666 R.E.M. - Lifes Rich Pageant (1986)

Studio Album - Alternative Rock

About the Act:

R.E.M. were one of the first bands to be thought of as "Alternative Rock", with an edgier style and sound, and songs with meaning and social commentary. At the start they were less accessible, but as their sound matured and became more accessible, they became radio-friendly, and had massive success. It helps that their singer, Michael Stipe, has a very distinctive voice, with a kind of nasal twang to it that lends itself well to pathos.

They were from Georgia, USA, existed from 1980 to 2011 and created 15 studio albums.

About the Album:

This was their fourth album, and a transition for an earlier denser sound to more radio-friendly stuff. It sold better than their previous albums.

My History with this Album:

None

Review:

I often give my first listen to an album "Blind" - in the sense that I don't look up information about it first. I actually listened to this twice "blind" but that' only relatively, because of course I know of R.E.M., just not this album. The thing that has just surprised me when I did look this album up is the year, 1986, and the order. I actually assumed it was a later album, after the mega-successful ones. I think that means several things: 1) it sounds like a mature album, 2) it sounds very typically R.E.M. and 3) it sounds like it is from the 90s. Knowing this is 1986 has changed my opinion of it. It was ahead of its time.

So the sound, just in case you hadn't had the R.E.M. sound drummed into by the radio of the last... oh my goodness, 35 years since this album was released! Get back on track, Dan. The sound.

It's rock, and actually a forerunner of what became alternative rock, or indie, and even Britpop, fairly simple and straightforward chords, melodies and arrangements, and a strong guitar emphasis. This guitar is the backbone of the sound and is not very overdriven, but strident. The rest of the backing wouldn't be out of place behind Bruce Springsteen, or many later rock bands. This was a time when music was emerging from glam and prog and punk and 80s bigness, and simplicity was definitely in vogue.  On top of this is the other unmistakeable sound, Michael Stipe's voice. The tunes are typical R.E.M., they don't go up and down a lot.

There are more than what I might think of the average number of rockier songs on this album and fewer of the stripped-back ballady songs like Everybody Hurts, and Nightswimming. Thankfully there are no songs like The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight, or Orange Crush which I hate for being so repetitive. There are a couple of anomalies, like an intrumental in a surf rock/Latino style, and a banjo introduction to one song. I didn't know any of the songs, but I liked a few especially, The Flowers of Guatamala, Swan Swan H, Begin the Begin (which seems to be about Martin Luthur).

That neatly brings me to lyrics and song content. There's a lot going on, and typically for R.E.M. they are quite cryptic. Also at times it's hard to make them out. What I did hear and follow, I liked, some unusual ideas. There's some environmental stuff, and I suspect some politics, amongst some more life and even romantic songs. This is where I feel like to get the most out of this album I should listen carefully at least 10 times. Sorry, guys, not going to do that, but I did enjoy it overall. Definitely the better end of R.E.M. without the comfort of familiar hits.

7.5/10 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5utjCgJfaqaOqfHGMzD9cB

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLALZtwXPtUFJ9nio4CbnJxphqgrobaQYx

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifes_Rich_Pageant