Talk About The Passion: R.E.M.'s Contribution To My Musical Growth

I recently read an article discussing the current breed of ultra hip 40-somethings and their success at killing the once unavoidable generation gap. I found the article to be quite thought provoking but at the same time my recent discussion with a young girl at the MGMT show proved to me that the gap is still very much there in many ways. Now the fact that I was talking music with a girl that could have been my daughter, at an MGMT concert, is proof that the gap is in fact closing, I suppose. However it seems to be somewhat of a one way street. Older ones are becoming more aware of what's current, but many younger ones are still a little bit uninformed about the past. I don't want to make a blanket statement here, but the lack of interest among the under 25 crowd for bands such as R.E.M. does leave me a little bit saddened.

The girl that I was speaking to will be at the R.E.M. show at Molson Amphitheater this Sunday but she's going for Modest Mouse. Which is totally cool! However her hatred for R.E.M. had me asking her the question, "Have you heard their old stuff?" to which she replied that she did. However, as our conversation wore on, it became apparent that Losing My Religion was as far back as she went. It's a shame because, in my opinion, I really think that much of today's so-called indie music appreciators would really be impressed with what R.E.M. has accomplished through the years.

This Sunday, I'm FINALLY seeing R.E.M. and, believe it or not, this will be my first time. So, in preparation, I'd like to take a few minutes to share with all of you, (but especially some of my younger readers,) a little trip down memory lane with one of my favorite bands of all time: featuring Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry.

I'll admit that I wasn't there right from the start either. When R.E.M. released their first single, it was 1981, and I was only 8 years old. The first song that I ever heard was also their first minor hit in North America, entitled The One I Love, which came out in 1987. But it was at that time that I backtracked and found myself falling in love with their early material. That first single in '81, was Radio Free Europe, and most bands don't put out a song that infectious ever, let alone at their first time to bat. Michael Stipe had the most original voice I'd ever heard. The lyrics were mostly inaudible, but his ability to spit out those syllables with so much conviction made me want to sing along, even if it meant making up my own words in the process.

Video: Radio Free Europe Live on David Letterman October 6th, 1983.


The EP that was released shortly after was Chronic Town and it followed that same pattern. I still feel that it is probably the greatest EP ever released and, if I'm being honest, only its brevity prevents it from being my favourite R.E.M. album over all. Listen to 1 000 000, and keep in mind that when this song came out, artists like Olivia Newton-John, Men at Work and the new disco-fied Blondie were climbing the charts.

Stream: 1 000 000



After that, R.E.M. released the appropriately titled Murmur. This album is a certified classic, lauded by many as being one of the greatest albums of the 80's, possibly of all time. It was so incredibly ahead of its time. It was alt-country, eight years before No Depression. It squished slurred and indecipherable vocals into a pop mold, 10 years before Nevermind. It was brooding and melancholic, 2 years before The Smiths. It was jangle Byrds-ian guitar pop at a time when emulating the folksy 60's was not considered accurately looking into the musical future. It was far too good for the masses and only the college crowd seemed to get it at the time.

Stream: Talk About The Passion



What's interesting is that I don't even consider Murmur to be their best album. No, that honor goes to the next one, entitled Reckoning. However, that's like comparing delicious apples to even more tempting and delicious apples, because both albums are classics, along with the two that followed (Fables of the Reconstruction and Life's Rich Pageant.) Yes, the band accomplished a grand slam homerun, a hat trick plus one, releasing four perfect albums in a row, and doing so with their very first recordings. Even Radiohead hasn't accomplished that. I cannot stress enough that if you are only familiar with their work over the last 20 years or so, and you love music, then you owe it to yourself to search out these gems. I find that taking the time to do this, not only helps you discover some long lost gold, but it also helps one to find good in their latter, and somewhat lesser works as well.

Video: Fall On Me (one of the most beautiful songs ever written)


Video: So. Central Rain (my vote for the best single of the 80's)


Stream: Just A Touch (pure adrenalin fueled college rock) Listen to it here

The years that followed saw the band garnering a little bit more of a commercial following. Document and Green had a few hits, and each song seemed to be a bigger hit than the one before. This did not mean that these albums had any less impact on me however. They were perfect pop albums at a time when people were relying too heavily on synths and gimmicks to be recording perfect pop. This certainly paved the way for bands like Teenage Fanclub and Matthew Sweet later on.

Video: It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)


After that came Out Of Time, and this is when they became the greatest rock band in the world. I suppose that it's not a surprise that this is actually my least favorite album by them. But it's not because it's popular. I work hard not to let my opinions be gaged by the way other people feel. I don't consider myself to be an indie rock rebel. I just find this album to be a little bit on the dull side, especially considering what I know the band is capable of. But this is by no means a bad album. Songs like the spoken word Belong and the jingle jangle of Texarcana show that the band still had a lot of creative juices flowing.

Stream: Belong



And then the band had their first amazing comeback. Automatic For The People was a popular album. It also rivaled Murmur as a fan favorite. It accomplished what other bands would love to accomplish: climbing to number one on the charts, while still keeping the die hard fans on board. It breaks your heart (Try Not To Breathe, Nightswimming); it makes you laugh (The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight); it rocks (Ignoreland) and it mesmerizes (Drive.) At a time when their greatest rivals U2 were releasing songs like Lemon (ugh) and what was, in my opinion, one of the most overrated albums ever (Achtung! Baby), R.E.M. was still as interesting and pertinent as they ever were. (Am I gonna get flamed for the Achtung! comment? Probably. Thank goodness for comment moderation...)

Stream: Nightswimming



From then on, I'll admit that R.E.M. was more of a hit or miss affair and I don't blame some people for being disinterested. But I still don't think that they have ever put out a completely bad album. Monster, Up and Around The Sun all contained a lot of filler, but they also shared certain moments of intrigue. Their soundtrack work has been excellent particularly the songs that were used in Man On The Moon and Vanilla Sky. Reveal is a sunny pop album that I've grown to enjoy as much as Green, and New Adventures In Hi-fi, upon further listening, may actually be one of their overlooked classics.

Video: The Great Beyond on youtube
Video: Imitation Of Life on youtube

Which brings us to their latest release, Accelerate, or as I like to call it: comeback number three. While not quite the return to form that people have been preaching, it is still easily their best album since Automatic, and just a very good album from start to finish. Living Well Is The Best Revenge rocks it old school. Hollow Man has Stipe sounding more vulnerable than he has in years. Supernatural Superserious is a very good single. The title track has a gloriously infectious hook for a chorus. And album ender I'm Gonna DJ is not meant to be taken too seriously, and for that reason it had me laughing out loud the first time that I heard it. It's gonna sound great in concert.

Video: Hollow Man


So while it's true that this is technically my first time seeing R.E.M. in concert, they're influence has been felt throughout the majority of my concert going experiences. Whether it has been appreciated or not is another story. But I hope that fans of The National and Modest Mouse stick around for these originals. They're deserving of such respect. They were here first, and the timelessness of their contributions to modern rock is simply immeasurable. However, that's just one old guy's opinion.

Myspace: R.E.M.