personal favorite, I love the whole ‘Automatic for the People’ album. “Sweetness Follows” always gets me. I also love “Imitation of Life,” a song so radiant with hope that it makes me incredibly emotional.
Do I have to pick one song? I first gravitated to them after seeing "Drive" endless times on MTV. I did buy the Monster album, which I've latched onto as my favorite. Nearly all the songs are bangers, but my top two are "Crush With Eyeliner" and "What's the Frequency, Kenneth" Besides that, I didn't care much from "Automatic.." and less so of "Up"
Jordan The Lion on YouTube (from Troy OH) recently blogged R.E.M.'s old haunts around Athens.
REM was my first concert- the Document tour. 10/31/1987. I’ve been a huge fan since a friend played Murmur and Reckoning for me in 84 or 85?
I am absolute agreement with you on this “I can’t connect with much of their catalog after “New Adventures in Hi-Fi.”” That was the last REM album I purchased. I loved Imitation of Life, but there was only 1-2 songs on New Adventures that I liked, so I imagined it would be similar with the next album. I played the heck out of their first 9 albums! So many of them are solid start to finish. I agree with your take on Automatic for the People! It’s such an awesome start to finish play. It would definitely land in my top 5.
Favorite song??? Today I’m going to say “Strange Currencies” before I think too much about it. But, “Find the River” is so beautiful. I also really love “Half a World Away.” And yes, “Nightswimming” is up there too… hahahaha
Begin the Begin. It serves as a reminder that for all the jangle and quirkiness, they are at heart a rock band, full stop.
I finally had a chance to read this. Well done! I love R.E.M. I never got to see them play live and I wish I had made more of an effort. They’re so good. Thanks for the fun read and trip down memory lane.
Thanks Andrea!
Current R.E.M. favorite is "Nightswimming". I will change this vote in forty five minutes. A half hour later, I will have a third, different answer. Great tribute!
Fromtheyardtothearthouse.substack.com
I’d have to pick Nightswimming too. So many options, but I keep going back to it.
Great band! Got to see them twice, once on the Green tour around ‘89, then about a decade later in support of Up. I don’t think they really ever got their due as a live band.
Favorite songs? (Don’t Go Back To) Rockville, Begin the Begin, I Believe, Driver 8, Finest Worksong, Pilgrimage, Catapult, Orange Crush, I could go on…
Great list. Wish I could’ve seen them live.
Beautiful tribute! Been thinking a lot about R.E.M. lately and how lucky we were to have them. I love the framing of them as the band that “did it best.” When I think about artists breaking through to mainstream success and holding onto their ethics, they’re always at the top of the list.
For a personal favorite, I love the whole ‘Automatic for the People’ album. “Sweetness Follows” always gets me. I also love “Imitation of Life,” a song so radiant with hope that it makes me incredibly emotional.
Well done! Loved this piece.
Thanks, Dusty! Imitation of Life deserves more attention. One of their best from the 2000s.
Do I have to pick one song? I first gravitated to them after seeing "Drive" endless times on MTV. I did buy the Monster album, which I've latched onto as my favorite. Nearly all the songs are bangers, but my top two are "Crush With Eyeliner" and "What's the Frequency, Kenneth" Besides that, I didn't care much from "Automatic.." and less so of "Up"
Jordan The Lion on YouTube (from Troy OH) recently blogged R.E.M.'s old haunts around Athens.
Monster is full of great work. I love them trying to do the glam rock thing. I also enjoy "Strange Currencies."
Soo good!
Automatic for the people.
Ty
Great band. Great team. As a group of humans we came to know & respect, they were aspirational.
REM was my first concert- the Document tour. 10/31/1987. I’ve been a huge fan since a friend played Murmur and Reckoning for me in 84 or 85?
I am absolute agreement with you on this “I can’t connect with much of their catalog after “New Adventures in Hi-Fi.”” That was the last REM album I purchased. I loved Imitation of Life, but there was only 1-2 songs on New Adventures that I liked, so I imagined it would be similar with the next album. I played the heck out of their first 9 albums! So many of them are solid start to finish. I agree with your take on Automatic for the People! It’s such an awesome start to finish play. It would definitely land in my top 5.
Favorite song??? Today I’m going to say “Strange Currencies” before I think too much about it. But, “Find the River” is so beautiful. I also really love “Half a World Away.” And yes, “Nightswimming” is up there too… hahahaha
“Sitting Still”
Nice tribute to a great band!
Thanks Dan!