wendersfan

As a response to some of the posts in this thread, I've decided to pull out Life's Rich Pageant and give it another shot, after 22 years. This morning I was surprised to find out that I actually own the CD, even though I've only listened to it on vinyl at other people's houses soon after its release. I may have made a cassette copy and listened to it on a Walkman, but it's hard to say.

I copied the songs to my iPod when I got to work, and I'll post in this thread as I listen to the album more over the next few days. I might use this thread as an impetus to go back and listen to some other R.E.M. albums I might not have given a a fair shot, like Document and Green.

I should mention that I've always loved "Swan Swan H", and I used to like "Fall On Me" before I burned out on it because of too much radio play. Other than those two, the only other song of which I have any memory is the cover of "Superman", which I think a band I was in used to play. Let's just say that my memory of the mid-'80s is hazy and leave it at that.

cdollaz

Flowers Of Guatemala may be my favorite track on the album. After Begin The Begin of course.

orangecrush

Do you have the re-issue w/ bonus tracks? I really like the accoustic version of Swan.

Pointyskull

Fall On Me - one of my all-time favorite songs, R.E.M. or otherwise

kms_md

IIRC, my favorite two R.E.M. non-album tracks ("theme from two steps onward" and the original "bad day") came from these recording sessions. of the original IRS 5 albums, i probably like LRP the least. however, as an album, i find it immensely much more enjoyable as a whole and listen to it much more often than the likes of AFTP, reveal, or around the sun.

LiquidSky

Good for you Wenders. I love this album!

Hey, has anyone heard of the band Guadalcanal Diary? I saw them many times when I went to the University of Alabama. Also saw Fetchin' Bones many times.

wendersfan

I don't even remember buying the CD, so I'm sure I got it for less than five bucks.

wendersfan

I saw both bands a few times when I went to the University of Kentucky.

Pointyskull

Always Saturday

GoVegan

For some reason I find it strangely comforting that someone who doesn't like this album is giving it another chance. It's still one of my favorite R.E.M. releases.

DJLinus

This should be fun.

I think my favorite album of theirs is Green. Like most things, it probably has a lot to do with nostalgia, as that came out around the time I got really serious about music (I was 13). It just so happens to be the last album of theirs I like from beginning to end. The untitled song on that album just may be my favorite R.E.M. song.

A long time ago I heard a song of theirs ("Trail of Tears") on a mix tape my brother received, which prompted me to buy a cheap copy of their 2x4 album on vinyl when I came across it. I can't say that I listened to it all that much, but I do remember liking "Litany".

slop101

I think my favorite REM song is "I Believe", which is on this album.

The only thing I didn't like about LRP was that the printed track listing was not the actual order of the songs on the album.

Hiro11

Off of that album, I like Cuyahoga, Fall on Me and What if We Give It Away.

Also, if you like this era of R.E.M., check out the Golden Palominos' "Visions of Excess" which has Michael Stipe all over it and tons of great songs.

As a side note, my rankings for REM albums (there's a big drop off in consistent quality after the top five, IMO):

1. Murmur
2. Document
3. Reckoning
4. Life's Rich Pageant
5. Automatic for the People
6. Green
7. Fables of the Reconstruction
8. Out of Time
9. New Adventure in Hi-Fi
10. Everything else...

cdollaz

I'll rank them in groups, as it's too hard to pick an exact order:

Life's Rich Pageant
Document
Automatic For The People
New Adventures In Hi-FI
Accelerate

Murmer
Reckoning
Green
Monster

Out Of Time
Reveal

UP
Fables Of The Reconstruction

Around The Sun

The Infidel

Is there a non-acoustic version of Swan?

Turd Ferguson

I still remember getting turned down at my 9th grade dance as "Watusi Rodeo" played.

Turd Ferguson

I still think "These Days" rocks.

wendersfan

First (contemporary) impressions:

"Begin the Begin" – Very rocking opening, not as many hooks as I'd like.

"These Days" – I really like this song, but Berry's drumming annoys me a bit.

"Fall on Me" – The intro is heavenly, and the rest of the song doesn't disappoint.

"Cuyahoga" – Not particularly interesting.

"Hyena" – Sounds like an outtake from Murmur or Reckoning with more expensive production.

"Underneath the Bunker" – Failed genre experiment.

"The Flowers of Guatemala" – I've never been a fan of their ballads, and this is no exception.

"I Believe" – Great song.

"What If We Give It Away?" – This song might grow on me, but I think Stipe's vocal is weak.

"Just a Touch" – No.

"Swan Swan H" – As stated previously, I love this song.

"Superman" – Cool song marred by a hokey bridge.

atlantamoi

I like your little experiment even if I disagree with your analysis. Nice sport!

I think LRP might be the last REM album I thoroughly loved from start to finish and I'm sure it has something to do with that also being the last one they released while I was still in college. Great times. I think there was a little controversy back then because they used Don Gehman as producer and he'd been producing John Mellencamp's albums. Big whoop.

It's funny how times can change perspective on music. I also enjoyed Guadalcanal Diary (all their albums but the last one "Flip-Flop"... "Always Saturday" was a good song off that album, though). But when their first album came out I thought it was weird. I don't hear it that way anymore.
A little off kilter, but wonderful music that they continued on the next two albums.

Fetchin' Bones performed live last summer in Atlanta for a one-shot reunion after many, many years. They were a fantastic live band and I'm sorry I missed them for the reformation.

B.A.

Interesting idea.

I haven't listened to REM in at least fifteen years, if not longer. I liked this album, iirc.

Maybe I will go home and listen to some Mule and see if it kicks ass like I remember.

Supermallet

After Automatic For The People LRP is my favorite REM album. Document comes in at a close third.

orangecrush

acording to wiki:
I haven't listened to it in a long time, but I remember liking it more than the album cut.

GreenVulture

This man here speaks the truth. When I made a REM comp for my MP3 player, I made sure "I Believe" was on there. Prior to that, it was already one of my favorite songs, and now after listening to it again, it's fast becoming my top pick for The Best Thing REM Ever Did.

As for the reissue with bonus tracks, don't sweat it if you don't have it; two of the songs can be found on Dead Letter Office, the sole outtake lasts one minute and just Stipe singing solo, and the two acoustic numbers (the aforementioned "Swan" and a cover of the Everly Bros. "All I Have to Do is Dream") are lovely but not essential.

Pageant is a solid album, but they've far more better stuff (Murmur, Automatic, Up and the "I will defend this album until the day I die" awesomeness of Monster).

The Antipodean

"Fall On Me" still blows me away. I remember seeing the video for it on MTV back in the day and being all confused because they were playing the WORDS on screen. Great tune. I'd put LRP in my R.E.M. top 5 easily .... I think "Accelerate" is great so far and I'm enjoying the return of Stipe's "bellowing" voice which he put to such great use on "Life's Rich Pageant."

"Around The Sun" is the only R.E.M. album I find almost totally useless (with "Up" a close 2nd); I still think you could take "Up," "Sun" and "Reveal" and whittle 3-4 tracks from each and make a great R.E.M. album though.

The Antipodean

Isn't it about time they did a "Dead Letter Office" II by the way? The bonus disc on the "Best Of" had several rare/soundtrack tracks, but missed a bunch of others...