The R.E.M. album-by-album Thread (2015)

It's now more than 8 years since @Driver 8 's huge R.E.M. album to album thread. (http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/the-r-e-m-album-by-album-thread.101620/)

I know myself and many others new to the SH forums would love the chance to sound off again on their favourite band, and get an opinion on each album out there.

As I had such a ball doing the researching, writing and then reading all the comments on the Sonic Youth album-to-album thread last year, I though I could have a stab at this one.

I have nowhere near the knowledge on R.E.M. that @Driver 8 does, to whom I doffs 'me cap in gratitude and awe.
But I may be just as keen on the band itself, of whom I love ALL their commercial releases.

So, here's what I think I could reasonably cover in this reboot (again, with thanks to @Driver 8 ):

(1) Murmur

(2) Reckoning

(3) Fables of the Reconstruction

(4) Lifes Rich Pageant

(5) Dead Letter Office

(6) Document

(7) Green

(8) Out of Time

(9) Automatic for the People

(10) Monster

(11) New Adventures in Hi-Fi

(12) Up & "The Great Beyond" non-lp single

(13) Reveal

(14) Around the Sun

(15) Accelerate

(16) Collapse Into Now

(17) MTV Unplugged double albums (91 and 2001)

You with me?

cheers

Jon

 

I'd be down with this, especially since the band is now over and we can finally put everything into perspective. However, don't forget the "Radio Free Europe" single and Chronic Town.

 

Damn - quite right.

Added.

 

Looking forward to it since I missed the first one. Just reread a huge chunk of it last weekend since I've been on an REM binge lately.

 

Wonderful idea, I became a fan since the old thread.

 

I'm a noob to the forum but a huge R.E.M. fan; count me in.

 

So each person does a review of one album to stimulate discussion of same? That sounds cool.

 

Sort of - the idea is I start with an album, in order, and give a synopsis and some details about it.
Then each thread contributor offers their spin on each title as we go...which starts a lot of discussion.
Then, when the discussion has died down a bit or it seems everyone has had their go (which may take days, or more than a week), I do a synopsis on the next album in line, and everyone weighs in again with an opinion on that title.

and so it goes...

 

Oh, okay, even better since I kind of lost track of REM after AftP. Really loved their stuff up to that point and could probably be talked into their more recent material.

 

Let's get Murmur kicking Jon.

 

Let's start with the band's commercial debut : 1982's 'Chronic Town' EP.

(Thanks as always to Wikipedia, and Allmusic.com, for the background).




Released August 1982, On I.R.S. Records.

All songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe.

Side one – "Chronic Town"
"Wolves, Lower" – 4:10
"Gardening at Night" – 3:29
"Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)" – 3:54

Side two – "Poster Torn"
"1,000,000" – 3:06
"Stumble" – 5:40

Track listing notes:
On the original vinyl release, R.E.M. labeled the A (or first) side (tracks 1–3) as the "Chronic Town" side and the B (or second) side (tracks 4 and 5) as the "Poster Torn" side. Both are lyrics in the band's song "Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)". The sides are listed in opposite order on the back which suggests that the sides were switched at some point.

Chronic Town is the first illustration of R.E.M.'s signature musical style: jangling guitars, chords played in arpeggio, murmured vocals, and obscure lyrics.
After the minor success of the group's debut single "Radio Free Europe" in 1981, R.E.M. manager Jefferson Holt felt the band was ready to record a longer release. While he felt they were not ready to record a full album, Holt figured an EP would be satisfactory. The band was uncertain at first if they would record with producer Mitch Easter (who had produced "Radio Free Europe"), but Easter managed to convince Holt and the band to let him produce it.

In October 1981, R.E.M. spent a weekend at Easter's Drive-In Studios recording the EP. Easter was a fan of the Krautrock band Kraftwerk, which inspired him to try various sonic experiments while recording. Easter incorporated tape loops and recorded singerMichael Stipe singing outdoors. The band was open to such experimentation and used the sessions as an opportunity to learn how to use a studio.

R.E.M. intended to release the EP on a proposed independent record label named Dasht Hopes run by Holt and his business partner David Healy. However, the band's demo had caught the attention of I.R.S. Records. The label signed the group to a record deal, working the band out of its contracts with Healy and Hib-Tone, the indie label which released "Radio Free Europe". I.R.S. heads Jay Boberg and Miles Copeland III felt the proposed track listing was weakened by the song "Ages of You", and felt "Wolves, Lower" was a better choice. However, the pair felt the original take of the song was too fast. The band re-recorded "Wolves, Lower" with Easter in June 1982 in a quick recording session.

Reception

I.R.S. released Chronic Town in August 1982 as its first American release. Reaction to the EP varied; one I.R.S. radio promoter said that many of his contacts at campus radio didn't know what to make of the record, but added, "The Georgia stations and some of the more together college stations across the country jumped on it." The band filmed its first music video for "Wolves, Lower" to promote the record. The EP sold 20,000 copies in its first year.

NME reviewer Richard Grabel wrote, "Chronic Town is five songs that spring to life full of immediacy and action and healthy impatience. Songs that won't be denied." Grabel praised the songs' auras of mystery, and concluded, "R.E.M. ring true, and it's great to hear something as unforced and cunning as this." Creem writer Robot A. Hull began his review saying, "This EP is so arcane that I had to play it six times in a row to get a handle on it – and even now, I'm still not sure." Hull praised the EP for "[evoking] the music of the late-'60s without any pretensions, mingling past and present to shape both into concurrent moments." Hull concluded, "Despite its eccentricity, R.E.M.'s record is undoubtedly the sleeper EP of the year."

Chronic Town is ranked second in the EP category of the Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics' poll in 1982.

For Record Store Day 2010, held on April 17 of that year, participating independent record stores sold a limited edition and individually numbered blue vinyl 12" reissue of the long out of print EP.

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine (Allmusic)

Chronic Town established R.E.M.'s signature sound immediately, expanding the jangling riffs of their debut single, "Radio Free Europe," into a full-fledged modus operandi. Recorded at Mitch Easter's Drive-In Studios, the EP has an endearingly ragged sound -- it's a garage band playing jangling pop songs, and while the music is melodic and memorable, it has an underground mentality that keeps it from sounding conventional. Not only does the lo-fi production keep the music underground, but so do Peter Buck's ringing arpeggios, Michael Stipe's incomprehensible mumbled vocals, and the band's amateurish enthusiasm. They might not be accomplished players, but already their songwriting is distinctive, with "Gardening at Night," "Wolves, Lower," and "Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)" ranking as early classics.

 

I like Chonic Town but the songs are like incomplete sketches with a fair bit of repetition.

Stumble in particular has a lot of promise that isn't fulfilled. It starts well but I tend to drift off in the middle of it. On the other hand, Wolves Lower is one of my favourite R.E.M. tracks despite it being a prime offender of repeating itself.

The band already had a great sound and knew their way around a catchy melody but this still sounds like a work in progress to me.

 

The take of 'Gardening At Night' on 'Eponymous' is far superior to my ears.

 

I love this EP. Great cover art, catches my eye and lets me know that something out of the ordinary is going on in here.

The vocal approach on Gardening At Night is very interesting because they put the mumble version on the EP but had apparently recorded a non-mumble version as well (this is the one that later was released on the Eponymous compilation after they left IRS). What that tells me is that they were exploring their sound and image, trying to figure out how they wanted to present themselves, and that the mumbled indistinct vocals were an active choice that they made. Stipe's mumbled vocals, like 'em or not, were a trademark of the early REM sound and as such I think they integral to setting them apart from other bands.

It's sad that the only CD release of Chronic Town is as an add-on at the end of Dead Letter Office. I keep hoping that it will one day see release as its own special deluxe edition. I think the CD sound is pass able, but somewhat thin and brittle. I have a nice vinyl rip of the record and fat bass sounds great to my ears.

 

This release went under the radar for me when it came out and I missed it. I've never had the EP but I do like the songs. And I like both versions of Gardening At Night.

 

Great idea for a thread!

So, Chronic Town - the first side has three stone classic R.E.M tracks and are the equal of most of Murmur for me, but side 2 are more B-side status songs and although fairly enjoyable are not up to usual standards.

Wolves, Lower is amazing and my favourite track.

I hear The Police influence on Carnival of Sorts!

 

Not quite the case but not easy to find either.

http://www.discogs.com/REM-The-Originals/release/3001546

 

I never knew that Carnival was re-recorded to be slower at the record label's suggestion, or that Ages of You was excluded. Although I think both choices were for the best, I'm surprised that REM catered to IRS like that. Wonder if it rankled them to comply? Has anyone ever commented about it?

There is supposedly an early demo session tape still locked the vault of some studio in Georgia (Atlanta maybe?) that the band has never wanted to release. It has never leaked (that I know of), so maybe it's just not very good?

I do love Chronic Town, though, especially side 1.

 

I only stumbled across this after Murmur came out. Never was quite a fan of this although I love Wolvers (Lower). I'd give it a 6 out of 10. Love this band, though.

 

I was only 8 when Chronic Town came out, and it was 8 years later before I really got into R.E.M. and started exploring all their material. I'm flashing back to feeling like such a serious and sophisticated young fella repeatedly listening to Gardening At Night (i.e. trying to figure out wth Michael was mumbling about, haha).

 

I actually saw Mr. Stipe yesterday in Athens, leaning out the window of a Volvo looking annoyed at Georgia drivers.

 

I do like the various sonic experiments and sound effects that seem to crop up in most of the songs in this EP. One experiment that still needs to be released from the sessions is Jazz Lips. There's a recording of it on YouTube, and while it isn't the greatest thing ever, it'd be nice to put on a deluxe edition.

 

From the invaluable REM Timeline website:

3 October 1981 - Drive-In Studio, Winston-Salem, NC
basic tracks recorded: 1,000,000 / Ages Of You / Gardening At Night / Carnival Of Sorts (Box Cars) / Stumble / Shaking Through / White Tornado / 9-9 (attempted but abandoned)
notes: Recording Session for Chronic Town, with Mitch Easter.
'1,000,000' and 'Stumble' made it onto the Chronic Town EP.
'Gardening At Night' from this session is the "clear vocals version" released on Eponymous. It is an underdub, missing the sitar-like guitar effects heard in the released version on Chronic Town.
The rest of the tracks are outtakes found on various bootlegs.

4 October 1981 - Drive-In Studio, Winston-Salem, NC
tracks recorded: Jazz Lips (This Is Jazz (Blow Nose))
notes: Recording Session for Chronic Town, with Mitch Easter

27 January 1982 - Drive-In Studio, Winston-Salem, NC
tracks recorded: Wolves, Lower (fast version)
notes: This faster version of 'Wolves, Lower' can be found only on bootlegs.

28 January 1982 - Drive-In Studio, Winston-Salem, NC
tracks recorded: Carnival Of Sorts (Box Cars) / Catapult (attempted but abandoned)
notes: This version of 'Carnival Of Sorts (Box Cars)' can be found on Chronic Town

1 June 1982 - Drive-In Studio, Winston-Salem, NC
tracks recorded: Wolves, Lower (slower version) / Gardening At Night (vocal track and acoustic guitar added to October 1981 version)
notes: Additional Recording Sessions for Chronic Town, with producer Mitch Easter

As you can see, there's definitely enough Mitch Easter produced material here for a nice packaged reissue of the EP.

 

Love the debut hibtone single but chronic town never did much for me aside from Boxcars. Love the eponymous version of gardening at night much more than the Ep version. Mostly because stipe sounds so wimpy on the Ep version

 

Once I noticed the clear version of Gardening At Night was missing all the guitar effects and dubs, that was it for me. I prefer the EP version because it just sounds more "complete".