....recently hit 25 years old, it slipped my attention.
I played that album to death on its release - I had recently discovered R.E.M. and was having fun going back through their very rich back catalog, and I have them to thank for dragging me out of a then listening diet of shred and more shred.
But AFTP was the one album that I picked up as it was released. It was hailed as an instant classic at the time and it still stands up to that accolade today - still their most complete piece of work IMO, even if other albums have more exciting or greater overall moments.
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I learned to absolutely hate the album. It makes me wince when I heard the opening notes to the first song ...
Maybe one day, I'll be able to enjoy it...
I do occasionally still listen to some of their older stuff, such as Green, Lifes Rich Pageant, and Fables of the Reconstruction.
But in the context of the whole, I can't imagine the album without those songs. And there are moments that perfectly epitomise REM. I almost can't describe it, but it's those bits like the feedback montage in the middle of Sweetness Follows, or when the final chorus of Man on the Moon repeats that third time and somehow it feels like it's burrowing into your heart, or the way you hear Michael Stipe nearly lose it in the final chorus of 'Sidewinder...' because he pronounced Seuss wrong... REM draw you into their world, and you find yourself judging them on *their* terms, so they get away with stuff other bands wouldn't.
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Yes, this is one of the few albums I've bought twice. There's already 3 copies in our possession. Do I want the 25th anniversary version? Yes. Am I willing to pay the £80 Amazon are selling it for? No.
I remember sitting in my car, shortly after my Grandad died in 93, bawling my eyes out with Everybody Hurts playing. Cliched, yes, but a strong memory!
As a whole, I absolutely love the album, it's near perfect. "Star Me Kitten" I could never get into and I felt like it should have been kept for Monster, but otherwise it's one of those sublime journey albums.
Interesting, I have the same thoughts about Star Me Kitten belonging better on Monster. Glad to hear the love for Sweetness Follows too, love that track.
Ignoreland is one I'd like to pull out too - great track, love the lyric "I know that this is vitriol. No solution, spleen-venting,
But I feel better having screamed. Don't you?" Probably truer today with Trumps regime than it was at the time.
Mike you absolutely need to get into Pageant. Love it.
I can never pick a favourite REM album but Monster, New Adventures, and Pageant are definitely the top three.
I would agree wholeheartedly with your choices and inability to pick a favourite! REM one of my fave bands ever and I couldn't possibly choose between Murmur, Fables, Pageant, Auto, Monster and New Adventures (unusual to see someone else pick those last two, love New Adventures)
My head said brake, but my heart cried never.
Are you kidding? New Adventures was the album that got me into them!
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