OFF: Re: R. E. M.

[gary shindler]

R.E.M. was best in their IRS days before they sold out
to Warner Brothers. "Fables of the Reconstruction" was
great, I thought a real change for them from the
jangly Byrds thang. Maybe it was because they worked
with a great producer like Joe Boyd a name behind
artists like Fairport Convention, Pink Floyd, etc. I
remember when "Green" came out and hated "Stand." It
sounded like a song from Sesame Street. I always
changed the words to "Shit on the toilet you own, now
wipe it..." "Orange Crush" was good and so was the
song with Patti Smith. I haven't cared about them in
years. Yeah, I'd probably get a new BOC album before
them and those haven't been so hot either of recent.
The newest Brain Surgeons sticks out as probably
better than anything the Cult's done in years. 

Gary  
--- David Kuznick <dkuznick at ALUMNI.BRANDEIS.EDU>
wrote:

> Quoting John Majka <jmajk at INDY.RR.COM>:
> 
> > R.E.M.,  like so many bands, has become rather
> boring in recent years...
> > well the recent decade, I suppose.  The early
> material was spectacular,
> > strange fare.  My favorite R.E.M. albums remain
> "Fables of the
> > Reconstruction" and "Reckoning" though "Green" is
> also incredibly strong.
> > As the years went by, the band become increasingly
> "by-the-numbers"
> > sounding.  I would say that "Green" was the last
> great album, and there were
> > tracks on individual albums after that which were
> fantastic, but the good
> > songs were becoming fewer and fewer.
> 
> I guess I'll be the lone voice of disssent and say I
> MUCH prefer the R.E.M.
> albums from Out of Time onward, and think Up
> especially is brilliant.
> 
> > Their declining course isn't unlike
> > that of Rush, who is also in the business these
> days of producing rather
> > uninspired and uninspiring, though competent,
> albums.
> 
> I'll mostly agree, but I think Vapor Trails was a
> pleasant surprise.
> 
> --
> David Kuznick   dkuznickATalumni.brandeis.edu
> "Dark Star crashes pouring its light into ashes.
> Reason tatters, the forces
> tear loose from the axis. Searchlight casting for
> faults in the clouds of
> delusion.  Shall we go, you and I while we can?
> Through the transitive
> nightfall of diamonds."                    Dark Star
> - GRATEFUL DEAD
> 


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com