Musings on the byways of popular culture
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A list. Nobody here likes lists. Perish the thought. Have at it I’ll make some popcorn. The ones we love: all 16 of REM’s albums – ranked! https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/jun/05/pop-indie-music-all-rem-albums-ranked?CMP=share_btn_url
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Listening to New Adventures in Hi Fi recently I had the startling revelation that it was sprawling, misunderstood at the time, some half-successful experiments, but increasingly seen as one of their very best albums….it was their White Album. Twenty minutes later here’s where I’ve got to.
Pt One
Abbey Road – The ‘make it like it used to be one last time before we go’ one Collapse Into Now
Let It Be – the bitty and frustrating with moments of magic still one Monster
White Album – the sprawling at times perplexing masterpiece one New Adventures In Hi-Fi
Sgt Pepper – the slightly overrated with the famous songs on one Out of Time
Revolver – the actual undisputed GOAT one Automatic For the People
Rubber Soul – the quantum leap WTF we’re making art now one Document
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Radio Song, side 1 track 1 of Out of Time. And the weakest track on the album by some distance IMHO. It has some riffs recycled from Stand, insanely annoying backing vocals (yo-ho-ho), an unnecessary rap section at the end and generally comes over instrumentally as a parody of REM’s sound to date. It’s the worst track on the album, rated by me as no better than forgettable instrumental Endgame. And as a parody track of commercial expectations it is surely eclipsed by Shiny Happy People. A post of best Side 1 track 1’s ever is a regular fixture. So let’s do the darkside – who should have buried their opener mid-way through side 2. We know Dylan is Afterword catnip, so my second entry is from the zim in the comments. Unanswerable surely?
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While clearing my garage the other day I came upon an old issue of Mojo with a cover story on REM. It was a 2003 issue and the band were deep into recording what was to become Around the Sun. They talked about the difficulty of recording after Bill Berry left and their hopes for the future.
At that stage they had plenty of songs (as usual) and they were trying to “keep things loose.” Around the Sun came out and I hated it. It was the kind of dislike that actually made me doubt the band and my enjoyment of their music prior to Around the Sun. It broke our relationship and I had only regrets.
I had a slightly similar experience with Van Morrison with his sequence of 90’s albums. I stopped being interested in anything he did and even the albums I liked had the whiff of his misanthropy. I distrusted him.
I’m wondering what album has broken your relationship? Bowie’s ‘Tonight’ perhaps? Joni Mitchell’s Chalk Mark in a Rainstorm? Street Legal?
Please explain why the relationship was broken. This can be a community of healing, too. Undoubtedly, some kindly folk will attempt to mend the relationship, » Continue Reading.
Leonard Cohen, as we all know, is a genius. But the fucker can’t arrange music for shit. Hallelujah is the obvious case for the prosecution here, a brilliant song murdered by him. Till John Cale got his hands on it… (every other cover is after that really)
Here’s an odd case though. First We Take Manhatten. Not terrible his version, but REM just grab this thing by the scruff of it’s neck. Same album, I’m Your Fan, as John Cale’s Hallelujah. It’s an album which practically reclaims his later work.
However none of this is important. I’d just like to hear some cool new cover versions. Please post some…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xkueNLrAas
