ALBUM REACTION: R.E.M. - Fables of the Reconstruction

[@AlexHaitz]

More R.E.M. Reactions: Chronic Town EP: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHOvZGZ8mcSoqac Murmur: kzbin.info/www/bejne/maiao2eXor6Nipo Reckoning: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5DMfKSHbdyCqNk Lifes Rich Pageant: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4uuXoVqdqd3gqM Document: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bn6ZeaSFo72DbLs Green: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f56wnIyboJtsi8U Out of Time: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ip6QppiEeNqoZtU Automatic for the People: kzbin.info/www/bejne/npCtpnutadqqj7M New Adventures in Hi-Fi: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4CYaqeZpNKKaM0 Fall On Me: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZicc2R8eqh7q7s Here I Am Again: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f56pnnmagJ6tqNE Nightswimming: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eYaoiayKgM-VfM0 Tongue: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z2XCqpiqe7Z5jtk

[@AlexHaitz]

@Caradoc Thanks for the comment! In the description I have a link to my reaction schedule, so you can see the rest of the REM albums I’ll be doing.

[@citehman]

Listening to this album is like walking along a seldom used railroad track on a hot summer day with nothing to do but appreciate the blue sky, the breeze rusting the leaves and the mourning doves cawing. I treasured it in 1985 and even more so today.

[@jb8280]

A perfect description.

[@jeffmaehre7150]

I love the album too, and I get what you're saying, but to stick with your weather motif, don't you think songs like "Auctioneer" and "Kohoutek" have a lot of rain?

[@toddnicholas4056]

I thought you would like this more than Reckoning. This one is denser, slower tempo (overall), more mysterious, and more experimental than the first two albums...I think Mike Mills contributions need to be mentioned...very strong bass work and stand out backing vocals in 3 or 4 songs...Feeling Gravity's Pull is a complex and really dense opener (so different from Reckoning sound wise, kind of jarring but really good), Wendell Gee is a perfect closer...also love Maps & Legends and Green Grow the Rushes....

[@j.r.a.f.t.m.]

This album took a while, but my god its now my 3rd favourite (Murmur is top and my favourite album of all time), I just love the aesthetic, the blend of styles and the lyrical themes, with being a Englishman it just builds the mystique of southern America for me, favourite tracks are 'Driver 8', 'Life and how to live it' (that song with context makes it so much better and emotionally charged), 'Green growers the rushes', 'kahoutek' and 'Good Advices'. Great reaction as always Alex can't wait for 'Pageant'.

[@lucianoteixeira7993]

Definitely the context makes all the difference to Life... A really great and underrated song.

[@urbangorilla33]

@@lucianoteixeira7993 I think the whole album needs to be considered as a whole. It's almost a concept album on one's place and identity. 'Good Advices' is my favorite - "I'd like it here if I could leave and see it from a long ways away" and "Who are you going to call for" are very moving lines for me.

[@bleachhouse1090]

This is probably my second favourite album from them (after murmur), really underrated. I like that it's a bit darker and more melancholic than their other early albums, some tracks almost have a goth feel to me (gravitys pull for example) and it's a very one of a kind album for them (the next one is very good as well but it's more like what you would expect from them)

[@Malady]

"Feeling Gravity's Pull" sounds way better in live performances.

[@linkjones4535]

I have a vinyl bootleg from the 80's recorded from their tour of "Life's Rich Pageant." During the show Michael Stipe tells a story about a man who lived in a house that he divided in half and had everything you need for a home on each side but completely different for each side. He'd live in one side for a while until he got tired of it then he'd go live in the other side. He flipped back and forth between each side until he died. After he died they went into the house and in the back they found a closet filled with copies of a book he wrote titled "Life And How To Live." When Michael started telling this story someone in the audience yelled out, loudly and he matter of factly said "Shut up" to them, not in a nasty way. It was funny and the audience knew he was just f@cking with them.

[@Nimno74]

Wendell is such a great album closer. It just feels like saying goodbye, even without the lyrics.

[@christianalander9487]

This album took awhile to grow on me, even while going thru my big initial R.E.M. phase in high school circa '90. But now I rank several of its songs as favorites of mine from these guys. A lot of layers here, well worth the peeling.

[@keith6795]

Green Grow the Rushes is my all-time fav REM song and has been for 25 years, so your take on that song was alright by me 👍

[@void0094]

I like this record a lot. They changed their equipment at the time and Joe Boyd mixed and produced it differently. Mike Mills stopped playing his Rickenbacker in late 1984 which is why the bass sounds different on Fables.

[@martinpugh9631]

Hi from Wales, Alex. Really enjoying these reviews as a big REM fan way back when. Can I suggest a few side-albums as you go through REM’s 80s albums. 10,000 Maniacs ‘In My Tribe’ was a strong influence around 1987 and their voice in general clarified some of Michael Stipe’s lyrics as they became more political. ‘Life’s Rich Pageant’ is the start of that. They supported REM live a lot around that period. Also suggest going back to Throwing Muses, who also occasionally supported them, for a very different American voice. 1st album is brilliant and ‘House Tornado’ doesn’t sound like anything else. Finally American Music Club - Mark Eitzel was seen as a more emotionally raw song-writer than Stipe in the late 80s. A kind of counter-point to REM. Keep up the great work!

[@void0094]

They played Kohoutek live in 2007 in Dublin because they chose to play many old songs for that evening and Peter told Michael they should apologize for playing that song. Actually it is one of my favorite tracks on the album because it's so weird.

[@boognish94]

You're not alone, Green Grow The Rushes is my favorite off the album. I love Driver 8, Feeling Gravitys Pull, Old Man Kensey and Kohoutek (which is a comet). Can't wait until your reaction to Pageant.

[@mikechmielewski386]

Live versions of Life & How to Live It are electric, especially the intro. Here's one with the backstory of the song, with a great version of the intro: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6Sai5aEmKiAhpY

[@eboethrasher]

I wondered if anyone would point the way towards the story. I love the story.

[@SBTCP]

An album (Latin albus, white), in ancient Rome, was a board chalked or painted white, on which decrees, edicts, and other public notices were inscribed in black. It was from this that in medieval and modern times, album came to denote a book of blank pages in which verses, autographs, sketches, photographs and the like are collected. This in turn led to the modern meaning of an album as a collection of audio recordings issued as a single item. What origins were album 💿 music 🎼 aka records were discovered? It said Ancient Rome or renaissance?

[@kevtruth]

Their first 4 IRS releases are my favorites. They ceased to be a college rock band after that. I don't blame them for wanting to make a change though

[@jonmayer5206]

New subscriber alex. I'm a lifelong R.E.M. fan as I discovered them in college in 80s. My personal favorite albums are murmur, document, automatic for the people and new adventures in hi-fi. Favorite tracks on this one are driver 8, can't get there from here and green grow the rushes. Hopefully you continue in order throughout their discography. Another favorite of that era of mine is peter gabriel. Would be very interested in that as well.

[@Turnabout]

This album is kind of an outlier. At the time of its release, a large section of REM's fans were disappointed in the sounds. Honestly, though, it's probably my favorite REM album overall. I can only describe it as brave.

[@joeschmoe487]

This one is perhaps their most "mysterious" album. They become ever more accessible after this so I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed if the "mysterious" REM is what you like.

[@SBTCP]

Can tracks can also be called chapter like chapters in a book jonathan like example track 1 chapter 1?

[@stevencouch5691]

Good stuff! I thought you might like this more than Reckoning. But I’m not sure how you’re going to feel about Life’s Rich Pageant. It’s a bit cleaner than Fables, with a couple more rockers. But songs like Flowers Of Guatemala and Swan Swan H wouldn’t feel out of place on Fables. It’s probably my fourth favorite full length from the IRS years, but it’s still a great album.

[@musicaddict5076]

For me the highlights are Maps and Legends, Green Grow The Rushes Grow, Good Advices and Wendell Gee. Wendell Gee being my favorite. Definitely better than Reckoning.

[@jsbach6529]

Agree with your assessment, perhaps rating Kohoutek a bit higher but GGTR is the only one I come back to. For me their steep downfall began immediately after, with competence, yes, but nothing matching the mystery and passion of the early period. The first two discs are the ones to treasure, Chronic Town because it contains their best-ever song, 'Gardening at Night', and while I disagree on the falsetto vocal, you might try the alt version on the "Eponymous" compilation, which has a 'harder' vocal. Really enjoy the album traversals.

[@californiahummus]

Early REM was great to listen to in the 80s because they were consistently different than other bands. This is not Duran Duran or Van Halen.

[@mattjohn4731]

I have a REM boot cd live in Japan 1984 which has some of these tunes. Had it since the 90s

[@mattjohn4731]

Oh you play piano? That can really affect your song preferences. I play guitar. I love FGP but it's partly because I play guitar. Other faves are D8, L&HtLI, OMK... In about 89 I had a friend with acoustic bass and we jammed on Old Man Kensey. It was educational in my music brain

[@mattjohn4731]

Oh snap I forgot: Can't Get There was actually a music video song and I have the sense it was the biggest "hit" (college radio) from this record. But also Jason Isbell covered Driver 8 on the Georgia Blue album (various artists)

[@jb8280]

When I hear Wendell Gee I think of another great Americana song by John Mellencamp. “Jackie Brown”. Even though, John isn’t post-punk or college rock, he had so many amazing and country tinged pop rock songs that he invaded my new wave / alt rock playlist. I wonder if you’d ever wander into his discography? But, if you’re ever looking for a bop with unpredictable arrangements yet still feels pop smart and approachable, you might try The Lilys. “The 3 Way” is just something from another place. It’s not Pavement and it’s not Elephant 6 stuff. It’s unique in that quirky way.

[@secretsymphony]

I agree with your REM album reactions so far. Murmur is an album on its own; a new band full of confidence. Followed Reckoning and Fables, which were subdued affairs. I prefer Fables over Reckoning. Although Fables was recorded in London, to me it is very American. Actually, I got into this album, fittingly, during a train journey across England. I will be very interested in your reaction to the next one, Life's Rich Pageant, which for me is when REM find their predominant sound - although not their commercial breakthrough...

[@SBTCP]

Fables of the reconstruction was also called reconstruction of the fables.

[@SBTCP]

menacing tone darker jangle pop sound

[@SBTCP]

Out Of Time ⌛ album 💿 is next and find the title track for out of time my guess title track for out of time is low that’s my guess but I hope that you’ll check it out alex.

[@joycehall4866]

My favorite R.E.M Album Maps and Legends is my # 1 from it.

[@Nimno74]

85.... not 95. Tongue slip, I figure.

[@SBTCP]

And the book 📖 on the album 💿 front cover too.

[@czarmty1]

Is a good album. Sounds nice also as an accompaniment for the debut of The Smiths. 👍

[@richardmose]

Come on Alex, you can't hide your disappointment for every record you've reacted to after Murmur. You adored a rare, astonishing debut album that is seldom experienced, as we all did, but most of us moved on. You see, I'm a cook, and I don't obsess or try to recreate my recipes that all of my friends and guests love and enjoy so much. I try to create something equally as interesting and enjoyable using a different spice and flavor palate. I don't consider myself an artist-but more of a chemist, if that makes any sense. By the way, Reckoning always puts me in such a good state of mind when I hear it-it just makes me so centered and happy.

[@AlexHaitz]

@@richardmose Most of these other IRS albums have grown on me some since listening. It wasn’t even necessarily a quality thing so much as a tone thing.

[@SBTCP]

Overall, 34% of people enjoyed the book, compared to 27% who preferred the movie. Although 82% of those surveyed agreed that "screen adaptations help books come to life," 46% of people argued that film adaptations "would never be as good as the book." Almost 25% declared that movies even ruined the original book.

[@JosephMan485]

Is it a crime to like this album more than Reckoning? Haha.

[@edwardlosty549]

I don’t get why people were expecting you to be into this. It has some highlights through ( Driver 8 is crazy good) but it was an awkward listen lacking direction. Next is Lifes Rich Pageant, short but sweet, back on track.

[@AlexHaitz]

It didn’t live up to the hype but I did enjoy most of it!

[@henrywallace7996]

I found Reckoning and Fables kind of underwhelming at first, but Reckoning really grew on me and I now like it about as much as Murmur. Fables I’m still working on. Life’s Rich Pageant I absolutely loved on first listen though; idk why but I suspect Alex will too. Maybe it’s because we both love New Order’s Brotherhood (their best album imo).

[@eboethrasher]

I guess I like to think that I don't like this album, but over time I have softened to it. It is one of those albums, it seems to be usually right around the third or fourth albums of bands I like that they release an album that just doesn't ring true with me as a whole but I love songs from it the same. Cocteau Twins - like songs from it, but Treasure is my least favorite. The Cure, The Top has some good songs but is a weak album. And then there is this album. You know what, more of the running thread is that they are all around 1984-ish, with this being in 1985. Hell, even Document has Lightnin' Hopkins. LRP is pretty perfect from top to bottom. It might be their actual pinnacle, even though this album has what I consider to be the most "REM" of REM songs, "Driver 8". Everything about REM is condensed perfectly into that song IMHO. The bridge is PERFECT. And this is a band ALL ABOUT BRIDGES.