65 replies to this topic

[MurmursAdministrator]

[NewToREM]

I love this song, especially the beginning.  I liked it at first very much but its growing even more!

[mrocks7]

NewToREM, on 21 December 2010 - 01:49 PM, said:

I love this song, especially the beginning.  I liked it at first very much but its growing even more!

This statement very much pegs my view on both "Discoverer" and "It Happened Today"...good things are on the horizon.

[plthom3]

Excellent upon first listen and it grows. . .took me back to "country feedback":

This flower is scorched
This film is on
On a maddening loop.

I love the looping on himself michael. . .

[sycorax82]

As I listen to this and the CiN trailer it slowly dawns on me that this is the record they have needed to make since Reveal!

It Happened Today is, to me, pretty much Hollow Man done right. Good live-feeling energy but then you've got a great song here too. Much of Accelerate had plenty of 'energy' but, bar a few exceptions like the title track and 'Submarine', it lacked the songwriting. I think they've now found the right balance.

IHT sounds like REM, though with a new flavour brought over from Tired Pony IMO. It's got the same kind of sound as Point Me At Lost Islands on that record (which is definitely a good thing).

Love the way Michael sings both 'I have earned my wings/voice'! Plenty of Mike here too. Even though he had vocals dotted around Accelerate he was drowned out a lot of the time. Good to hear him nice and clear here!

[Red1]

Wow, this actually brought a tear to the eyes (in a good way ; ]
It's been a bloody long time since I've been moved to this degree by one of their compositions. Long live the overlapping melodies and Mike Mills. Yeaaaahhhhh.

[Kohoutek]

Structurally, one of the most original songs R.E.M. has written in years.

Stylistically/musically, classic OOT/AFTP R.E.M.

Lyrically, strong, interesting -- less political, more esoteric, philosophical.

Vocally, moving performance.

Very encouraging direction.

[nostone]

Love it.

I was expecting to get some "lines" from Vedder, but I think he adds a great "touch" to the end part.

[Limnophilia]

Somehow, this is a grower, even though I loved it at first listen. As Kohoutek says, its so original and repays multiple listenings.

[Lenny Bruce]

I really like this song, it reminds me of OOT with the mellow melody, harmonies, and acoustic guitar.  Classic REM "sound".  Combined with the CIN trailer, I'm really looking forward to CIN.

~ John  

[stipeeyes]

I love the song too.  Both Michael and Mike sound great.  I love the harmonizing they do.  It does have that R.E.M. sound to it too.   Can't wait to hear the whole album.

[Caleb Kyzer]

my 1st reaction is that i thought there would be some more vocals after the middle, but the middle just winded down to the end.  so it seems very short lyric wise, like something from accelerate, but obviously with more harmonies and less volume.  will have to listen tomorrow to see if it grows on me...

[Sweet Fanny Addams]

Big beautiful harmonies. Michael and Mike have a unique voodoo that gives me shivers when they sing in harmony. LOVE IT.

[clicli]

This lyric video is much better than the one for Discoverer. It follows the album artwork.

I wonder if they'll be making any proper (hopefully arty) videos for the forthcoming singles.

[Ophelia]

*cry*
on first listen, I don't like it. The harmonies are fun, but lyrically?

[thisone]

Ophelia, on 22 December 2010 - 07:22 AM, said:

*cry*
on first listen, I don't like it. The harmonies are fun, but lyrically?

yeah, I'm with you. The song is under 4:00 and you've got 2:23 of oohs and ahhs with a hip hip hooray chorus. Lovely instrumentation, harmonies and melody, but the song really could have taken off with a 3rd lyrical section, I feel like it just kind of deflates. Might serve as a nice instrumental break in the middle of the record, not much to it as a single.

Dig Discoverer!

[Caleb Kyzer]

thisone, on 22 December 2010 - 09:45 AM, said:

The song is under 4:00 and you've got 2:23 of oohs and ahhs with a hip hip hooray chorus. Lovely instrumentation, harmonies and melody, but the song really could have taken off with a 3rd lyrical section, I feel like it just kind of deflates.

i totally agree.  i like the lyrics, besides the chorus, but they're so short, and i don't even hear vedder in the ohhs and ahhs?  this is the song with vedder, isn't it?  i've been listening to a lot of early ylan lately, so maybe i'm just getting spoiled with nonstop and deep lyrics, compared to hip hip hooray...

[Pflanze]

thisone, on 22 December 2010 - 09:45 AM, said:

The song is under 4:00 and you've got 2:23 of oohs and ahhs with a hip hip hooray chorus. Lovely instrumentation, harmonies and melody

i love the oohs ...! This track reminds me of Out of Time!

[cjr67]

thisone, on 22 December 2010 - 09:45 AM, said:

yeah, I'm with you. The song is under 4:00 and you've got 2:23 of oohs and ahhs with a hip hip hooray chorus. Lovely instrumentation, harmonies and melody, but the song really could have taken off with a 3rd lyrical section, I feel like it just kind of deflates. Might serve as a nice instrumental break in the middle of the record, not much to it as a single.

Totally agree.  It either needs another verse and chorus or it needs to be edited down in length.  By the end, it's a bit "enough already" . . .

[1two3four5]

my two cents:

i think that the lyrics to 'it happened today' and 'discoverer' are not exactly fantastic. they have some good moments scattered here and there, that for me work more because of the vocal delivery than the actual words, which makes them all okay. not great, but they work.

however, i don't feel like i can even focus on the imperfections. what holds these songs together for me are melodies, harmonies, attitude, excitement and passion!!! i feel happy, positive, magical when listening to 'it happened today' and i feel playful, pumped-up, frantic when listening to 'discoverer' - i don't know, i feel the sparkle created by a bunch of people who still have something to say. these are songs that have personality, that have been worked on, imperfections and all, and they breathe this hard work with every note. unlike the general overworked boredom of 'around the sun' or the sloppy scribble of 'accelerate', these are tight and sharp, and thus beautiful.

the chorus of 'discoverer' makes me shake my ass and the 'with just the slightest bit of finesse' bit crashes down and hits home for me. the song reminds me of 'animal', 'finest worksong', 'the wake-up bomb' and sometimes the bassline of 'sing for the submarine'. i was reluctant towards this song at the beginning, but i've grown to like it quite a lot.  quirky fun.

'it happened today' reminds me of 'half a world away' and 'belong', and i for one love the fact that they gave up on the lyrics and went for the unusual harmonies over and over again. it's very hopeful and uplifting, and again it's passionate!

on top of that, the production sparkles and slices, it gives the songs a 'meaty' sound, almost like a halo of energy. there's an ongoing buzz and effervescence and rawness that tickles my curiosity and makes me wonder about the rest!

i haven't touched the trailer, i want the rest of this album to surprise me.

i am very excited and hopeful.