Artist – Album: R.E.M. – Lifes Rich Pageant
Released: 28th
July 1986
Sounds Like: Classic, political college rock
The contrast between R.E.M.’s early, cultish image and their
all conquering status a decade later is startling. Despite each of their albums
being granted critical acclaim, when their fourth album was released they were
still seen as an underground act. Lifes Rich Pageant, however, stands as one of
the first markers to their ascent to eventual global stardom.
Unlike previous releases, the band’s sound was much cleaner
and clearer here, and songs like ‘Fall on
Me’ and ‘I Believe’ have gorgeous
poppy melodies that make them sound like perfect radio fodder. The cover of
Cliques ‘Superman’ is as disposable
as R.E.M. got at this juncture in their career, although it still remains
great. Michael Stipe’s brilliant, unique voice wraps itself around some of his less
cryptic set of lyrics (relatively speaking of course), and he, for the most
part, is decipherable.
That’s not to say that the guys were selling out for greater
commercial success. Stipe’s lyrics have a political bent for the first time,
and songs like ‘Cuyahoga’ stand as some
of the best environmentally-minded songs ever. ‘The Flowers of Guatemala’ seems to be an indictment of the
US-backed military regime in Guatemala in the fifties, whilst ‘Swan Swan H’ is an obtuse examination
of the American Civil War. Furthermore, as accessible and enjoyable as the
indie folk of this album is, it still diverges unexpectedly at times, never
more so than the odd flamenco turn of ‘Just
a Touch’.
No, the band didn’t compromise their identity to curry more favour
with the record buying public; people just finally started to realise their
brilliance.
Albumaday... rating:
8/10
1. Begin
the Begin – 3:28
2. These
Days – 3:24
3. Fall
on Me – 2:50
4. Cuyahoga
– 4:19
5. Hyena
– 2:50
6. Underneath
the Bunker – 1:25
7. The
Flowers of Guatemala – 3:55
8. I
Believe – 3:49
9. What
If We Give It Away? – 3:33
10. Just
a Touch – 3:00
11. Swan
Swan H – 2:42
12. Superman
– 2:52
Listen to ‘Superman’:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxQS6lfn0yU
 |
Also released on the 28th July:
1992: Barenaked Ladies – Gordon
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