294 replies to this topic

[mrpoopypants]

mrpoopypants, on 01 March 2011 - 07:04 PM, said:

So after hearing this as a whole...there's alot of great stuff here. Feels a little incomplete to me - like there's alot of great songs but also some great song ideas that don't feel like complete songs (TSIY - 1:42 or ATB 2:42 could've really used a nice bridge or guitar solo) AAAA had a kick-ass bridge and guitar solo, which thrilled me...till I found out wasn't Pete who did the solo (correct me if I'm wrong)

Take classics like Fall on Me, Driver 8 and take away the bridges...or even the corny tunes like Stand or Shiny Happy people...The bridges and solos took the songs to another level

Still, it's a very very good album

Oh and I'll add that while "Discoverer" is one of the songs that I think could've been better with a nice bridge or solo...it's my fave opener since Kenneth. And it even rivals that...I love the hook in this one...great stuff

[stipe2112]

we can ALL hear it now!! http://www.npr.org/2...llapse-into-now

[mrpoopypants]

stipe2112, on 01 March 2011 - 07:40 PM, said:

we can ALL hear it now!! http://www.npr.org/2...llapse-into-now

Thank you! I've been listening to the youtube low quality clips all night!

[simonfox]

Jeur, on 01 March 2011 - 08:08 AM, said:

Yes we are!

I second the opinion that Peaches does a fantastic job on AAAA!

[Koi]

simonfox, on 02 March 2011 - 02:43 AM, said:

I second the opinion that Peaches does a fantastic job on AAAA!

She adds so much to that song. Love it.

[simonfox]

lordweary, on 01 March 2011 - 08:13 AM, said:

And as for doubts about "Blue" that some people have--I agree that it's not "e-bow" or "Country Feedback", but...remember: "I Wanna DJ," "Around the Sun," "Beachball"...ummm (and even "Falls to Climb"...).  I think the doubts people have are because there was so much buzz about it.  But we haven't had a closer like this in a long time.

Yes, very true. In the context of other album closers, Blue is definitely up there with the best - 'Find The River', 'Electrolite', 'Swan Swan H' (I always felt like 'Superman' was like a hidden bonus track) and 'West of the Fields'. Even if you don't 'love' the song, you have to accept that creatively, R.E.M. have proved that they still 'have it' after all these years.

I'd used to love the traditional, wonderful R.E.M. 'album closer' - but with clunkers like 'Beachball', 'I'm Gonna DJ' and 'Falls to Climb' - I'd honestly thought that R.E.M. had lost this aspect to their albums. Welcome back guys!

PS. Funnily enough, the creepy nature of 'Blue' reminds me somewhat of 'You', the album closer on 'Monster' - a song which I hated at first, but has grown on me greatly as the years have progressed.

[Discoverer]

simonfox, on 02 March 2011 - 03:11 AM, said:

PS. Funnily enough, the creepy nature of 'Blue' reminds me somewhat of 'You', the album closer on 'Monster' - a song which I hated at first, but has grown on me greatly as the years have progressed.

Man I hated that song for so long too. Now I absolutely love it! Funny someone else should feel the same

[Kimo]

Walk it Back and Marlon Brando did grow on me a LOT after a few spins. In fact, I think Walk it back is utterly mesmerizing... Great production on this one, Michael's performance is very touching and Mike's vocals in the chorus are divine.
I was not into Brando at first listen but now I am loving it, the words carry a lot of emotional weight and it sets the mood perfectly for Blue !!

[Duplo]

funny that Falls to Climb is one of my top REM five song. it's so beautiful and meaningful to me :-)

simonfox, on 02 March 2011 - 03:11 AM, said:

Yes, very true. In the context of other album closers, Blue is definitely up there with the best - 'Find The River', 'Electrolite', 'Swan Swan H' (I always felt like 'Superman' was like a hidden bonus track) and 'West of the Fields'. Even if you don't 'love' the song, you have to accept that creatively, R.E.M. have proved that they still 'have it' after all these years.

I'd used to love the traditional, wonderful R.E.M. 'album closer' - but with clunkers like 'Beachball', 'I'm Gonna DJ' and 'Falls to Climb' - I'd honestly thought that R.E.M. had lost this aspect to their albums. Welcome back guys!

PS. Funnily enough, the creepy nature of 'Blue' reminds me somewhat of 'You', the album closer on 'Monster' - a song which I hated at first, but has grown on me greatly as the years have progressed.

[dtram]

simonfox, on 02 March 2011 - 03:11 AM, said:

Yes, very true. In the context of other album closers, Blue is definitely up there with the best - 'Find The River', 'Electrolite', 'Swan Swan H' (I always felt like 'Superman' was like a hidden bonus track) and 'West of the Fields'. Even if you don't 'love' the song, you have to accept that creatively, R.E.M. have proved that they still 'have it' after all these years.

I'd used to love the traditional, wonderful R.E.M. 'album closer' - but with clunkers like 'Beachball', 'I'm Gonna DJ' and 'Falls to Climb' - I'd honestly thought that R.E.M. had lost this aspect to their albums. Welcome back guys!

PS. Funnily enough, the creepy nature of 'Blue' reminds me somewhat of 'You', the album closer on 'Monster' - a song which I hated at first, but has grown on me greatly as the years have progressed.

That's funny, to me falls to climb is a classic album closer (where else would that song go on that record) and i love beach ball and DJ.  For me, the 2 closers that never resonated with me are west of the fields and oddfellows local.  I know it's heresy to say that about the IRS years but hey, my opinion.  I even agree with what others have said about you.  Listened to monster a few weeks back and dug it.

Not that this has anything to do with this topic but wxpn here in philly were fundraising this weekend.  They had a man and woman doing the begging and talking about the decemberists and how they sound like old rem and the guy says, they are making better records than rem have been lately.  Of course the woman realizing that may piss off rem fans says something like she's a die hard and likes all rem records but that really did piss me off.  They don't and have never played enough rem to begin with.  As an adult alternative station, rem should be their beatles but to rip them like that was uncalled for, considering their worst records are better than half the shit they play.  They didn't even mention that rem had a new record coming out with great reviews in all of that.  Really annoying.  Maybe if they stopped playing those boring singer songwriters they are so fond of and played more rem they wouldn't have to beg as much for money.  Rant over.

[Binky1978]

simonfox, on 02 March 2011 - 03:11 AM, said:

I'd used to love the traditional, wonderful R.E.M. 'album closer' - but with clunkers like 'Beachball', 'I'm Gonna DJ' and 'Falls to Climb' - I'd honestly thought that R.E.M. had lost this aspect to their albums. Welcome back guys

dtram, on 02 March 2011 - 11:43 AM, said:

That's funny, to me falls to climb is a classic album closer (where else would that song go on that record) and i love beach ball and DJ.  For me, the 2 closers that never resonated with me are west of the fields and oddfellows local.  I know it's heresy to say that about the IRS years but hey, my opinion.  I even agree with what others have said about you.  Listened to monster a few weeks back and dug it.

I'm a fellow heretic! Love Falls to Climb and Beachball. (Not so much I'm Gonna DJ...) Far better closers than West of the Fields, Little America, Superman (cover version!) and Oddfellows Local 151. Great songs, but Falls to Climb and Beachball are better closers. Each to their own I suppose...


Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando and I is growing on me big time. Love it. Might  be my new favourite. The 'histories are lullabyes' line is awe inspiring. Great vocal delivery from Stipe.

[dtram]

Binky1978, on 02 March 2011 - 12:20 PM, said:

I'm a fellow heretic! Love Falls to Climb and Beachball. (Not so much I'm Gonna DJ...) Far better closers than West of the Fields, Little America, Superman (cover version!) and Oddfellows Local 151. Great songs, but Falls to Climb and Beachball are better closers. Each to their own I suppose...


Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando and I is growing on me big time. Love it. Might  be my new favourite. The 'histories are lullabyes' line is awe inspiring. Great vocal delivery from Stipe.

Gotta go against you on little America, love that one and think it's perfect, probably the best of the IRS years.  I will say that IMO, the closers on the WB records have been a lot stronger, even though there are twice as many.  Following up on Murmur,  I actually never cared for we walk either, actually like it less than WotF.  A lot of times i just stop that record at shaking through which actually for me works as a good closer.

[Octopus]

heavensgate2024, on 01 March 2011 - 06:14 PM, said:

Glad most are digging the record. A lot of attention's been given to the average to poor UK reviews, but almost all the US reviews thus far have been positive. 8/10 from Spin, 4 stars from Rolling Stone, 8/10 from Under the Radar, something like 84% from Filter. I know Jack Rabid at The Big Takeover likes what he's heard thus far as well, although I don't think he's heard the whole thing yet.

I think the bad UK reviews are in direct response to their (equally wrong) glowing reviews for the frankly poor Accelerate last time round. No-one likes to be wrong and R.E.M. albums have proven to be very difficult to assess in the short time frame allowed for Music Press publications. I am really enjoying this record. The music is back in the picture. The production isn't horrendous. It feels a litle like a 'Best Of' record... scattered. Uberlin is tremendous. Blue is very good. It Happened Today is excellent. etc..etc.. It also reveals depths and develops on repeat listens... something that IMHO hasn't happened since UP (their finest album).

The quality since UP (and The Great Beyond) has been so low (relatively). This is a nice surprise. 8/10.

[Red1]

Q aside, the UK reviews haven't been bad! Granted not glowing, but certainly not negative.