I realise why they did it, too, and I guess at the time it made sense for reaching the largest possible market. It’s just that I’ve never been part of that market and on my old timey equipment it therefore just sounds muddy.
I remember reading an article 10+ years ago about the Loudness War that used Accelerate as a prime example. Good thing is that we’re only 11 years away from the 25th anniversary edition where it can be corrected
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I doubt that the sound of Accelerate be corrected. Jacknife Lee pretty clearly recorded everything in the red to begin with. Doubt it can be fixed with a remix. The Austin City Limits DVD where they play 9? of the 11 songs from the album is the best way to hear what the album might have sounded like with a competent, normal producer at the helm.
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It’s pretty bad, though I still like the album a lot. The way “Until the day is done” clips is incredible to me though, how did they let it go to pressing sounding like this? I think I tried it on three headphones and four sets of speakers to see if it was somehow on my end.
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Oof! That is hot! 
I’d half agree with you but wouldn’t consider Green to be their peak necessarily. What I would consider it as is the point where they were the most exciting band on the planet. It’s a fleeting moment really for any major band. They were probably not big enough to truly be considered that in the run up to Green, then becoming the biggest band in the world is something quite different, as is being considered elder statesmen later on.
Basically, I think Green was a critical mass point that it’s absolutely impossible for a band to recreate or hold onto so it is a very special era. It was the bands “Nevermind” moment in a way. Thats my view anyway.
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I love all the songs you mentioned, but I like night swimming too
We All Go Back To Where We Belong is a good song until Stipe spends the last 30 seconds clearing his throat.
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To clarify, even though I said Nightswimming is my least fave off of Automatic…that album is so good, it’s on my top four or five fave R.E.M. albums, and it’s far better than most music.
Underneath the Bunker is NOT a song…
…at least in my book.
I love it. I see so many people say they want it removed from Lifes Rich Pageant to make it a better album. It’s not what I consider essential but I do find it to be highly representative of R.E.M., especially during this era.
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Fully agreed, it’s part of the charm and mystique of those early records.
Part of it is caused by people experiencing these albums as a CD. “Bunker” and “Superman” make a lot more sense as unlisted, winking closers to both sides of a vinyl record.
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Lukewarm take: Reckoning is their best album.
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I can see it as in their top five.
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"Circus Envy"or "I Took your name"shoulda been a single over “Bang and Blame”.
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Sorry. I posted the wrong post in the wrong thread.
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I feel like what I’ve consistently read about ATS is that the way they recorded it differed from their typical sessions - they’d just come back and tinker and tinker, and it shows. Unfortunately, it’s just a little overwrought even though it’s not an awful album and has some genuinely great songs, but the fact that those songs sound 10x better live tells you a lot. It’s a pity. 
ETA: oh wow, I absolutely love Accelerate so it’s interesting to see opinions about them, though I think the loudness critique is absolutely valid.
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I´m Gonna DJ is the best song they did post-Reveal
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Yeah, they were trying to juggle ATS alongside putting together the greatest hits package and touring around it. Bit off a lot more than they could chew and ATS ended up not getting the focus it needed IIRC.
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My hot take on Around the Sun - the production wasn’t the problem. I’m not convinced the songs sounded better live - in fact, I don’t really like the live album from that tour. Probably only listened to it once. (Apart from the incredible version of I Took Your Name, which I listen to a lot.)
I actually quite like Around the Sun, but I think there are three or four pretty average songs on it. Probably the only R.E.M. album I would say that about. Make it All Okay, Final Straw, Wanderlust, and the title track would all be in my top 10 or 20 worst R.E.M. songs.
Electron Blue is my favourite song, though.
But, yeah, I don’t buy the ‘songs were better live’ argument.
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