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R.E.M.
Oct 11, 2004 6:45:50 GMT -5
Post by ScottsyII on Oct 11, 2004 6:45:50 GMT -5
All that You Can't Leave Behind is not a bad album... I think my point was mainly that it was equally "middling" as people say Around the Sun is... it had that throwback to classic U2 feel to it, and the FM Radio - ready sound that told me above all else U2 were interested in being a big radio play band again...
But U2 got heaped with praise for a middle of the road effort for them... it was a good album, but not U2 pushing their boundaries of creativity... but it still got heaped with boquets...
REM try the same tactic... everyone thinks REM blows goat... what gives is what I think I was trying to say.
On the U2 topic... I hope Vertigo sounds better than the lyrics read... It looked a little like an "Elevation" type of song lyrically... not my favourite of their songs, but still likeable!
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R.E.M.
Oct 11, 2004 8:13:40 GMT -5
Post by Proud on Oct 11, 2004 8:13:40 GMT -5
i actually like all that you can't leave behind a LOT... including "elevation". in fact, i think i'll listen to that one right now. silly lyrics, but that's the point of that song...
the reason why i think ATYCLB is such a strong record is because i find a central feeling behind it. sometimes depressing, sometimes uplifting, but ultimately, it's a world perspective, whether we're talking about "peace on earth" or "new york". that's why i'd rather pop it in then some other great u2 albums, such as the unforgettable fire and even the joshua tree.
speaking of u2, i recently bought joshua tree, achtung baby, and rattle & hum for 50 cents each, used. even if r&h is as bad as fans tell me it is, i still can't lose.
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R.E.M.
Oct 11, 2004 18:34:20 GMT -5
Post by Weeping_Guitar on Oct 11, 2004 18:34:20 GMT -5
The main difference between the REM and U2 albums that go back to their previous and easier sounds is that the U2 record had a number of great songs while this REM has just a few real good songs. The back to basics records need great singles and the U2 album delivers there and then a couple great album tracks as well.
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R.E.M.
Oct 11, 2004 19:42:55 GMT -5
Post by Proud on Oct 11, 2004 19:42:55 GMT -5
the only song on this album i could see having radio potential is "wanderlust", and that's only modest.
in other news, around the sun debuts at #1 in the U.K. charts. unexpected, even though r.e.m.'s last 2 or 3 at least have debuted at #1 there...
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R.E.M.
Oct 12, 2004 8:07:52 GMT -5
Post by ScottsyII on Oct 12, 2004 8:07:52 GMT -5
I'll be really interested to see what happens with the new U2... I have a feeling it will do well, they are in a position to reap the benefits of ATYCLB.
I have put Around the Sun on a Few Days hiatus and with this time and perspective, I can more fully digest what you guys have been saying about it.
I can definitely appreciate your perspective, but I find my enthusiasm for the album not dulling down at this point... I just haven't had alot of listening time this week with my return to work after holidays and all!
Wanderlust is a nice upbeat break in proceedings in an otherwise heavy lyrical concepts sort of album... it's a welcome break wedged between two darker songs...
I don't think there is much radio friendly content at all on Around the Sun... this of course doesn't worry me a great deal because my radio is only on for the ten minutes it takes to drive to work... :-)
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R.E.M.
Oct 13, 2004 16:47:35 GMT -5
Post by Proud on Oct 13, 2004 16:47:35 GMT -5
"Further, a processing error moves R.E.M.'s 'Around the Sun' up one position from where it stood in stories posted this morning on Billboard.com and Billboard.biz. The Warner Bros. album enters the chart at No. 13 with 61,000 sold."
expected. i'm sure r.e.m. doesn't really care, though.
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R.E.M.
Oct 14, 2004 7:40:26 GMT -5
Post by ScottsyII on Oct 14, 2004 7:40:26 GMT -5
I had my sever doubts about the commercial success of Around the Sun... every REM album seems to sell less and less all the time... not that it bothers me a whole lot i must say!
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R.E.M.
Oct 14, 2004 9:44:53 GMT -5
Post by Dr. Drum on Oct 14, 2004 9:44:53 GMT -5
I don’t think there are a lot of connections between Around the Sun and ATYCLB beyond their being records made by bands that are 20+ years into their careers. Basically, Around the Sun (which I’m continuing to enjoy, BTW) sounds to me like another dozen plus R.E.M. songs. I don’t hear much of an agenda beyond that. For better or for worse, depending on how you approach it, it’s a continuation of what they’ve been doing for the last few records.
ATYCLB, was different for U2 in that it was a conscious recalibration of their sound and overall aesthetic. It was intended to take a completely new direction from what they’d done for the previous decade. Hasta la Vista, Baby. When they started the initial work on the record, Larry Mullen was quoted as saying something to the effect of, "We called the last record Pop – this time why don’t we actually make a pop record?" Which is more or less what they did; they married the aesthetics of current pop radio with the classic U2 sound.
It’s not a crap record (aside from the hideous "Peace On Earth") but for me it gets a little thin overall. In retrospect, you could see it coming with the remixed 98 "Sweetest Thing" single. The original sounded unfinished – particularly Bono’s dry vocal – but what drew you to it was the juxtaposition of the pretty music box melody playing against all its little idiosyncrasies. The remix got rid of those and what you were left with suddenly sounded about as substantial as a sugar cone. A lot of ATYCLB sounds to me similarly insubstantial, which is OK with something like "Elevation", but the problem is I get the same sense from songs like "Walk On" and "Grace". They just don’t 'stick' for whatever reason.
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R.E.M.
Oct 14, 2004 15:19:22 GMT -5
Post by Proud on Oct 14, 2004 15:19:22 GMT -5
i never liked u2, until i heard "peace on earth", which got me emotional and made me buy atyclb, perhaps my favorite u2 record. and i own 2 copies of the joshua tree, achtung baby, and 1 copy of rattle and hum, the unforgettable fire, boy, pop, zoopra, and probably others i can't think of.
figure!
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R.E.M.
Oct 16, 2004 4:45:36 GMT -5
Post by ScottsyII on Oct 16, 2004 4:45:36 GMT -5
I have found Leaving New York a totally poignant and moving track... It does have certain resonances with a situation in my life iun some ways, so it's quite a personal listen... not that I have ever been to New York, but the concepts of leaving and not wanting to, etc etc... all things I am fairly familiar with... those of you who know the whole Scottsy / Mellie story will know what I going on about!
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R.E.M.
Oct 17, 2004 19:09:33 GMT -5
Post by koolkat on Oct 17, 2004 19:09:33 GMT -5
What I can't understand is how the exact same criticisms really aren't thrown at the likes of U2 or Depeche Mode or other 80's companions, all of which have had inner band tensions, have produced what I would call "middling" standard albums like ATYCLB, Exciter, etc...I love both U2 and Depeche and I have no problem saying ATYCLB and Exciter were crap albums, at least by their standards. I'm also a HUGE REM fan, and have almost all of their records. As for 'Around The Sun', as painful as this is to admit, I think it's a stinker. I've heard it 3 times and was totally disappointed. I actually wouldn't mind an 'Automatic' re-hash, which this clearly isn't. Sure enough, it's a sombre record like 'Automatic'... but the songs themselves are totally bland and MOR. I don't think I'll be picking this one up this time... which sadly makes this the first new REM release I haven't bought since 1987. It's the end of an era as I know it, and I don't feel so fine.  I totally believe at this point, that REM lost their direction after they lost their drummer. Sad but true... 'Reveal' will probably go down as their final 'very good' album. I also believe they probably would have called it a day had they not signed that 60million dollar 6 album deal in the early 90s. I wonder how many heads rolled over at Warners after that one...
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R.E.M.
Oct 17, 2004 20:31:19 GMT -5
Post by Proud on Oct 17, 2004 20:31:19 GMT -5
if it wasn't for atyclb, i don't know if i ever would've gotten into u2.
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R.E.M.
Oct 17, 2004 21:17:35 GMT -5
Post by Ryosuke on Oct 17, 2004 21:17:35 GMT -5
As a discussion on REM grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving U2 approaches one.
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R.E.M.
Oct 18, 2004 6:21:30 GMT -5
Post by ScottsyII on Oct 18, 2004 6:21:30 GMT -5
I'm still going to remain on the fringe and say that Around the Sun is great... sorry guys, that album absolutely kept me going this last weekend, it was a toughie.
A great album has the power to do that for ya.
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R.E.M.
Oct 18, 2004 12:02:11 GMT -5
Post by bowiglou on Oct 18, 2004 12:02:11 GMT -5
hi one and all..well, I"ve got every REM (and U2) album since inception, and saw REM in a sweatly dank little club in 1983 in West LA so I am a huge fan..but this is the first REM LP I"m equivocating about buying...the reviews have been lukewarm and all of your comments are somewhat tenuous....that being said, I still love that REM sound.....that is somewhat ubiquitous, regardless if they get rock-y on us via Monster or more introspective as on Up.........but, knowing my buying history, I"ll probably still get it, but similar to Up, it won't see alot of playing time......I'm still hoping for Reckoning Pt. II!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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