REM - Monster 25th anniversary

[Andy /]

around the sun is the sound of a legendary band completely lost.

peter buck was right to insist they get back to rock on the next one.

[Joey Goldberg]

woah

hol' up

hoot



if they told me Andy / was stopping by, I might have dressed up

[ninsp]

Originally Posted by Andy /

around the sun is the sound of a legendary band completely lost.

peter buck was right to insist they get back to rock on the next one.

The band admitted Around the Sun was pitiful like a couple months after it came out

[houseofglass11]

There are some great songs on Around the Sun. Leaving New York, Electron Blue, The Outsiders, Make It All Okay. I've never really gotten the extreme hate this album seems to get. Maybe some people think it's just boring? I view it as a somber and sad post-9/11 reflection and I like every song. I'm gonna go listen to it now, thx.

[redbreegull]

Originally Posted by ninsp

Accelerate is wonderful

Accelerate fucking kills, it's definitely their best release from their later years

[Raskolnikov]

I feel like after this thread that it's high time I give Around the Sun another shot. Wrote that one off and never gave it another shot.

I saw them on the Up tour in 98 and that's what made me realize that I needed to do some REM work. Borrowed Hi-Fi from a friend which further piqued my interest then started buying up used discs by the handful until I had them all and followed them for the last few.

Accelerate is indeed a winner. No qualms there.

Saw them at Red Rocks on the last tour - The National (fresh off Boxer) and Modest Mouse (feat. Johnny Marr) opened. We weaseled into the 2nd row thanks to my REM fan club membership and it was a show for the ages, I tell you what.

As we were being led up, they were soundchecking "Feeling Gravitys Pull" and those harmonic guitar parts at the start were rattling thru the rocks and mannnnn, I still get chills. Peter Buck was in the house and was about to take care of some business.

[ninsp]

Went back and revisited Around the Sun. It's fine, it's just very slow and forgettable. Some nice and pleasant songs though.

[Joey Goldberg]

yeah it's not some kinda overlooked sleeper hit like Monster or Up but it definitely ain't the utter "shite train" people (including members of the band!) made it out to be

kinda like Depeche Mode's Exciter in that regar - though, imo, not nearly as good

speaking of sleeper hits, Fables might just be my favorite of the IRS records by this point

[ilikeplanets]

Anybody else's fave REM album Reckoning?

[Raskolnikov]

Originally Posted by ilikeplanets

Anybody else's fave REM album Reckoning?

I tend to divide it into IRS and Warner years - and pick a favorite from each era - but if I was going for the full discography, Reckoning is my #1 by a notch or two. Such a great album.

Since you're clearly a bearer of refined taste, a few years ago I tracked a MFSL 24k gold CD down of this album - tend to love how those sound. Cost me a few bucks for sure, but it's my favorite mastering/etc of the record.

Here's an Apple Lossless rip for your enjoyment:

https://we.tl/t-wYxvsgZjIr

[redbreegull]

Murmur is the best REM album

[ilikeplanets]

That's the second best, but the singing on Reckoning is more expressive and the guitars just perfectly jangly. Murmur is moody and hooky and I love it, too.

[Joey Goldberg]

oh cool it's turning into a first 2 albums discussion

friends this is a Monster thread i wanna hear about Stipe & friends gettin' WEIRD

[Joey Goldberg]

Reckoning is ok

Harborcoat an all-time great

[ninsp]

Life’s Rich Pageant >>>>>>>>

I will not take any dissidents

One of the first CDs I ever owned, my mom saw them on that tour, These days fuckin SLAPS

[ilikeplanets]

Originally Posted by Joey Goldberg

Reckoning is ok

Harborcoat an all-time great

That's my favorite REM song!

[Joey Goldberg]

this is my favorite REM song:

[Raskolnikov]

Originally Posted by Joey Goldberg

this is my favorite REM song:

That's good uhhhh... rock and roll music.

[Raskolnikov]

Originally Posted by Joey Goldberg

Harborcoat an all-time great

Fun little cover right here, I tell you what:

[ninsp]

Today's spin...Monster

[Joey Goldberg]

[Joey Goldberg]

perfect perform

[redbreegull]

I just relistened to Monster. There are a few gems, but overall it's mediocre. As far as their "rock" albums go, Accelerate is much better and Pageant is leagues and leagues better

[ninsp]

Originally Posted by redbreegull

I just relistened to Monster. There are a few gems, but overall it's mediocre. As far as their "rock" albums go, Accelerate is much better and Pageant is leagues and leagues better

Lifes Rich Pageant it is

[redbreegull]

Originally Posted by Joey Goldberg

Harborcoat an all-time great

Originally Posted by ilikeplanets

That's my favorite REM song!

When the guitar comes in at the last chorus it's pure aural sex.

[Joey Goldberg]

Monster's just fascinating to me, they were at the peak of their popularity and put out possibly their weirdest, garage-iest record which nevertheless was still able to incorporate classics like Strange Currencies & Tongue into the loud "lo-fi" thing it was doing

on that note I think Out of Time is a really weird, kinda baffling record as well and that is probably in their top 3 best-selling

[Rocket Launcher]

Originally Posted by Elphenor

she's a sad tomato
she's 3 miles of bad road

so good I have the 7" with the 1995 calendar

[houseofglass11]

For me Monster is just unfuckwithable. I like every song. But also, it was the first REM record I got into and one of the first tapes I bought in 1994 when I was like 10. So I wasn't coming to them with all the "they were better in the 80's on IRS" baggage. My favorite REM album will always be Automatic For the People though. That's a 10/10 album.

[ninsp]

Originally Posted by Joey Goldberg

Monster's just fascinating to me, they were at the peak of their popularity and put out possibly their weirdest, garage-iest record which nevertheless was still able to incorporate classics like Strange Currencies & Tongue into the loud "lo-fi" thing it was doing

on that note I think Out of Time is a really weird, kinda baffling record as well and that is probably in their top 3 best-selling

Out of Time is a miserable album I think. Radio Song is absolute bottom tier REM

[smashingjj]

Is there a more universally loved band than REM? I'm a very casual fan at the most but there's very little to dislike.

Band doesn't have a whole lot of haters i don't think.