52 replies to this topic

[4AssedMonkey]

I'd be chuffed to bits with REM as a headliner.  Big fan and never seen them live.  I agree that after Monster their stuff tailed off a bit and haven't got/heard Accelerate.  I can see some iTunes time in my immediate future though....

[Tugger2k]

4AssedMonkey, on Oct 9 2009, 03:12 PM, said:

I'd be chuffed to bits with REM as a headliner.  Big fan and never seen them live.  I agree that after Monster their stuff tailed off a bit and haven't got/heard Accelerate.  I can see some iTunes time in my immediate future though....

spotify mate - try before you buy

[MEGABOWL]

4AssedMonkey, on Oct 9 2009, 03:12 PM, said:

I'd be chuffed to bits with REM as a headliner.  Big fan and never seen them live.  I agree that after Monster their stuff tailed off a bit and haven't got/heard Accelerate.  I can see some iTunes time in my immediate future though....

Their albums between Monster and Accelerate have their moments (Electrolite, Walk Unafraid, Saturn Returns, Leaving New York) but were nothing on their previous work.

They were great in 2003. Good festival act-plenty of hits, the odd obscurity for the fans and new track but well-paced, think they held the crowd pretty well. Plus having a top frontman (who loves the festival-apparently after they played in 1999 as Stipe was leaving he saw Eavis, stopped his car and told Eavis "anytime you want me, I'll come back to this place"-helps.

[finner]

R.E.M. are brilliant. I've seen them many times including at Glastonbury 99. I'd be very happy if they headlined but I can't see it happening having played twice before. Second from top or co-headlining would be great. For those that haven't got Accelerate I'd really recommend it - definitely a return to form and earlier sounds. R.E.M. didn't decline with Monster - New Adventures in Hi-Fi is one their very best and criminally underrated.

[Toilet Duck]

finner, on Oct 9 2009, 06:15 PM, said:

New Adventures in Hi-Fi is one their very best and criminally underrated.

Agree completely. One or two songs too long (I'd dump undertow), but still probably my second favourite REM album after Life's Rich Pageant...Up was a cracking album aswell, it was really just Reveal and Around the Sun that were patchy (and even they had their moments!)...

[When Jokers Attack]

New Adventures in Hi-Fi  is amazing, one of their best efforts.

Personal favourite is Murmur

[HandBanana]

When Jokers Attack, on Oct 10 2009, 03:21 AM, said:

New Adventures in Hi-Fi  is amazing, one of their best efforts.

Truth.

But over the last 11 years I have discovered that Up is the true great lost R.E.M. record.
Still hear new things in it.

[MEGABOWL]

HandBanana, on Oct 10 2009, 05:03 AM, said:

Truth.

But over the last 11 years I have discovered that Up is the true great lost R.E.M. record.
Still hear new things in it.

New Adventures is good, has stellar moments but is unusually unfocused IMHO and way too long. Up is good material but badly produced (according to me and Peter Buck    ) though I agree it does keep on opening up. Again though, it's too long.

[NeilVJ]

REM were the first real band I have seen and I still think they are the best thing I have seen live. Not only do they have a superb back catalogue but Stipe is a tremendous front man with a great voice. If they headlined it would be great and no doubt draw a huge crowd.

[Wanderlei]

REM are brilliant. It'd be amazing to see them headline Glasto.

[captain futility]

anyone want a free download of rem live in dublin?

special offer in today's times

i don't do downloads

[HandBanana]

MEGABOWL, on Oct 10 2009, 08:44 AM, said:

New Adventures is good, has stellar moments but is unusually unfocused IMHO and way too long. Up is good material but badly produced (according to me and Peter Buck    ) though I agree it does keep on opening up. Again though, it's too long.

I have a theory about the length issue in that I think it was a very mid-90s problem.
I think it was the result of bands "growing into" the cd format and throwing more stuff in to fill capacity since they now had 80 minutes to use up without lessening sound quality.
Where in the vinyl/cassette era they would have had to edit tighter.

Just a theory

[MEGABOWL]

HandBanana, on Oct 10 2009, 06:52 PM, said:

I have a theory about the length issue in that I think it was a very mid-90s problem.
I think it was the result of bands "growing into" the cd format and throwing more stuff in to fill capacity since they now had 80 minutes to use up without lessening sound quality.
Where in the vinyl/cassette era they would have had to edit tighter.

Just a theory

You could well be onto something there. There's a few albums around that era that I think could have done with some trimming-New Adventures, Urban Hymns, This Is Hardcore, 13 etc.