ren

Figured we can mix it up, listen to new stuff, old stuff, forgotten stuff - have fun!

yeah, just posted one! Instead of 2 threads, just did the one. But also, would love suggestions!!!

love Veirss so much, and she's so damn prolific!

For me - I got into REM with Document (seeing a few videos late at night on UHF television) and it only grew with Green. I loved Green so much, from the bouncy "Stand" to the beautiful "You Are The Everything" to the pervasive "World Leader Pretend".

I was in high school with Out of Time came out and while "Losing My Religion" was stunning, I balked at the album because of how poppy it felt to me at the time (I was so knee deep in Violent Femmes and other college/alternative bands, Out Of Time sounded like a sellout to me. "Radio Song" with rap and "Shiny Happy People" and whatnot. I shunned REM! Dead to me!

Back then, being a "sell out" was the ultimate sin. Of course later I grew to appreciate OOT for it's lowkey subversiveness and experimentation - even finally understood "Shiny Happy People" (a song about Chinese propaganda). But it wasn't until much much later, maybe after Monster when I finally got into OOT.

So, here I was, broken up with REM and moving on with my life. 1992 I was living on my own in a small little garage apartment, poor and scraping by, just doing my thing when AFTP came out. i heard the acoustic brooding verses with triumphant chorus of "Man On The Moon" and the kind of non-music video of "Drive", a very strangely arranged song, and decided to give REM another chance.

And well, I love the album. I was BACK BABY! They took their pop learnings and made them dark. Even it's most uplifting songs have a dark broodinest to them. The album is crafted like a mixtape, builds, goes big, comes down, instrumental interlude, and ends on possibly one of the finest and beautiful closers ever with a deep message about love and/or the environment.

To me, the album only improved with age and feels timeless, or should I say, out of time.

yeah, more of a Gum and Pond fan myself as well.

really cool album! hard to describe, kind of kitsch, a bit vintage, but still modern.

this is nice! super chill, very different from SAULT. Kind of old school.

jesus fucking the godless universe this album is a fucking masterpiece!!!!

I'm truly blown away. A stunning journey from the first notes to the last.

A+

sorry, this is not a band I follow or know anything about. I do remember them having relevance once so I put the link up.

God damn Bug Like An Angel still makes me tear up.

finally have some time to play it! put on the good headphones for this one. <3

HAHA! hey, it's been a long time - may be time to relax, grab a drink, put on the Good headphones, and let Stipe sing & moan at ya.