REM when they were good/when bands lose it

[Z/Sb]

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[A Passing Turk Slipper]

bump
Well, 'Around the Sun' is released in a couple of weeks and I'm looking forward to it. Anyone heard any tracks off it yet?

[Robot Devil]

I've always had a bit of a gripe against the Smashing Pumpkins and their dramatic swirl into the post-grunge dump.

Strange, I've been listening to Machina 1 lately, and it's underrated IMHO. Listen to Wound, Age of Innocence, I Of The Mourning, and of course, Stand Inside Your Love, possibly the best song SP ever did ever ever. And Adore, that whole album is superb as well, so I'm unsure of what you mean.

[phalmachine]

I honestly don't think many people have heard it. I think they have managed to avoid having it leaked on the internet. There'a a rubbish two line review on Amazon but no review on Allmusic yet.  I heard an interview on Johnnie Walker the other day, but they didn't give much away.

I'm never sure about REM.  I used to buy all their albums, but I suspect that was only because they were the only band I really knew about.  I find Michael Stipe a rather unconvincing front man. I think Mike Mills is the better singer, if less distinctive.

They always seem to be a band without very many contemporaries.  Most other bands who starting in the States at the same time broke up years ago.  Carrying on too long always smells of money grabbing to me.

[The Man With Brass Eyes]

Most other bands who starting in the States at the same time broke up years ago.  Carrying on too long always smells of money grabbing to me.

you think they should just break up then?
just break up if a band carries on too long.

[phalmachine]

I think that if I were in a band, I would want to break up before too long.  Surely people want to move on and work with other musicians, in diffeent styles.  The major incentive to stay is the money.

You could argue that bands have side-projects to explore different styles, but I don't think that REM have done much in this line.  There was The Hindu Love Gods ages ago (but that was just them having a larf with Warren Zevon), Peter Buck worked with Eels and Mike Mills scored an indie film which was never released.  There was also Michael Stipes duet with Mandy Moore or whoever, but that was nothing but an advert for MS's film.

What strikes me as money grabbing about REM is after they changed their style with Up and it was critically mauled, they reverted back to their old style with their next album.

[The Man With Brass Eyes]

You could argue that bands have side-projects to explore different styles, but I don't think that REM have done much in this line.  There was The Hindu Love Gods ages ago (but that was just them having a larf with Warren Zevon), Peter Buck worked with Eels and Mike Mills scored an indie film which was never released.  There was also Michael Stipes duet with Mandy Moore or whoever, but that was nothing but an advert for MS's film.

It's the old argument of "solo projects verses the band"... In many case "the band" is the unit, especially if the band has got famous/popular.  The solo projects rarely live up to the band.

What strikes me as money grabbing about REM is after they changed their style with Up and it was critically mauled, they reverted back to their old style with their next album.

I can't see Reveal being all that different from Up.  Although you could say that the electro/lo-fi style of Up might've been due to Bill Berry leaving.  They might've decided to experiment a bit on the subsequent albums.
To some extents, bands have that luxury (to experiment) when they have made it big.
Bands seem to loose their steam after a while.  I don't think REM's later stuff is as great as their earlier (Murmur/Reckoning) stuff.  That's not to say I hate Up/Reveal... but you listen back to songs like Camera, Perfect circle, catapult, Pretty persuasion... you see how amazingly great those albums are.  the newer stuff doesn't touch it in innovation or freshness.

I certainly am in the minority for really liking Monster.

[non capisco]

I certainly am in the minority for really liking Monster.

I think it's got one or two great songs on it, I really like 'Strange Currencies'. But I remember at the time the shock for me of it being the first REM album with a lot of outright stinkers on it.

[The Man With Brass Eyes]

the first REM album with a lot of outright stinkers on it.

told you I was in the minority.