Review of the often forgotten first album in R.E.M.’s post-Berry catalog
By Carter Bagley
For most bands it wouldn’t change much if they lost or replaced a member, but I always looked at R.E.M. differently. They worked as a unit 100% and unlike most bands didn’t have one member that was far and away better than the others. They’re sound was a culmination of all the members doing what they do best and combining it and that’s why they’ve released so many albums and stayed together for such a long time. So when Bill Berry left the band after “New Adventures in Hi-Fi” they were obviously going to be a tad bit different. Their follow up album “Up” has been largely forgotten about by the public and it’s almost a completely different sound for the band than what we’re used to. The opening track “Airportman” is instantly a completely different sound than their previous 
stuff. It uses a drum machine which is a huge contrast in sound which is a direct result of Berry’s departure as their drummer. It’s very quiet and calm but it’s a good song though not the greatest opener to an album. The second song is called “Lotus” and was the second single for the album which was a bad decision for the band. It’s alright at best though for how little it has to say it drags on way too long and the “Hey”‘s at the beginning are extremely annoying. “Suspicion” sounds more like the opening the track and it’s complete with good lyrics but after a while gets kind of boring. The vocals are nice enough and it has a lovely instrumentation I just think it could’ve benefitted if it were louder. The next song “Hope” uses a lot of electronic instrumentation but it’s used in a good way and actually turns out to be the best song on the album so far. It keeps your attention which is something I can’t say about the previous songs. Though it’s quickly topped by the brilliant, beautiful, and uplifting “At My Most Beautiful”. This song is truly lovely and amazing in pretty much every way and one of the most underrated songs in R.E.M.’s entire discography. It’s also probably one of my personal favorites and Stipe’s vocals are great and sincere especially when coupled with his distinct and mysterious lyrics.The piano and the tone of the song in general is very reminiscent of some of their other songs like “Nightswimming” and that is nothing but a compliment. “The Apologist” follows this sudden fantastic streak nicely and the instruments are fantastic and the vocals are great like always. The same goes for “Sad Professor” which is probably even better than the previous song and it’s really soft at the beginning but expertly performed. The loudness of the chorus perfectly balances out the slow verses unlike this album’s opening songs. The next few songs continue the album greatly as well and “Up” turns into a surprisingly great record. “Walk Unafraid” is worth mentioning because it’s actually one of the songs on the album that I enjoyed the most on first listen. It’s catchy and simple but after numerous listens it’s actually “Why Not Smile” that has topped it for me. It’s a slow burn of a song but one that grows on you with it’s interesting instrumentation. “Daysleeper” was the lead single for the album which makes a lot of sense and it’s a great rock song and a great R.E.M. song. The chorus is great and the guitar is almost too simple but it gives it a nice easily-digestible sound. It’s followed up by the 6 minute and long titled song “Diminished/I’m Not Over You (Medley)”. It is a ballad that may not have all the substance to require the duration but it’s definitely enjoyable for what it is. “Parakeet” is kind of bizarre and I don’t really see the point to it. It’s not bad whatsoever it’s actually performed really well just I think it has the same sound as many other songs on the album and doesn’t do it as well. The chorus is catchy and Stipe sings it with an intensity that kind of sounds odd when you listen to the goofiness of the lyrics. The whole thing comes to a close with “Falls To Climb”. It’s very beautiful and Mike Mill’s and Peter Buck’s instrumentation is slow building and emotional. Stipe sings like we cares about what he’s saying and in turn makes me care. It’s a great way to end an album that has a lot of potential to it but could’ve been edited down much more. The problem with “Up” is that it’s a lot of the same sounds and some of the songs don’t need to be on here. For an album so simple with it’s instrumentation and calm sound there’s no need for it to be more than 12 songs long. It focuses more on it’s lyrics than it does on Peter Buck’s guitar or Mills’ bass which is an odd idea for the band and one they haven’t tried before “Up”. Despite being too long I still find quite a bit of enjoyment in this album and some of the songs in it are truly phenomenal.
Highlights: At My Most Beautiful, The Apologist, Sad Professor, Walk Unafraid, Why Not Smile, Daysleeper, Falls To Climb
Lowlights: Lotus, Suspicion, Parakeet
Rating: 7/10
song overall with very obscure and random lyrics and Michael Stipe also sings them in a very eccentric way. It has a sense of charm to it though but has a different tone to it than the majority of the album. However track 4 “New Test Leper” is far and away my favorite song on the album and I think it’s an underrated masterpiece. The arrangement of the entire thing is beautiful and Stipe’s catchy and melodic vocals along with his perfect lyrics make this song a masterwork. Peter Buck’s lead guitar and Mike Mills’ bass blend perfectly together creating an emotional and heartfelt sound and Bill Berry’s drums are light and back it all up well. “Undertow” is decent and has a very southern sound to it but the verses are dragging and slightly irritating it but the chorus is effective enough to make the song listenable filler. “E-Bow The Letter” was the lead single for the album and it sounds like early 90’s R.E.M. and the lyrics are greatly written and Stipe recites them almost like poetry. It’s a nice song and a good hint at what the whole album would hold. The catchy and simple lead guitar is what interests me the most about this track and I find myself humming it after I listen to it a few times. The next track “Leave” is very melancholy and the acoustic and backing instruments to the beginning of the song is heartbreaking without even giving us words. It then breaks into a very produced louder sound reciting the guitar we heard in a powerful aggressive way. Stipe sings terrific lyrics in a lovely sad fashion and you almost instantly fall in love with the song especially once Stipe hits the loud notes of the chorus. After the long duration and sadness that was “Leave”, the band counters this with the loud, short, and explosive “Departure”. It sounds like something off “Monster” but not in a bad way and it’s very catchy and has fast-spoken word verses and a catchy chorus. A definite highlight from this album is the single “Bittersweet Me”. It consists of great lyrics, an energetic vocal performance from Stipe and jangly guitars from Mike Mills and Peter Buck. Bill Berry’s drums are also present and give the song a very good rhythm. The album follows the high that was the last song with “Be Mine” and it is easily as good if not better than “Bittersweet Me”. Buck’s guitar is probably the best thing here which perfectly backs up the soft vocals delivered by Stipe. There isn’t really much to the song than those two elements but about halfway through the song picks up in steam and adds more established drumming and bass. “Binky The Document” isn’t quite as good as what comes before as the lead vocals and lyrics seem kinda uninspired but the guitar is ringing and attention-grabbing. “Zither” is a short instrumental track with nice simplistic southern sounding instrumentation. It’s a little interlude of sorts to the albums final songs. “So Fast, So Numb” is a sadly overlooked song from this album and their catalog in general. The lyrics are as good as anything else on this album and the chorus is meaningful and catchy and gets stuck in your head. Everything about this song says single to me and I wonder why they chose some of the singles they did over this. Whatever the reason, it’s still a fantastic song that any fan 0f R.E.M. should check out. Peter Buck also gives a brief but memorable power guitar solo that which is a plus. “Low Desert” is shorter compared to most of the other songs on this album and has a recognizable southern rock sound to it. The lyrics are alright but as a whole it’s a good listen in an album full of great songs. The song that closes the album is the single “Electrolite”. It features a nice and well performed piano by Mike Mills and the lyrics are sweet and clever and it’s a great way to end an album. In fact it’s probably one of the better songs on the album with it’s carefree nonchalant yet sweet feel to it that counters the more grimy southern feel of the previous track. As a whole “New Adventures In Hi-Fi” is a tragically underrated record in R.E.M.’s catalog and is a lovely goodbye to longtime drummer Bill Berry. It’s the end of R.E.M.’s second era and with it having lengthy album-oriented tracks as opposed to poppy singles I can understand by casual fans weren’t as enthused to go purchase this record compared to the previous three. However none of that takes away the fact that this album is catchy, moody, carefree, and has an amazing on the road sound to it that I haven’t experienced in many other albums ever. With 14 songs, most of which being on the longer side, this could count as the band’s first and only double album and definitely one to check out.
sounded like them trying to replicate the success of “American Idiot” and their 2012 three album collection “Uno!”, “Dos!” and “Trè!” was just a bad idea from the beginning. Then just a few months there were rumors that the band was in the studio and going to release an album this fall and they turned out to be true. The announcement of “Revolution Radio” was very hopeful as Billie Joe Armstrong said they were going back to their sound and that this was a politically charged album similar to “American Idiot”. They released three singles though and they got me a little weary as I didn’t know what to expect from the record. It starts off with the song “Somewhere Now” and it starts off sweet and surprising and quickly builds up into a loud power pop song that they’re known for. I actually like it quite a bit and I think it could appeal to a lot of people and is no doubt a phenomenal way to start off the album and got me pretty excited. Immediately after is the lead single “Bang Bang” that I liked a lot when I first heard it and I still do. The song’s energy elevates the album and if Green Day hasn’t been considered punk for a while well this song alone is very much a punk rock song. Armstrong sings through the perspective of a mass shooter and the anarchist, jolted mindset the protagonist has is almost told as the effect of things going on in the world these days. The title track and second single “Revolution Radio” comes next and it’s grown on me a little bit since I first heard it when it was released because at first I kind of just wrote it off but I quite like it now despite sounding a lot like retread for the band. The fourth song “Say Goodbye” is a little generic but it’s catchy and anthemic the instrumentation sounds like it’s been done before but the explosive chorus and powerful backing vocals elevate it higher for me. “Outlaws” is longer and explores on ballad-territory and focuses on Billie Joe Armstrong recalling times from his troubled youth. It’s nice and sweet and sounds like something from “21st Century Breakdown” but the better songs from that album like “21 Guns” or “Viva La Gloria” instead of the ones that aren’t too great. I can see where some people don’t like it but me being a fan of Green Day my entire life I can’t deny that I quite liked this song a lot and how it made me feel. The first song that I’m iffy on is “Bouncing Off The Wall” as it sounds like very paint by numbers 2000’s pop punk and that’s a genre I never enjoyed and always though Green Day were mostly above that label. They were always way better than Blink-182, Sum 41 and Good Charlotte in my opinion because pre-2009 Green Day sounded like a rock n roll band and I think “American Idiot” is one of the masterpieces of the 21st century. This song doesn’t reflect this despite being catchy and listenable it just feels a little tired at this point. “Still Breathing” was the third single from this album and it sounds like the band we all know and love but it’s a little cliche but it’s nice and motivational and a song you can’t help but enjoy. If it proves one thing it’s that Green Day can turn a generic song into an explosive and addictive one. The next song “Youngblood” is sweet and catchy but features kind of jumbled lyrics coupled with perfectly produced instrumentation which makes it passable filler that I probably wouldn’t skip when casually listening to this record. “Too Dumb To Die” actually surprised me and it features pretty decent lyrics and great vocals and guitar. I think I like this song more than I should and it’s something I’m definitely going to return to in the coming weeks. “Troubled Times” also surprised me and it deals with a better concept than the rest of the album as it talks about the current age we live in. The lyrics are well written and the instrumentation builds and Trè Cool’s drumming is on point and backs up the quieter, mellower verses. However an outstanding album highlight is the 7 minute long rock song “Forever Now”. To me it’s an obvious way to redo the success of “Jesus Of Suburbia” and while it doesn’t get to the outstanding levels of that classic it’s still a fantastic epic tune. It’s for sure something I didn’t expect from modern day Green Day and it makes me hopeful for the band’s future to come. The whole thing goes out on the nice acoustic number “Ordinary World”. Armstrong wrote it to accompany the film he starred in of the same name and liked it so much that he decided to close the new album with it. I must say that I definitely understand his decision as this is no doubt probably my personal favorite song on the album and the lyrics are simple and sweet and Armstrong’s vocals are lovely and the acoustic guitar is easy going and adds a pure and genuine feel to this fantastic song. I think this one will get overlooked more than it should it’s a song that will go down as a highlight in Green Day’s post-American Idiot catalog for sure. If one thing is certain is that I honestly wasn’t expecting all that much from this album and it really surprised me and as an avid fan of Green Day I’m excited to see the band making this good of music at this point in their career. “Revolution Radio” is their greatest album in the past decade with it’s ambitious lyrics, multitude of themes, and classic sounding instrumentation this new album of theirs is one that makes me proud to say that I’m a Green Day fan.
classic rock sounding guitar riffs and Michael Stipe’s brilliant vocals it undoubtedly sounds like the rock-oriented sound they promised. It was a massively successful single and it’s among my own personal favorites from the band because it’s just so fun and positive and gives fantastic vibes. They follow this up with “Crush With Eyeliner” which isn’t as good as the first track but it’s still a great song and one I enjoy when I put on the album and the same goes for track 3 “King Of Comedy” which is kind of the same thing for me. The first song that breaks from that sounds a little bit is “I Don’t Sleep, I Dream” which isn’t great at all but it’s a nice enough song with decently written lyrics and the lead vocals really save it for me. Track 6 jumps right on board again though with a fast-paced rock and roll sound in “Star 69” which is fun and has great energy but it’s just filler despite all of that. It just cements the record for me as just an enjoyable alternative rock album and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. The tempo to “Strange Currencies” is definitely slower and Buck’s lead guitar is charming and chime-like and Michael Stipe’s lyrics and vocals really make this an extremely underrated and overlooked gem of a song. It sounds more like something from “Automatic For The People” although it fits cosily in the tracklist to “Monster”. “Tongue” continues on with the slower tempo but it sounds almost churchy with a muffled organ in the background and the lead vocals are high pitched and smooth and it’s a little weird but after a while it grows on you and it’s a song I really like by them. “Bang and Blame” kind of picks up the rock sound again to some degree with kind of a “Life’s Rich Pageant” sound to it a little but not as good. The chorus is nonsense and the lyrics are mediocre but it’s an enjoyable care-free song and if you like their sound already there’s nothing different about this song to challenge that. “I Took Your Name” has the more rock n roll sound to it as well but it’s nothing special and it’s no doubt just filler. Michael Stipe wrote “Let Me In” in tribute to Kurt Cobain and he kind of sings like him a little bit and it features heavy guitar from Peter Buck. It brings the record back to quality and I really enjoy this song as a whole. “Circus Envy” is kind of the same thing for me and the lyrics are decent but the chorus is catchy and I quite enjoy the instrumentation to it. There’s nothing really to talk about though as it’s not one of the best by any means it’s just mindlessly enjoyable. The album closes on the song “You” which is pretty good and Stipe sings a little different than how he usually does. I do think it could’ve been harder hitting though if the band worked on it and tightened it up a little bit. Either way this isn’t one of their best records by any means but it definitely has some great songs that make it very enjoyable and exciting and the filler songs are still enjoyable enough to keep your attention. Michael Stipe and Peter Buck are the only ones that really get to shine in this album though as Mike Mills’ bass and Bill Berry’s drums aren’t nearly as prominent as opposed to other albums. This album seems to be forgotten a little bit by time which is weird because it’s one of their best selling by far compared to their earlier and later stuff. I think it just didn’t have the staying power that others had despite being just a very enjoyable rock record.
from the first few seconds of the opening track 22 (OVER S∞∞N) it’s clear this new project here is very different and unique compared to his other stuff. It uses distorted production sounds and altered voices that are weird at first but when combined with Vernon’s high pitched powerful vocals it really works especially with all the production tricks. It builds and it’s a slow burn of a song but the more I’ve listened to it the more I enjoy it. It was the lead single from the album which was kind of weird for me but maybe he just wanted everyone to know that this was going to be different than his other work. The second song “10 d E A T h b R E a s T ⚄ ⚄” picks up where the previous song left off which is what this record does a lot as the songs kind of blend together. It’s much more energetic and despite having a song title that’s a bitch to type in a review it’s a very powerful and great song. The song titles actually annoy me quite a bit and they come off as very pretentious and I don’t know what I’m supposed to call the song if I say it aloud…Nonetheless it’s a good song. “715 – CRΣΣKS” is the third song and Vernon’s lead vocals themselves have a distorted sound to them and in a lot of ways it sounds like something from his previous albums just with drastically different production which is kind of cool. The lyrics are well written and his vocals are powerful and moving and even though you can’t pick up on everything he says it still hits you. Track 4 “33 “GOD”” might be one of my favorite songs on the album and I was a little indifferent to it at first but it’s grown on me quite a bit upon multiple listens. It’s confident and inspirational all while having a strong energy to it and it even has the heavily distorted vocals like track 1 had. A definite highlight though is the softer “29 #Strafford APTS” which sounds a lot like his older music and the instrumentation with the soft guitar and the subtle instruments in the background are beautiful combined with Justin Vernon’s lovely raw vocals in the chorus. It’s a fantastic song and one I didn’t see coming in terms of how much I ended up enjoying it. Track 6 fittingly titled “666 ʇ” and it’s not as good as previous songs and it has the same kind of feel and doesn’t really introduce anything new as it could easily be swapped out with some of the other songs. It’s definitely not bad however just slightly repetitive. The next song “21 M♢♢N WATER” has a slow almost surreal intro that leads into his slow and dreamlike vocals that this album showcases so strongly. The background gets annoying at a certain part as it’s very distorted almost in a radio frequency kind of way that tries too hard to be different instead of just quality. After about a minute of the song I found myself actually getting annoyed with the song and I couldn’t ever see myself clicking on that song alone. “8 (circle)” starts off like this too but after a few moments it loses that sound and evolves into a very impressive song with lovely lyrics and a groovy surrealist sound to it and the background music has a little bit of a minimalist quality to it. It definitely brings the album back up to the quality that the first five songs were and easily fits among them as an impressively great song. The ninth song “____45_____” is another annoyingly titled song and there’s not much to it and features horns that could be really fantastic if they weren’t so heavily distorted and produced and this is an example where overproduction can negatively affect a song. The lyrics and his voice along with the backing vocals are enough to redeem the song though and it turns out to be a song I rather enjoyed. Finally the song that concludes the record is “00000 Million” which is a beautiful and powerful song and Vernon’s layered vocals are produced to perfect and the simple piano almost gives it a gospel sound but the lyrics and the rawness to it keep it from being preachy which is a great thing. It’s a phenomenal way to conclude the album and it definitely returns the record to the greatness that Side 1 introduced. Overall this album wasn’t quite as good as some of the albums Bon Iver has given us before but it is still a beautiful, powerful and melancholy collection of music and within a few years I think “22, A Million” could develop a classic status.
a slightly southern tie to the way it’s performed instrumentally. The second song “Try Not To Breathe” is an extremely underrated song in their discography and Michael Stipe’s vocals don’t explode like in other songs but the lyrics and chorus are memorable and anyone who knows the band well would recognize this song as a great one. “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite” has gotten some slack over the years with some saying it’s not a very good song including the band themselves. I don’t understand this as it’s energetic and light unlike a lot of the album and it’s one of my favorites on the whole record. Stipe also has a fantastic vocal delivery on the song and you can’t help but turn it up loud and sing along to it. The most famous track from the album however is the hit “Everybody Hurts” which I think everyone has heard in some way or another. It’s melancholy and the lyrics are much more basic than the rest of R.E.M.’s biggest songs in my opinion, it’s still a great song though and if it was a different artist I would be praising it I just know R.E.M. are capable of more but I can’t deny the marketability of this song. After track 4 the album goes through a series of non-singles as the whole record is pretty much bookended with singles with the exception of “Try Not To Breathe”. Track 5 is the first up and it’s titled “New Orleans Instrumental No. 1” and you can guess that it’s just an instrumental track. There’s not much to say about it besides that it sounds nice and sad but the piano on it was a nice addition. “Sweetness Follows” is a deep cut that only real R.E.M. remember and I will say it’s a fantastic song that get’s tragically overlooked far too often. It’s a soft, well written and beautifully performed song that everyone should check out. “Monty Got a Raw Deal” and “Ignoreland” are the next two songs and the former is a great song and continues the softer, depressing theme of the album. Bill Berry’s drums are very noticeable and carry a great rhythm through the entire song and the lyrics are raw. “Ignoreland” is more upbeat and the instrumentation sounds like an 80’s pop song. Michael Stipe sings loud and confident lyrics and it’s a nice enough song overall but doesn’t compare to what came before it. Track 9 “Star Me Kitten” might be the most depressing song on the album and Stipe’s vocals are deep and quiet and the band gives a constant “ahh” backup vocal. Peter Buck’s guitar is simple and the percussion is mostly just cymbals and you’re supposed to focus on the mood more and it doesn’t entirely work for me but I still enjoy it as a nice little interlude into the last three songs. My personal favorite song on the album is “Man On The Moon” and I think it’s among the band’s greatest overall. The lyrics are weird and speak of the late comedian or “song and dance man” Andy Kaufman. Despite being very odd lyrically they’re still very heartfelt and emotional and it explodes into a perfect chorus that will be stuck in your heard for weeks. It’s truly a highlight on the album and shows how talented R.E.M. can be and how they’re so unconventional yet can appeal to all types. If you’ve never heard “Man On The Moon” you need to check it out as soon as you can. “Nightswimming” is another highlight and it’s probably the most beautiful sounding song the band ever made. The piano by Mike Mills is beautiful and Stipe’s vocals and lyrics are poetic and beautiful and moving. This song just keeps growing on you the more you listen to it and it stands out as nearly perfect and gorgeous. The album finishes it’s perfect three song streak with the album closer “Find The River” which sounds different than the rest of the album and it almost resembles John Denver in tone and feel but it’s much better than the vast majority of his catalog. The lyrics are beautiful and the melodica adds a nice instrumental touch to it. The chorus is lovely and one of the album’s greatest with yet another great vocal performance and the backing vocals and piano add to a fantastic album closer to a fantastic album. “Automatic For The People” is one of the band’s greatest albums they ever recorded and it’s more heartfelt than most of their other albums but it’s not quite my favorite. Despite that I can’t deny that it’s a beautiful, slow-paced, and at times rather moving piece of music that will only grow more perfect with time. It’s a timeless record that I always find myself returning to and if you’ve just heard the singles from it or maybe none of the songs at all then you’re missing out on fantastic music.
announced this brand new album titled “Head Carrier” I was a little skeptic yet curious. The single wasn’t bad but it kind of sat with me weird. It was still passable though and I only really listened to it a few times before I got a chance to hear this full album just recently. The opening title track “Head Carrier” actually surprised me because I enjoyed it quite a bit. The guitar riffs by Joey Santiago are intriguing and catch your attention quickly and Black Francis’ vocals sound very much like late 80’s Pixies we know and love. Paz Lenchantin is the newest member of the band and proves herself well enough on the bass. “Classic Masher” however comes off as overly-produced and is still enjoyable in the background while you’re doing something else but it sounds like something that would play at the end of a cheesy family movie. The instrumentation on the third song “Baal’s Back” immediately gives you the impression that it’s much different than the previous track. David Lovering’s drums are hard-hitting and the instrumentation as a whole is very enjoyable but the vocals and lyrics got on my nerves pretty much as soon as they came in to the mix. Things quickly turn around again though on the next few tracks almost making a peak for the record and I found myself quite enjoying it for what it is. “Might As Well Be Gone” is a track that surprised me for how good it actually was. It’s a sweetly performed song with nice vocals by Black Francis and backing vocals by Lenchantin. If there is one thing I’ll remember about “Head Carrier” it’s this song and I can guarantee it’s one I’ll return to. “Oona” and “Talent” are both very listenable song but don’t reach the quality of “Might As Well Be Gone”. The former is catchy and has a nice chorus but “Talent” is the better of the two. It’s fast-paced and reminiscent of older Pixies in more ways than one. The lyrics are a little nonsensical but you kind of come to expect that. “Tenement Song” is another fantastic song and I also became more invested when I heard it. It has soft vocals and subdued instrumentation before exploding into the chorus that’s a bit repetitive but still holds your attention. “Bel Esprit” is reminiscent of it in tone but Francis and Lenchantin trade of singing lines through many parts of the song and it’s a very catchy song despite not sounding much like Pixies doesn’t really bother me because many of these songs would be regarded well if another band made them. The beginning of “All I Think About Now” immediately brings me back to the band’s classic “Where Is My Mind?”. This time Paz Lenchantin takes over for lead vocals and does a good enough job and it turns into a really collected relatable song that proves among some of the other that this band still has some potential. The lead single then comes on next and that’s “Um Chagga Lagga” and I still feel the same about it that I did when I first heard it. It’s not bad but it’s a definite departure in quality from most of the record. I do understand why they released it though because it sounds a lot like older Pixies but lacks the charm and the spark the band used to have. “Plaster of Paris” picks up where the rest left off however and turns out to actually be a very satisfying song. The guitar sounds very 80’s but not necessarily the 80’s Pixies sound if that makes sense, The vocals do very much but the instrumentation sounds more like something you’d find in a Galaxie 500 song. The album closer “All The Saints” is a nice closer and makes you feel a bit retrospective which is a good thing. The lyrics are sweet and the instrumentation sounds similar to the previous song and it’s short and sweet and closes on a peaceful note. This album is getting pretty mixed reviews and although it’s not great and plenty of the songs fall short, there’s still a good amount that surprised me and were actually good songs. Overall it was an intriguing album that didn’t necessarily bore me but it didn’t change anything up either. This really won’t appeal to anyone who doesn’t already like the band, it doesn’t reach the highs the band once hit and they probably will never reach them again, but is this a good enough effort? Yes.
stigma about it. From my experiences people either seem to really enjoy it or completely shun it and I must say I’m not either but I’m more on the side of the former. It’s defintiely not great however I’d still say it’s a solid record it just doesn’t compare to their earlier albums and for most other bands “Green” would be remembered in a fonder memory. The record starts off with the songs “Pop Song 89” and “Get Up” which are two pretty similar songs and kind of blend together. “Pop Song 89” has some decent enough lyrics and despite being slightly jumbled it’s a delightful enough album opener. “Get Up” feels the same in tone but it’s definitely catchier and radio-friendly than most of the bands other songs. “You Are The Everything” is a bit cliche but is still very sweet in its delivery and Michael Stipe does good with charming vocals. Track 4 “Stand” actually surprises me by how big of a single it was or how it was a single at all. It’s very cheesy and marketable I guess which was all that mattered for late 80’s pop music. It’s an enjoyable tune for what it is but it gets on your nerves and if you’re not a fan of R.E.M. this is not the song to change your mind. By this point the album definitely isn’t bad it’s just not the same R.E.M. the band once was. The first four songs are nice and not challenging but that’s all they are, though this changes with track 5 “World Leader Pretend”. It really is a fantastic gem mixed in with this studio pop album and contains intelligent lyrics and a contemplative regretful demeanor about it that has always impacted me. “The Wrong Child” however is really not a very good song. The first minute is pretty annoying with lyrics that sound almost like tumblr quotes now that I’m looking back on it but it kind of wins me over towards the end of it solely because of Stipe’s wailing vocals. What makes it even more awkward is that it’s sandwiched right in between the albums best two songs “World Leader Pretend” and “Orange Crush”. The latter was the biggest single on the record and it’s a nonsensical yet fascinating and catchy lyrics mixed in with it’s good production, memorable backing vocals and moody lead guitar guarantee this song as an alternative rock staple. The next track “Turn You Inside-Out” is total filler but I still find myself enjoying it every time I give this album a listen. It has very 80’s guitar riffs that sound dated and kind of comes off as a half-assed effort from the band but it’s still a song I wouldn’t skip if it came on unlike others on the record. “Hairshirt” on the other hand doesn’t fall under that same category. It sounds like songs the band made later in their career like “Nightswimming” or “At My Most Beautiful” although done with much less skill than those, it’s still enjoyable at some parts though it just makes me want to listen to those songs now. Track 10 “I Remember California” really irritates me when it comes on every time as it’s just a reminder on how less they seemed to be applying themselves for this album. The lyrics and the instrumentation are both repetitive and the vocals are lazy. Bill Berry’s percussion isn’t bad however and may even be the only redeemable aspect of the song. The albums ends on a high note though with the song “Untitled” as it’s short and sweet and Michael Stipe’s vocals build on top of themselves and the background vocals also take a much more prominent step forward. Peter Buck gives a lovely and snappy lead guitar and it fades the album away on a high. The name of the song and the placement in the tracklist almost guaranteed this song would get overlooked which is quite a shame. “Green” is a worthwhile effort and even the bad songs weren’t as much bad as they were just uninspired. “Hairshirt”, “The Wrong Child” and “I Remember California” have potential and aren’t cringe-inducing , they’re just boring and that idea seems to encompass the entire record despite a few songs.
you can hear the band grow and develop before your ears. The third song “Exhuming McCarthy” is an all-out catchy and fun song with nonsensical random lyrics much like previous efforts from the group. It’s when track 4 “Disturbance At The Heron House” begins that you really start to get into the record. It is a very, very underrated song from the band and begins with a simple guitar riff sounding a lot like one from “Murmur” and lyrics that the band couldn’t write until this point in their career. “Strange” is another exciting and energetic song much like “Exhuming McCarthy” and it balances out the energy of the record. With catchy pop hooks and competent lyrics it’s a fun tune but gets tiresome upon multiple listens. Track 6 and Track 7 however are two of the best singles in the band’s entire discography. The fast-paced, politically charged, confusing verses mixed in with the classic and memorable chorus demanded that “It’s The End of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” was going to be a downright classic and obviously it turns out it was. After thousands of listens I still haven’t gotten tired of the song and every time it comes on I always end up singing along with Stipe’s contagious and explosive vocals. The beginning drums leading into the slow strumming and energetic lyrics that are almost nonsensical upon first examination but begin to expose themselves after multiple listens. It builds up and has incredible backing vocals and perfect compostion that made this track such a lasting pop song. This is no doubt a song that everybody needs to hear and in my opinion it is among the greatest alternative songs ever made. Although the song is now very well known and has had legs for the past 30 years, it was track 7 “The One I Love” that was the band’s biggest single at the time. It’s also a phenomenal song but has a more somber lovey vibe to it that the previous song didn’t. It was also fitting that this is the song that got the band more recognition too as it sounds much more like 80’s pop songs of that time than any other R.E.M. songs. Stipe gives a heart[wrenching vocal deliver and the lyrics seem to be more straight forward than other songs although I still feels there’s always been more to this love song than most will give it credit for. Despite “The One I Love” side 2 is genuinely not as solid as side 1 but that doesn’t stop it from being great alternative rock. “Fireplace” is a solid track for sure although doesn’t really add much to the record than what’s already been put in. “Lightnin’ Hopkins” is maybe the worst song on the entire record despite having catchy enough composition and backing vocals. Stipe’s delivery seems to just get kind of annoying after a while and it just lacks the skill the previous songs had. “King Of Birds” is definitely a high-point though on the record featuring simple instrumentation and vocals but it’s the lyrics that prove this song is great. Maybe the greatest songwriting “Document” has to offer as a whole and it also features a nice change of pace to the traditional guitar with a string instrument called a dulcimer played wonderfully by Peter Buck. Stipe’s vocals do shine at moments though especially at one point where he gets much louder. The final song “Oddfellows Local 151” is a different one but still very good. It ends the album in a similar spot where it began with bizarre lyrics and cocky yet unique instrumentation. All said and done “Document” has proved to be one of the groups best albums with amazing groundbreaking singles and a consistent tracklist. I also might add that the tracklist on other albums like “Murmur” and “Reckoning” may be better, I think the highs on “Document” are so high that it kind of evens out the records in terms of quality. This record also holds a dear spot in my heart because it’s the first album I heard from the band all the way through and also the first I purchased on vinyl. It holds up amazingly well all these years after its release and is no doubt a classic in the alternative rock genre.
with the aptly titled “Begin The Begin”. The lyrics have the same mysterious tone to them that songs in “Murmur” excelled at and it has these sort of southern surf rock guitar riffs throughout the song. Michael Stipe vocals are confident and catchy through this song and almost the entirety of the album. The album then continues with a fantastic four song streak in the songs “These Days”, “Fall On Me”, “Cuyahoga”, and “Hyena”. Track 2 is one of my favorites on the record and contains some really catchy lyrics and pop hooks. The same style is given to track 3 “Fall On Me” which for me is the standout highlight on the record. Fantastic lyricism and an extremely catchy vocal performance by Stipe which led to the song getting some airplay on MTV which was big for the band and it even accompanied a video shot by Michael Stipe himself. This is a song that’s endlessly fun and cheery and after one listen you find yourself returning to it time and time again. “Cuyahoga” is another song where the lyrics make you feel something and you can’t quite pinpoint why because they don’t seem to make complete sense. Either way it balances perfectly between soft and sweetly sung verses and suceeded by an explosive fun nonsensical chorus that includes pretty much one word online. “Hyena” is another fantastic track though it kinda pales compared to the three that proceeded it, although it’s still a very enjoyable song with particularly great instrumentation. The album inevitably takes a mid-album dip however as the surf rock influenced “Underneath The Bunker” lacks the greatness of beginning of the record but it still contains some smooth catchy guitar riffs and is no doubt still interesting. It’s short though and so it doesn’t over stay it’s welcome. The next song “The Flowers Of Guatemala” is an underrated gem mixed in the tracklist despite not reaching the levels of quality that Side 1 reached. The album definitely picks up with next two expertly written songs “I Believe” and “What If We Give It Away?” The former is very catchy and starts off with very southern banjo but transitions into the recognizable 80’s pop rock sound the band was perfect at. The lyrics are reflective and relatable in a bizarre way and it all leads up to the amazing chorus that proves this album has definitely not lost steam. “What If We Give It Away?” is less poppy but gains your attention by being a break in tone that the rest of the album has by opting out for the band’s traditional explosive chorus and instead goes for a softer, nicer one that suits the lyrics of the song better. “Just A Touch” returns to the very marketable fun vibe of most of their songs but doesn’t do it nearly as good as others on this record but I’d say it still demands a listen as it’s a good song for this part of the album. The final two tracks are where the album really shows different sounds from the band. “Swan Swan H” contains some heartwrenching lyrics and soft yet aggressive acoustic guitar that’s very reminiscent of R.E.M.’s later albums like “Out Of Time” and “Automatic For The People”. It’s for sure a standout song just on it’s originality and raw human emotion poured into it largely due to Stipe’s believable vocal performance. The album closer and R.E.M. classic “Superman” is actually a cover of a late 60’s song by The Clique. R.E.M. definitely made it their own incorporating their personal unique instrumentation and vocals to it. What comes out is a classic 80’s song that sounds very Beatles-esque but exclusively R.E.M. at the same time, and I must say it works incredibly. “Life’s Rich Pageant” is no doubt a standout in the bands massive and impressive discography with some great innovative instrumentation, vocals, and lyrics that carries their 4th album to classic status.
American Graffiti 