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Posted by dyedon8 on 2008-02-19 08:32:04 +0000

R.E.M. Immersion #6 -- "Document" (1987)

Record is here. Released 1 September 1987 on IRS Records. 1987 The Billboard 200 10 (33 weeks on chart) 1987 UK Albums Chart 28 (5 weeks on chart)
Posted by ConorClockwise on 2008-02-21 00:53:11 +0000
This is a weird one for me. Five years ago I would have said it was my second favorite; now it's out of my top 4. I had it on cassette (twice actually, because I destroyed the first one) and it never left my car, so I can hum just about every note and sing a majority of the words. There are great tunes, jangling guitars, heady vocals, and poignant lyrics all over the place, but today it doesn't resonate with me. Conscientious politics aside, it's become stale and forced. "The One I Love" does nothing for me anymore, "Welcome to the Occupation" is practically boring, and I reached my lifetime quota for "It's the End of the World" years ago. While I still get a kick out of "Finest Worksong" "Lightnin' Hopkins", and "Oddfellows", it's the most U2-ish of the early REM, and I mean that in the bad way. Maybe I'll come back around in a year or two.
Posted by dyedon8 on 2008-02-21 05:01:09 +0000
What then, CC, is the top four?
Posted by pamsterdam on 2008-02-21 14:41:16 +0000
My favorite thing about this album is that enough people liked it that REM would sometimes get played at school dances. Which, you know, broke up the Whitney Houston and Foghat marathons we had to put up with most of the time. I don't know how much of my disinterest in this album hinges on how overplayed it was back in the day, but I'm sure that figures into it too.
Posted by virtue on 2008-02-21 14:58:44 +0000
It's the End of the Universe (And Librarians Can Suck It)? What the fuck?
Posted by mahatma chani on 2008-02-21 15:46:11 +0000
I liked "Fireplace"... until the Clarence Clemens-esque sax solo.
Posted by G lib on 2008-02-21 16:05:07 +0000
You're dead to me Michael Stipe.
Posted by ConorClockwise on 2008-02-21 16:39:24 +0000
Not sure this is appropriate yet halfway thru the immersion but my top 4: -Life's Rich Pagent -Automatic for the People -Murmur -Green
Posted by dyedon8 on 2008-02-21 20:33:32 +0000
Must be some unreleased alternate track or something.
Posted by mr. mister on 2008-02-22 03:55:54 +0000
I am totally into this immersion. Guitar hero should do a couple rem tracks.
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