R.E.M. `Out Of Time` 25th Anniversary S.E.

It's funny too, because the riff on Strange Currencies sounds a lot like Everybody Hurts. As far as Nightswimming goes, I'd imagine a band would be incredibly lucky to come up with even one Nightswimming. It's a very special song. Monster still rubs me the wrong way, but I really enjoy these songs:

"Crush with Eyeliner" – 4:33
"I Don't Sleep, I Dream" – 3:27
"Strange Currencies" – 3:52
"Let Me In" – 3:28
"You" – 4:54

 

Too funny, I like the other songs:

Kenneth
King of Comedy-my favorite song on the album
Star 69
Bang and Blame
I Took Your Name

 

It makes sense, though.

 

If you think Up (one of their most underrated albums ever) is even close to being at the same "Turkey" level as ATS, I can't help you.

 

Agree I thought Up was pretty great, including the Up tour.

 

Amazing how people jump to conclusions and reinvent other's posts. I didn't mention UP or comment on it's quality. I don't consider ATS a Turkey that's all.

 

As someone who used to be quite a fan but hasn't listened to them in years now (or ever bought their last three albums), I've read the last few pages with interest.

From my own perspective, I think some of you have hit the nail on the head regarding their later-years identity. I'd say it started a little earlier, though - post the massive success of Automatic, they seemed quite unsure of what to do/who to be. I like Monster a lot, although I acknowledge its weaknesses too.

But for mine - & see above re their last three albums - after Automatic they never made a great album again. Everything from Monster through Reveal had some excellent songs, some good songs, some interesting experiments & some things that just didn't work.

Both New Adventures and Up I consider to be prime examples of the late-90s Album Bloat period more generally. Each of those two could lose at least a couple of songs and be improved immeasurably. They each have career highlights and dreadful dreck and are just Too Long overall. Reveal is better in that regard, but still has some pretty underwhelming stuff. After that I lost interest & no longer considered a new REM album to be a automatic (sorry!) purchase.

Interestingly, at a dinner recently with a group of friends all roughly my age (mid-ish 30s), Losing My Religion came on the random YouTube playlist of videos, and was greeted with general derision. I'm not suggesting my friends are representative in any way, but it was a nice illustration of some points people are making in this thread.

 

When I ordered this version, I'm certain the Amazon description stated three LPs (it's been corrected). I'm actually relieved it's the single LP edition. I missed out on the original. I plan to also get the multi-disc set for the Mountain Stage show and the demos. Back in the day, I would have paid $20-30 a piece for unofficially released versions.

 

I was never an REM fan back in the day, own exactly one of their albums. But IMO "Losing My Religion" is one of the best songs of the past 25 years. Shockingly good then and now.

 

I'm still an unabashed fan of this track. I can understand some who got "played out" on it, but it's dropped out of the public playlist so significantly that I think even those people should be over it by now.

 

Do you like it in a major key?

 

I started listening to REM pretty much when Automatic came out. If I started earlier I might have lost interest just like the general public, however, I still think all of their later albums are classics with the exception of Reveal and Accelerate. If Collapse Into Now was recorded decently and sounded as good as Automatic or Out of Time, it would spoken of in the same breath. I seriously thought REM were here to stay when they released that.

 

Is sure don't. But thanks for sharing!

 

My big question is, how was this remaster done. I just played my first pressing and it still sounds *incredible*. While I like all the extras, I'm hesitant to pick this up when the first pressing sounds like it does.

 

Slightly off-topic, but last week Concord re-released the 2CD deluxe "Green" set. https://www.amazon.com/Green-25th-A...8&qid=1472680126&sr=1-1&keywords=r.e.m.+green

I saw a bunch of these on the New Release display at my local indie... but they all had the Warner Bros logo and no reference to Concord. What's up with that? The only thing I can figure is that there were a bunch of old Green sets sitting around in a warehouse and Concord is now distributing them.

 

Is Monster defo getting a vinyl re release?

 

yoink.

is there another link of the track?

 

It's also streaming on Spotify

 

Besides Stipe, who else is singing? KRS1?

 

I just scanned it briefly to see if it sounded right but if there is anyone else besides Stipe in there it's not the right one. There is no rap on the demo.

 

That's kinda interesting.

 

Yes.

 

I love REM but this song, and much of the album, is a turd. I'll still buy the release, but it ranks to me as the second worst album in their catalog. And I love LMR, Country Feedback, and Me in Honey.

 

Yes, sir...New Adventures has become my favorite as well.

On the general topic, it seems that post-Berry the others weren't communicating musically. The perfect circle had been broken. Sure, there's a cool track here and there, but I don't enjoy the last 5 albums much at all (though I consider R.E.M. THE greatest American band.)

Maybe self- consciousness took over? As the Beatles have mentioned, singing in a certain style and suddenly feeling embarrassed about what the others think.

That, and Peter Buck playing guitar too often like an annoying power tool. (And then mastered LOUD, of course.)

I suspect they missed Bill's songwriting abilities as well.

 

Bill Berry.