My 50 Favorite Albums (continued)
When I first posted that I was going to put this list together, I got a ton of comments. One of the most popular bands in the comments was R.E.M., for obvious reasons.
R.E.M. is one of the great bands of my generation (that being people in their late 30s to early 50s). They put out great records from the early 80s to the mid 90s. They are making an effort at a comeback, but I am not holding my breath.
Their greatest album and a record that makes it into rotation in our house at least a couple times a month even now is Automatic For The People. It's not the driving rock and roll that they are most known for, but has their best songwriting on it.
The first four songs and the last three songs are all classics. And the songs in between are geat too.
So this week Automatic For The People goes onto my Top 50 list.
Love the addition of R.E.M but I personally still prefer their albums from the 80s. I'd be interested to hear how you compare "Automatic For The People" to albums such as "Life's Rich Pageant" or "Reckoning?" I found their 90s releases to be a bit overproduced and mainstream. Honestly, I'd probably like the music more if I didn't know that it was written by the same guys who changed the way I thought about music in the early 80s. I felt the same way about U2's early efforts until until recently.
What does everyone else think?
Posted by: Chris Robison | January 29, 2005 at 11:31 AM
I am sort of with you Chris, I'd put Murmur, Reckoning and Document all at the very top, but Automatic is absolutely right there as well. All would be in my personal Top 50. There are no bad choices here.
Posted by: Bob Struble | January 29, 2005 at 12:01 PM
I'm sure to be in the minority here, but I wholeheartedly endorse Fred's pick here. Had they never made AFTP, Life's Rich Pageant would be the clear front runner (how can you top "Now I'm feeding off you I will rearrainge your scales, if I can, and I can...")
I have an obsession with music noir and this record satisfies like no other. It is magnificantly produced and John Paul Jones' orchestral work is icing on the cake. My personnel fav is "Try Not To Breathe" (a requiem to somebody perhaps?). While Monster was OK, AFTP was their last and greatest accomplishment. I don't think they'll make another record anywhere close to it ever again.
Glad you had the courage to make this selection from a large list of worthy candidates from this great band.
Sorry for the typo's, we're in the throws of an ice storm and am working from the Blackberry since we have no power...
Posted by: Tony Alva | January 29, 2005 at 12:40 PM
I certainly can't disagree. It is a wonderful album. I'm a late 30s guys who grew up on these guys. Capitol Theater, Fairleigh Dickinson, Philly Spectrum, Cap Center,if there was a soundtrack to my hs/college years this was it. Monster lost me. I essentially gave up and went to other stuff. However, the joy of Rhapsody has me feeling like an 18 year old again. Gang, please give New Adventures, Up and Reveal another listen. My opinion is these albums were released after the REM "bubble" and were essentially written off. I think it's their best material to date. Spin 'em, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Posted by: Andy Nardone | January 29, 2005 at 10:29 PM
I can't argue either...wait, yes I can! DOCUMENT!!!!! But hey, it's your fifty, not mine. Just glad the boys made the cut.
Posted by: jackson | January 30, 2005 at 10:06 AM
For a moment there, I thought you are refering to U2 as one of the most popular bands in the comments.
Posted by: Ng Wai Mun | January 30, 2005 at 11:12 AM
I agree that this belongs in a top 50. REM is one of my favorite bands and I'd probably rank my favorite recordings of theirs as: Murmur, Automatic for the People, Life's Rich Pagent, Document, Reveal, Green & New Fidelity in HiFi. I like all the other ones, as well, but haven't quited gotten into the new one. I don't think it compares with Reveal, which is the next to last recording. Before they signed the big contract with Warner Bros. (when the suits probably said "boys, you'll never make it if they can't figure out the words) my wife and I used to love trying to guess the lyrics. This is what makes the first three or four CD's (especially Murmur) so great.
Posted by: Dave M. | January 30, 2005 at 02:27 PM
No frickin way. There are maybe 2 or 3 good songs on this album. This was the beginning of the end. You should have picked murmur, reckoning, Life's rich pagent, or document. I am glad R.E.M. is in but I guess I am more old school. BTW, I am the same with U2 but I feel stronger about this one.
Posted by: Steven Citron-Pousty | January 31, 2005 at 11:43 PM
Ugh. I've never cared much for REM. I grew up in Georgia and was in high school when they released their first couple of albums. Back then the music rags all raved about the "Athens scene," but I never got it.
I don't hate REM; it's just that they never did it for me. Just so you know where I'm coming from, my favorite bands in high school were Echo & the Bunnymen, Dire Straits, King Crimson (version 2), Black Sabbath, Red Hot Chili Peppers (first three albums) etc
Posted by: Derek Scruggs | February 03, 2005 at 11:11 PM