Reviews (page 10 of 15)
1. uuork zong - 1 2. occupation - 1.5 3. mccarthy - 1 4. heron - 1 5. ztrange - 1 6. the uuorld - 1.5 7. the one - 2 8. fire place - 1 9. hopkinz - 1 10. birdz - 1 11. local - 2
+1 for “It’s the End of the World As We Know It”
Rating: 8.5/10 Consistently great songwriting, jangly, fun riffs. Melodic basslines and tight drumming. Another great album from this band. The consistency of this band is truly remarkable. Favorite songs: Finest Worksong, Exhuming McCarthy, Strange, It's The End Of The World, The One I Love, Lightnin' Hopkins, Oddfellows Local 151. Least favorite song: Welcome To The Occupation.
yet another Insistence From The Universe that i need to freakin get into r.e.m.! im sure ill have more to say about this in the proper context of their career which is how i typically like to approach things but its not necessary at all to be in ecstatic enjoyment of the record. their songwriting and general melodic sensibilities are cryptic and emotive to a degree that makes their best songs feel like they contain the universe or at least A Universe or at least Some Kind Of Answers About The Universe. rly difficult to not get swept up in just about everything here. i rly gotta revisit murmur
Hey i knew a few of these
R.E.M is a top-5 band for me, and this album was a key player in making that happen. After getting into them thru Out of Time and Automatic for the People, Document was my first step into their back catalog and my realization that this “new band” I loved had a storied and immensely strong musical history. “Finest Worksong” is indeed one of their finest hours; “End of the World” and “The One I Love” are perfect, massive singles; “Disturbance at the Heron House” is great; “King of Birds” and the Wire cover are cool, too. Most of the other songs aren’t bad, just not my faves from the band by a stretch. Again, this record helped catapult me into assured R.E.M. fandom, but in hindsight Automatic, Murmur, and Life’s Rich Pageant all best it for me. Document is still a great record, tho. That’s how great of a band R.E.M. was, and still is.
This was very childhood. Laura knew a song, but I didn't.
I fought REM for a long time, but there's no denying the depth of their catalog. This album finds them firmly rooted in their craft, but still floating outside the mainstream. 'It's the End of the World as We Know It' was prophetic because it pretty much broke them into popular airplay, but it's probably my least favorite track on the disc. 'King of Birds' and 'Finest Worksong' are favorites, along with tracks that must have been spill-over from the last album, 'Fables of the Reconstruction', like 'Oddfellow's Local 151'. That is no slight, as that might be my favorite REM project.
Not bad, bit jazzy in parts.
R.E.M. are the definition of shitbang average and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise. Never ever heard a great album from them, each and every one is middle of the road safe soft rock with a belter or two sprinkled in. This is no exception.
R.E.M. is already pretty average, and this felt like all their filler in one place. There's absolutely nothing special about this album
Okay
I went to school in Athens and parents love them but I still can't get myself to like them. The intricate guitarwork can be good but never pays off in a satisfying way like Television does. It's alright and maybe the next album is the one where it clicks for me but not this one sadly. I think the closing track was definitely my favorite. Raing: 3.1
Man, on this album they were fucking PISSED.
Somehow survived the 90s without ever listening to an REM album! This was very REM. Some great songs there but I like them better as singles.
I need to listen to this album a few times to fully enjoy it.
I’m learning that I like REM more than I thought or knew.
really boring alt rock (though tbf this is from the 80s). nothing really clicked with me if im being honest. i may just be the wrong audience for this because i can see how someone can enjoy this record but not me tho. i can say some songs are solid but rem just aint it for me. even those tracks are solid but also just ok. the rest of the tracks just dragged down the record even further for me. both side a and b were pretty equal to me as in both were just ok. overall its not bad but just boring and aint for me. 2.5 but 3 here personal favs: finest worksong
Enjoyed this.
When this album came out my buddy Mike came over to my house with this cassette and told me this was one of the best albums ever. We listened to it and at the time it didn't mean much to my 15 year old ears as some of the lyrics were advanced, but man did I recognize 'It's the end of the world…" as a monster. I've listened to Document here and there over the years as I've become a fan of R.E.M., and now see this as the bedrock album that establishes the familiarity of what we see the band as now. They'll take a break and go more poppy with Automatic before returning to their college sound roots and following the message they so well lay down in this album. 4/5
This is the sound I expect from R.E.M. Good. Always gotta love 'It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)'
Typical REM. Solid effort that is their signature sound.
I just didn't enjoy it that much. I tend to like that style, but I feel that very often (for all artists in the genre not just R.E.M), the songs just drag on. I like them for a bit and then wish they'd just stop. They'd be a great band if they kept all their songs under 2 minutes 30, but after that I just feel like slitting my wrists.
I'm a fan of R.E.M. and there's a number of songs on this album I am familiar with.
Haven’t heard this in ages and I’m wondering if I owned this record, or they just played every inch of it on the radio. Damn it’s been a long time. Truly classic REM. This is quintessential Gen X college radio. Such a specific sound. Everything about this feels tangible and real. Hard not sing along with the hits. This One Goes Out to the One I Love, indeed. Because this record has the official Gen X anthem, It’s the End of the World as We Know It and I Feel Fine, this gets an automatic 5/5.
I have nothing to say about R.E.M., but this was really good R.E.M. Maybe their second best album. Now pretend I wrote a whole paragraph explaining all the intricacies and good qualities of all the songs.
For me, I always divided the R.E.M albums into the ones that came after and including Out of Time, and the ones that came before. I mostly know the former ones, while the latter are mostly terra incognita. Imagine my surprise when I listened to this album and it was at least on par with some of their later albums. It contains two monster hits (The One I Love, and It's The End of the World as We Know It), but the rest of the songs are extremely listenable as well. 3.5/5
Det var fint
Hmm, very uneven. A couple of good ones, a couple of quite bad ones.
I love REM but I think this is a relatively ok album from them and don’t think it should’ve been on the list
There's an REM sound from the late 80's/early 90's that is unmistakable. It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) is the best REM song. Upbeat with an edge, with only the slightest hint of whining. It's a very "teenager-y" song. Followed by The One I Love which is one of my least favorite REM songs or at least their popular songs. This is better than Murmur, more rock, less new wave. I can understand why this album was popular, situated in time amidst hair bands and prior to grunge. Lightnin' Hopkins has a great bassline.
Unremarkable but the end of the world as we know it is always fun
Alternative rock. REM is one of those bands I loved growing up, I’m not sure why. I still feel like they’ve got some of the greatest songs ever written, but they’ve also got plenty of forgettable tracks as well. This album is the same. A couple great songs, and a bunch of other ones that I forgot as soon as they were over.
Some good stuff here - better than the previous album generated (outside of Orange Crush)
3.8
THE FINEST HOUR OH OOOOH!
Weird, fun and kinda different from everything else. Would listen again.
definitely is a heavier rock offering than previous R.E.M., and it feels like the vocals are mixed better. Definitely has an alternative rock x post punk feel to it.
I'm always surprised by how much older all of REMs stuff is than it sounds. They were a solid decade ahead of everyone else for their whole career. Clearly influential. I like me a good protest band. Plus, all their songs are so simple, instrumentally, but so awesome.
Absolutely love this album. For me- this was their peak. They had mastered their jangly sound but were yet to take it to the polished poppy style which starts to expose itself with Green.
probably the first REM album I was exposed to thanks to MTV. They got their first 2 commercial hits. Last album on IRS before they signed to Warner Brothers.
I only knew “Stand” and “End of the World” going in—everything else was new terrain. But “Oddfellows Local 151” stirred something weirdly personal. When I was a kid, my dad owned the old Oddfellows building in Erie, Colorado. It felt enormous, abandoned, and faintly haunted—a great dusty gathering hall with creaky floorboards, dark passageways, and closets full of forgotten ritual objects. Most memorably: a child's coffin, complete with an actual old child's skull, supposedly used in Oddfellows ceremonies. So yeah, that song landed a little differently for me.
REM was so overplayed and Michael Stipe used to annoy the shit out of me. When I was 15 I was listening to either rap or things like Def Leppard. REM was too alternative for me at that time. So...fresh ears years later and this is actually a damn good album. I hate saying it but it's true. The best songs are NOT the big hits IMHO, but the rest of the album. This album also reminds me a little of the Tragically Hip and I do love the Hip. It was hard to have 2 REM albums in one week but this one is much better than the last.
Leonard Bernstein, Leonid Brezhnev, Lenny Bruce, and Lester Bangs walk into a bar...
Really like The One I Love, but the rest are all kind of background music for me.
some real bangers in the early going and some real cringe stuff towards the end. 5 for first half and 2 on second.
Musically it's solid. It's the End of the World As We Know It is an all time classic. The One I Love I've grown to appreciate over the years even though it has been overplayed. But Michael Stipe's voice irritates me too much to really love this band. Also I prefer Wire's version of Stranger over this one. Still a decent offering.
I hated this less than I hate Automatic for the People. Two tracks stood out but the rest was so boring that I kept having to stop and start again. So now my Spotify thinks I love REM… and I really don’t. Finest Worksong is especially hateful.
This is one of those albums which you have to see as a cultural artifact, because it's bizarre to think at one time this was one of the most popular bands in the world.
Love
This doesn‘t belong here except for historical reasons
Another review wrapped it up perfectly, could not like it with my heart, only my head.
Pretty good
Initial familiarity 2/11 I was never a big REM fan though I do enjoy most of their hits/singles enough so that I could make a pretty solid mix CD, they're just not a band i've ever really felt compelled to seek out any full albums. This one isn't doing much to change that opinion. It's decent enough but ultimately fails to really capture my interest. Favs: End of the World..., One I Love
Decent album. Couple of stand out tracks
Oh lord, I’ve spent ages over this one. I really want to give it a 4.5. What to do? Definitely ahead of its time, sounds like it’s from the 90s and I can see how influential it was. Better than some of the 4s I’ve given. Listened to it at least 4 times. Hmm…
History repeats itself
I like R.E.M. 3.5
song reco: the one i love ⭐⭐⭐ another r.e.m album. it was good.
One of my favourite REM albums, first 8 songs are just perfect, struggle a little bit with King of Birds, but otherwise wonderful. The political messages are still relevant even now.
really liked this
Great stuff. I can't believe the only R.E.M. tracks I'd ever really heard before were Losing My Religion, Everybody Hurts and End Of The World. Favourite tracks: Welcome To The Occupation, The One I Love
This might be my least favorite R.E.M. album, or at least my least favorite of their more acclaimed albums. They do have some good material, some of the songs are catchy like “The One I Love” and “It’s the End of the World as We Know It”, and I do like “Finest Worksong”’s funk-infused aesthetic, but the rest of the album just doesn’t appeal to me. I’m not a fan of Michael Stipe’s voice, despite his admittedly solid songwriting, and I think he registers at far too much of a whine pretty much throughout all of Document.
Classic sound. 5/5
Not my shit Still a good and complete album tath create a genre
Ok
It's easy to forget how boring and mainstream REM became. I used to love them. Finest Worksong, brilliant. Makes me want to listen to Green again, which was their best record.
I like this more than the Daft Punk. Love the title of “Exhuming McCarthy.” This album just has a really classic 80s sound and I enjoy it! I don’t think I’d taken the time to listen to REM before; I’d definitely listened to “Welcome to the Occupation” before, though, and obviously “It’s the end of the world as we know it.” And “One I Love”!! I feel like I keep hearing tinges of “Save it for Later” by the English Beat in some of the songs and I don’t know if that’s just in my head. I was especially interested in listening to “Lightnin’ Hopkins” because I thought it’d be about the artist. It’s not, but it’s still a sick track. Basically, this album has a bunch of bangers on it and it kept surprising me… like oh! This song is on here! And this one, too!
HELL YEAH! ITS THE END OF THE WORLD
Easy listening R.E.M. Stand-out: Disturbance At The Heron House
Sounds very much like the mid-90s Americana it represented. The hits were good but the rest was drole I wouldn't have liked it at the time either.
I'd heard & liked of a few of the singles from 'Green' when they first came out but I wasn't really aware of the band until they exploded with their 'Out of Time' album. What a joy it was working my way through their back catalogue. 'Document' is brilliant. It's a much bigger sound than previously and you can sense them starting to grow into the superstars they became. 'Finest Worksong' is a great opener. 'Exhuming McCarthy' has a sharp jagged rhythm that gets the songs point across so well. I love the horns on 'Fireplace'. There's so many other great songs here and the even the few that aren't top notch are still pretty good. 5 Stars (14/15)
I always associate R.E.M. with 'Losing My Religion' but no song on this album comes anywhere close to that song.
In general, I'm not the biggest R.E.M. fan compared to other similar artists of their era. Their hooks and some other elements of their music is catchy and checks my usual boxes. There's something about Michael Stipe's voice that kind of grates on me. I did enjoy quite a few tracks on this record, but likely not enough to want to revisit this. Notable Tracks: - Disturbance At The Heron House - Strange - It's The End Of The World AS We Know It (And I Feel Fine) - admittedly I don't love this song, but it's one of their most recognizable songs - The One I Love - Fireplace - cool sax solos
Really liked this album not too intense but not too slow to be boring. My favorite tracks has to be lighting Hopkins, with its drums, Fireplace with that sax near the end of the track and the one I love .
Wunderschönes Album mit ausgereifter Musik und tollen Songs. “The One I Love” einer der schönsten R.E.M Songs überhaupt. “The End Of The World” leider heute aktueller als früher und “The Finest Worksong” immer gut zu hören. Dieses Album fesselt den Hörer ohne ihn festzuhalten, es erheitert ihn ohne albern zu sein. Es ist schön das ein Document mit “The One I Love” ❤️ gibt 😊
Very cool
That voice has always killed me.
REM is cool and unique. Also, not my thing.
The end of an era as we know it!! This album marked the end of REM 1.0. Green followed and was a transition to the new REM 2.0, but this one capped off their greatest years. Was fun to go down this road again.
two songs in the middle, sandwiched by stuff that is not popular, for good reason. not bad at all.
I enjoyed this album; great light rock sound, and an interesting variety of songs. Couple of songs I really like were “Finest Worksong” and “Exhuming McCarthy”. Classics on this album too.
This is the album that got me into REM, probably not the album really both some of the songs on it. I wasn't confident enough in high school to own a REM album, that was for the goth kids who were comfortable enough to be different, though they were all being different together. Those last two sentences have nothing to do with the album. Stipe's voice, Buck's guitar and 11 songs that rock.
I love the hits, was surprised by some songs, and a little bored by others.
Hit after hit. This is the album you all know but didn't know the name. S'OK.
Pretty good. Knew a couple of tunes and those stood out...Probably should return to it.
Le daría 3.5, pero ajá. Está bien, las canciones se disfrutan, pero en ellas no pasa algo muy interesante como paran ser el centro de atención. Es agradable escucharlo de fondo. Suena muy americano.
Really don't have a lot to say about this album. It was a good listen from start to finish and I'd listen to it again. Definitely above average. 8/10 (4/5)
Despite liking the majority of their albums, this one towers over everything else for me. They sound bigger and more powerful than they had before, but they do so without sacrificing a shred of musicality or identity. They still clearly sound like R.E.M., and for my money, they sound like the absolute best version of R.E.M. Stipe’s vocals (and Mills’, for that matter) are confident and dynamic, the band is locked in and firing on all cylinders, and the songwriting is top-notch. In addition to the two big hits, I’ll never tire of “Finest Worksong” and “Exhuming McCarthy” in particular. This one’s an easy 5 stars for me; on some days, it challenges Rain Dogs as my favorite album of the decade. 5/5
ok
Love.
Easy top album of all time entry here. Maybe top 20 for me?
Pretty good, although I feel like Automatic for the People is better than this.
Has the literal theme of gen x
this is them at their best from what i’ve heard. really improved their business acumen
See? Proof that just because I have an album on CD doesn’t mean it automatically gets five stars.
joa, REM ist halt nicht ganz so mein Fall
More my kinda thing. The End of the World is a classic. The rest not up to the same standard but listenable.
Rock alternativo. Un par de megahits. Un 4.
No me ha gustado mucho. Sólo It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
Great album, especially “end of the world as we know it”. Nice reprise on
Not as good as Murmur or Green but End if the world is a classic. I also liked the one with the chorus about walking on coals but can’t remember the title. High 3.
REM is okay. End of the world song I’ve always found a bit annoying. Rest of the album is decent
I don't understand all of the critical acclaim they get. I think they are an overrated band with a handful of good songs, but nothing more. This album just reinforces my feelings. It's perfectly adequate.
This was my favorite R.E.M. album we’ve heard in this project so far. A bit more musically rich than the others with the hits here being two absolute bangers. End of the world is really fun and the one I love is excellent too. The saxophone one one of the later tracks was another surprise.
Didn't find it all that engaging beyond the two songs I knew ("It's the End of the World as We Know It" and "The One I Love"). It was fine.
8/10
One of my all time favorites. A perfect slice of lates 80s college alternative pop
A couple of really solid songs make for an enjoyable listen even if alot of the tracks didn't resonate with me.
Meh not bad
A bit hit and miss for me. I like the later albums but can see mumurings of thier later hits. I always rank REM and The Smiths together.......not sure why...
good album.
2024-06-01...
Favourite songs: The One I Love, It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine), Disturbance at the Heron House, Finest Worksong, Welcome to the Occupation, Exhuming McCarthy, Oddfellows Local 151 Least favourite songs: Fireplace 5/5
Great album
I don’t like his voice, but I do like some of their songs. Unfortunately, this album is more miss than hit for me. I find it pretty samey outside End of the World and the use of saxophone on Fireplace.
Even indekken: Ik ben geen echte R.E.M. adept. Feitelijk ken ik de hits en Automatic for the People. Ik ben hier niet mee opgegroeid, los van de radiohits. Ik ga het hamburgermodel toepassen. Het is een leuk album om te mogen luisteren. Een cadeautje vergeleken met wat je hier soms voor je kiezen krijgt. De twee hits op dit album zijn erg tof. Ik moet wel zeggen dat de 5 tracks voor de eerste hit voor mij wel erg op elkaar lijken. Waarschijnlijk omdat ze nou eenmaal een vrij duidelijke eigen sound hebben. Is dit een ramp? Nee, maar van die eerste 5 nummers word ik niet bijzonder enthousiast. Gewoon leuk. Hetzelfde gaat ook een beetje op voor de laatste 4 tracks, al lijken die iets meer een eigen identiteit te hebben. Al met al dus absoluut geen vervelend album om te krijgen. De gitaren klinken lekker, de band doet niet al te gek, ik heb weinig irritaties. Ik blijf steken op een lichte 4.
This album is really good, it just is missing something. You can definitely hear how much it influenced what came after. Michael Stipe has such an interesting voice, truly unique and I feel like it isn’t talked about much. It almost feels like he’d be a poor singer but isn’t. Sadly too many songs on here are forgettable and samey. The hits stand out, so does McCarthy but the rest really melded together
Don't get the hype and also find stipes voice very annoying.
I was surprised to learn that this was REM’s 5th album because it feels more like a jumping off point for their music of the 90s. At the same time, it feels a bit ahead of its time with respect to the music of 1987. I feel like I was picking up early grunge vibes, and maybe even a little Dave Matthews. If those folks don’t cite REM as influence, they should.
A very good rem album, one that I had in my collection and I always enjoyed.
Found this very underwhelming
Honestly, probably not in my top 3 REM albums, i've struggled a little with it at times, but it is pretty good. lots of good, some okay, and a really weird sax solo in Fireplace. I know its from 1987, but that feels a bit 1982. sounds like a complete rip off of The Working Hour by Tears for Fears Seems unthinkable to give this album a 3, so i'll lean more towards a low 4, a 'just about' type 4. I dont know if i like Lightin' Hopkins or think its woeful. I like the backing vocals and the guitar kinda so im gonna lean towards liking it
Has some good songs.
The last good R.E.M. album
Pretty cool 3.5/5
4/5, nice production, guitar, vocals
I wonder if I actually love R.E.M. but just forget to listen to them? This was great and I hope I don’t forget about it again.
I don’t know, it’s kind of just another R.E.M. album to me. It’s fine.
I'm in the tank for R.E.M. big time. I love them and I don't understand why they don't seem to have a larger cultural footprint. They are honestly one of the best bands of all time and so far ahead of other bands of the era. Yet, they don't seem to have the lasting acclaim they deserve. I'll never understand. Anyways, easy 5 stars.
I like R.E.M. okay and that's pretty much how I felt about this album; it was just okay. I honestly expected better but it wasn't bad either.
Had to enable editing just for this because I accidentally clicked 1 star before entering notes. This was so mediocre and I feel vindicated for never listening to R.E.M. Complete waste of time listening to this, respectfully.
First time listening to this straight through in ages. REM decided to make a damned rock record for once. You can actually understand most of Stipe's vocals (other than End of the World, of course). Some wonderful songwriting and some pretty damned awesome guitar work. I don't know why I didn't become more of an REM fan over the years. This is really good. Unexpected bangers: Strange, Fireplace
After all the years I’ve listened to REM I’d never actually listened to this in its entirety. I will definitely be doing so again. Early enough to have that rawness to it it, but late enough to sound distinctly assured.
R.E.M. is good. This album is not one of the best, though.
I'm a sucker for REM and this album is fantastic although it's not my favourite. Unlike many bands, REM's words actually have meaning. Add a catchy tune and it's a winning combination.
Classic
The One I Love, ja. aber auch It‘s The End Of The World As We Know It und weitere tolle songs. Ich liebe den Sound von R.E.M., mit Gitarren, Schlagzeug, dem Gesang von Stipe - immer wieder toll!
Toll, REM sind die grössten und haben sich immer wieder gewandelt. Allerdings gibt es noch reifere Platten, darum keine Maximalbewertung. Oder wäre es schon alleine für "It's the end of the world as we know it" verdient?
Just a little bit average guitar rock. Starting to feel like limiting to one album per artist would have been a good idea. That said there's a couple of bangers in the middle.
Interesting voice, likeable, but unfortunately somehow doesn't appeal to me. However, there are worse albums and I appreciate the craftsmanship.
The singles here are huge, but the rest of the album doesn't have the rougher edges I liked from their first couple of records.
I really struggle to hear past Stipe's voice.
Ben wel een beetje klaar met REM, maarrrrr vind toch it’s the end of the world ALs we know it en the one I love echt heel goed. Maar ga drie sterren geven ivm de herhaling.
Net geen 5 sterren. Het album heeft echt vangers, en de stem van de zanger is zeker aangenaam. Maar het gebrek aan zieke bangers heeft me weerhouden van douze points
Fireplace +++ Oddfellows Local 151++
This is a solid album. Most of the songs are palatable with a few highlights along the way. It doesn't reach the highs of superior albums, but the lack of clunkers makes it a nice listen.
Nostalgic and good!
Opening track makes me think The Killers stole a few ideas from em. A few tracks are quite dated but essentially their sound. The two singles are great and this is a nice album so start off this "challenge". After the album ended, Spotify sent me to later REM and that will always stick more.
A lot better than expected. i recognised a couple of these and thought it was a solid album. 3/4*
Weird rock. It’s fine, bit folky 2/3***
Some good songs - enjoyed its the end of the world as we know it!
They have some amazing one-off songs but I just can't get into REM albums.
Un album cohérent, dont les pièces se répondent, et où la basse est omniprésente.
I mean, its perfect. Even though it came out in 1986, I hear elements of 90's grunge and 70's folk. Stipe's haunting vocals are choice and cheeky, powerful but never overdone.
As much as I enjoyed it, I feel like it's an album that would grow on me in future listens. For now though definitely a 4
Back when my group got MURMUR, I declared it my new favorite R.E.M. album. I was just so taken back by how much rawer that album is that I guess I got some kind "walking out of the movie theater" receny hype. Which I don't bring up to say that I suddenly think MURMUR's a bad album; just that, yeah, DOCUMENT is still my favorite R.E.M. album. It's the polish from producer Scott Litt, really. Applying it to the band's unique sound, which going too overboard with it... Gawd**damn**. The riffs and vocal melodies were always amazing, but they stand out so much more here. Some songs in the back half don't do it for me 100%, but throw on either of its two killer singles, and, woof, boy, I sure feel fine.
While I'm more a fan of early R.E.M, this album still is a banger.
It’s a 4.5 that I will once again bump up to a 5. My biggest complaint about Murmur was that I didn’t think the lyrical depth was too strong; the melodies were great, the vocals had a good kick, but the lack of really meaningful lyrics just ate at me. This album remedies that pretty well – there are still a few songs where the lyrics are a bit lacking, but there’s definitely more tracks that blend together the great melodies with really strong lyrics, especially on the more politically-charged tracks. I really don’t think there’s a bad track on here; even the ones that I thought weren’t as lyrically strong more than made up for it with super strong instrumentation that felt at least 8 years ahead of schedule, and Michael Stipe’s vocals on this record really help to make those instrumentals pop. Ultimately, I think it's just a great album, hence the bump up to a 5.
pekne instrumenty
Phenomenal album, one of my favourite REM have done. A true classic
Not my favourite REM album, but it's up there. A fine follow up to Life's Rich Pageant, which is a better overall album, but lacks the big singles that Document has.
One of the best albums from REM who had a run of classics from 87 -92.
Early REM I’m less familiar with. Let’s go! Not the most late-80s sound. That’s a good thing Brighter production than I expected. Crisp. Almost a little faith no more -esque Good first song. More Rock sounding than later REM. Liking this (Monster is my favorite of theirs, I like their harder sound). Less whining Song 2 is generic but pleasant. I like the walking bass line Song 3 well this is just REM. like if you asked AI to make an REM song. Again, nice fairly prominent bass line. 4 is pleasant. Nice little solo, doing something in there Definitely getting some early alternative influences in here. Lots. This is good shit End of the world. Well known song. One I Love. Also a major hit. This album is quite good. This is why I do this. Find some really good shit I never would have. Gotta get through the shit sometimes though Fireplace 5/4 good job. Oh that sax going off Lightning again sounds like Faith No More (later I know) Bird king - good, REM sound. Firehouse - wrapping up a really good album. Bravo 9/10 stars.
I can’t stand REM. especially Michael Stipe and his voice. The rest of the band might be good, but I can’t get past that whiny voice. On closer listen, no, the band isn’t any good either.
fun, rock. little odd. classic
Nice, fun Rock album. Although I wouldn't consider this one of their top albums, it's still a good listen. Would be 3.5 if they did half stars.
Interesting.
Good one.
5/10 very monitone
Welcome To the Occupation Disturbance At the Heron House Strange It’s the End of the World As We Know It The One I Love Lightnin’ Hopkins I find the pitch progression on the lyrics repetitive. the lyrics however are well written and interesting.
It's definitely an R.E.M. album which is clear from the first 3 seconds. While I can see why this would be a game changer and breakthrough at the time, it's not my favorite of what would be yet to come from the band. Solid tracks and certainly worth repeat plays but doesn't have the makings of Automatic or Monster. Standout Tracks: Finest Worksong, Exhuming McCarthy, It's the End of the World As We Knot It (And I Feel Fine), The One I Love
Landmark record from the band just reaching the peak of their powers from a mainstream perspective. There are the obvious super hits on this, and the whole album plays through well and is cohesive. Very strong and innovative in terms of lyrics, instrumentation, and production. I very much enjoyed revisiting.
This 5th album from the band is very much a statement record. Not only an expansion in sound with more guitar heavy tracks, but also some heavy topics from McCarthyism to the state of America under the Reagan administration. This would be their final album with I.R.S. but seeing them perform it live in ‘87 only cemented my love for the band. Finest Worksong is a great opener and Disturbance At The Heron House and King of Birds still rank high on my all time REM faves list.
REM knows who they are, you gotta give them that. Maybe not a ton of variation in their stuff, but they rarely miss. This album has a couple of their classics included. Great listen, easy 4
Nice album. I like some REM but this album felt the same as their entire catalog for me. Some great songs and amazing high points. But some very meh and forgettable in between. A solid 3.25
A solid listen with a couple bangers. Also gave us that great scene in Tommy Boy listening to …End of the World. I still struggle to connect with R.E.M.’s catalog outside of their major hits, but this is good enough for me to round up. 3.5/4
It’s really hard not to love REM. it’s like I really try to not like them. But I can’t do it. 3.8
I'm not a big fan of R.E.M., but this is slightly better than "Green" IMHO. As "Green" received a three, but was a 3.5, I have to go for 4 this time.
Good album
Distinctly R.E.M and I’m not a great fan but it was listenable with lots of familiar tracks. A passable 3*
Solid.
I respect R.E.M. Although they are not fully my kind of musicians, they kept their style throughout the years and delivered a lot of great compositions.
Some great songs, some a bit more meh. But some great lyrics.
Great album! Heard some unfamiliar songs but also heard a lot I knew.
It's not a bad album, just never have been able to get into R.E.M.
This album was new to me even if some songs were not. Birds and snakes and aeroplanes, etc. I really love Michael Stipe's voice and the band's instrumentation and the general vibe on this album. Left of west and coming with in a hurry with the furies breathing down your neck. Some of these songs live rent-free in my brain slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn. Locking in, uniforming, book burning, bloodletting. In general I liked the album, maybe except the two final songs. Light a candle, light a votive. Mountains sit in a line. Leonard Bernstein. It's a 3.5, rounded down to 3. Birthday party cheesecake jelly bean boom
Yep that’s an rem album
Honestly, not too bad. "It's the End of the World As We Know It" was the worst song on there, but the rest were pretty OK! I'd say 3.5 stars, but I'm still in a bad mood from Beck, so I'll round down.
2.5
yeah sure
I like the songs well enough, but I feel like the last several of them just sound like The One I Love again and again
tell me why i didn't know "its the end of the world as we know it" was an REM song. either way, i love me a bit of dad rock.
Just a classic. Every song and its writing is amazing. Catchy songs and great performances as well. Very good!
I'm not a fan of REM. This album is in line with my level of interest. Other than the singles "It's the End of the World as we Know it..." and "The One I Love," I find it very boring. I know there's a drummer in there, but the "feel" is very drum machine.
End of the World is genuinely great, although all the rest of... kinda meh. Didn't previously understand this was from 1987--it sounds way ahead of its time.
My least favorite of the IRS years - feels like a band in transition that doesn't really find its new identity until Out of Time. End of the World As We Know It will always bring a smile to my face though.
Anchored by back-to-back classics in It's The End Of The World As We Know It and The One I Love, I enjoyed this album. No songs stuck out as bad or "skippable" and the flow was nice. I wish I had listened to this one completely sooner.
Great Album
"Leonard Bernstein!" Is there a better 1-2 punch than "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" into "The One I Love". 1987 is when REM were still just an indie band making their own jangly way in the world. 5 albums in but still a shadow of what they would become. It's still a standard rock band here, no synths, and no mandolins yet. Just good jangly guitars. Bass tone on "Exhuming McCarthy" makes me smile every time, it's so crunchy.
All in all, a decent album and the source of two everlasting songs by them: "It's the End of the World as we Know It" and "The One I Love".
This is maybe one of the most booooring and annoying album i've ever listened to in my life. i hate rem
I only really know the two big REM songs, but I really enjoyed this whole album.
Strong first half; weaker second half;.
The album have good song, but none is better than The One I Love, this song is just so good, in every way, it is one the same veins as the albums, but it is significatly better i think. Musicaly this is some alternative rock, jangle pop, a bit like an american version of the Smiths, and this is a good thing. The album as a brighter side than the Smiths tho, more fun and with a cool vibe. Welcome to the occupation was one song that i enjoy, disturbance at the heron house too. Fireplace and kings of birds have very cool musicality and vocals performances Other than that i didn't find the album so cool or thta have struke me very hard, like i did not love it but i dont hate it either. But to be honnest The One i Love really ring the total up for me.
Wasn’t v excited about another REM album but quite enjoyed it
Some solid alternative rock. 8.4/10 Best Tracks: “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)” “The One I Love”
Confirma que é para sempre a qualidade do rock maduro e responsável. Sendo o ápice a sequência de "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" e "The One I Love"
2/5 If I didn't have a slight inclination to re-listen to this album in hopes to find SOMETHING interesting, I'd rate it 1/5. I found this album to lack substance. Considering this album served to "document" the political/economical state of affairs of its time, I'd deem this a great failure. This album also tends to dry up very quickly in-terms of instrumental intrigue. The musicianship is average and the only risk-taking I heard was the sparse inclusion of a saxophone.
R.E.M. One of those bands like The Cure that have a huge indie fanbase and that, beyond a few individual songs, I really can't get myself to get into. They seem like really decent guys and I respect the way they called it quits without falling out, but at album length, they're really not for me. Well. Actually. I remember liking Monster (is that on this list) a bit more than all other R.E.M. albums. But that's really not saying much.
Okuuu. 7/10
Good band making good music, not much else to say from me. Favorite song: The one I love (by far)
Best REM album I’ve heard so far 8/10
Another R.E.M. album. Another album where two of the songs are bangers and the rest are forgettable. 5/10
I've gone on about how much I love early REM in other reviews, however I've grown to love Document as a whole less and less over the years. It's still great, but the idea that it's a contender for their best record I find almost laughable now. Usually cited as a leap forward for their musical style and clarity of Stipes vocals, I'd argue that had mostly already happened, or was well underway, by the (far superior) Lifes Rich Pageant. Obviously lots still to love, particularly the less vaunted but absolutely classic REM songs like Welcome to the Occupation, Disturbance at the Heron House and Oddfellows Local 151. Fireplace is also low key great. Then you've got the massive songs which are of course fantastic and deserving of the attention. I just find stuff like Lightnin Hopkins (why the weird voice?) and Exhuming McCarthy a bit gimmicky, dated and annoying though these days, throw in a slightly average Wire cover, and King of Birds is very nice but a bit too similar to Time After Time. Standing on the shoulders of giants doesn't quite leave me cold but, perhaps this is where the recycling of ideas begins. All that takes the shine off and for me it's actually the worst record they released in the 80s. It's still 80s REM though, so that's a bit of a "shortest giant" competition. Also, wonderful and infinitely confusing photographic patchwork record sleeve. Like a precursor to today's cursed AI images.
consistently okay throughout, not my favorite
It’s a great album that I wish I had discovered a long time ago. But it’s nice to find good music.
8/10 - fav tracks: 1., lightin hopkins i ona dva fejmus bengera
I’d like to give it a 3.5, but not a 4.
Six o'clock, T.V. hour, don't get caught in foreign tower Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn Lock him in uniform, book burning, bloodletting Every motive escalate, automotive incinerate Light a candle, light a motive, step down, step down Watch your heel crush, crush, uh oh This means no fear, cavalier, renegade and steering clear A tournament, a tournament, a tournament of lies Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives and I decline Pretty damn good album. 5/5
A little bit of REM here and there is great but listening to a full album of a monotonous voice is a little bit much
Proto-Incubus feel, I like
Just not my thing
Always dubious about REM albums on account of their history. The singles were fine but the rest was a bit Meh. The algorythm threw up lots of better music from the period.
Couple good singles…the radio play they got. Michael Stipes voice is a little irritating if you have to listen to it for an entire album
Bueno.
It's THE REM album. So many great songs and a great consistent feeling throughout. Awesome harmonies, tight music with the band's mix being perfection.
About passable but kind of annoying if too loud.
I didn’t like that Strange cover.
Better than expected
Lots of hits plus a cool cover of Strange by Wire
Like very much
Great album.
Something about it doesn't hit with me. Not sure what you call this genre but it's in some weird middle ground I don't really like. Will I listen to again: 0%
‘Losing My Religion’, ‘Everybody Hurts’, ‘Man On The Moon’: all songs that make me want to turn off the radio. Imagine my surprise then upon listening to ‘Document’ and hearing an album which is tuneful, catchy, and full of urgent, engaging riffs, as well as genuinely good songs. Still earnest like most of R.E.M.’s stuff, but it doesn’t feel cringe here. ‘Document’ is legitimately a good time.
I enjoyed the album about an average amount. For me, there were no tracks that I was eager to return to (although I did appreciate the Lenny name drop in "It's The End of the World as We Know It", the standout track of the record) but I can understand why it was influential and successful. Likely won't keep it in my rotation but it was a good way to start of my listening journey :)
Cannot stand their vocals
Cool macaroon
I was previously familiar with End of the World As We Know It and The One I Love. They're the best two tracks on the album in my opinion. The rest of the album is fine, but nothing particularly special. Don't see myself coming back to listen to the full album very often, but the aforementioned songs are great.
Not really my thing, but “Its the End Of the World As We Know It” is a classic and my favorite. We listened driving on the turnpike and maybe it wasn't the right setting for it. I was sleepy.
Hell yeah I just started to get into R.E.M. over the past few years after receiving CD copies of their big 90s albums from my aunt and parents, but I haven't listened to this one yet. The exceptions being their smash hits “It’s the End of the World As We Know It” which I forgot about and "The One I Love". I’m surprised that I didn’t start listening to R.E.M. sooner, they slap and are one of the originators of the jangly guitar sound that was prevalent in the indie rock I listened to in high school. Not every song here is a total bop, but most of them are, especially the big singles. I will definitely be continuing my journey through their discography in the future. Favorite tracks: Finest Worksong Welcome to the Occupation Disturbance at the Heron House Is the End of the World As We Know It The One I Love
REM has more hits than I thought, this was a fun album. 7/10
Not what I expected the vocals to be? Like I know there popular songs but guess never realized it was R.E.M? More similar to Counting Crows than I thought, was expecting heavier/grungy, not as peppy. I like it, but maybe a little whiney at times. Listened in the car and a lot blended together. I like the guitars. Their bio mentions how R.E.M helped shift punk into alternative, I don't know if I can agree with that for this album specifically. Google categorizes them as "rock" and "folk" which i think is a bit closer. Top songs: Finest work song It's the end of the world
Some absolutely amazing songs on this. But the other less popular songs really blended together and did not do it for me. 3.5 is where I'd put it but I think I gotta go 3 since 4 should be reserved for no bad songs
Whenever an REM song comes on shuffle I’m never mad, but I’m also never particularly thrilled either. That’s how I felt about this album. They make perfectly good rock songs and this album is a fine crop of tunes. Good not great. Solid 3 Fav Songs: Finest Worksong One I Love It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
The songs I recognized were good, but overall it was pretty mid. Listening immediately after Cowboy Carter did not help its case. 4.8/10
Auch langweilig.
Some classic songs on this album. Liked this more than the other one of theirs I’ve listened to on this list. 3.5/5 Might listen again
It's the End of the World As We Know it is a classic obviously, some other good songs here too. Feels like a 3.5.
I feel like returning to Automatic For The People to confirm that I wanted to poke it with a stick - do something! - and then compare but I can already say that this one here is all what's good about R.E.M. with... nothing else really. Needs no poking. Nice album.
Other than the radio hits, kind of unremarkable overall. Stipe's voice has never done it for me but he is a good lyricist. Hard to believe this was recorded in 1987.
the transition from one the greatest alternative bands of the 80s to one the most insufferable mainstream bands of the 90s, still more the former than the latter but you can see where they’re going to go wrong
Some good hits and local boys 151 was a great surprise
Fantastic album!
Its alright
childhood classic… in a catalog of so many nearly flawless albums it is not their very most perfect and i think it suffers from late 80s syndrome at times as they occasionally did but still awesome music to be bald to. it’s the end of the world as we know it is such a completely perfect song through and through that the whole album is five stars for me just from that. i think i figured out i was transgender at around the same time i realized both my dad and i sing “it’s time i had some time alone” instead of “it’s the end of the world as we know it”. above all else i will always identify as being Millsian. was fun to revisit welcome to the occupation and disturbance at the heron house i think they are truly fantastic. what needs to be said about the one i love… everyone’s always known this is a great album. brings me back to my ipod days
Yaaay
Maybe i like rem now
Solid album. Good songs
Cannot understand why I do not have this album in my collection. Think I came to R.E.M. quite late so have their later, some may say, more popular albums but somehow this passed me by. Particularly when the album contains two of their most banging singles - End Of the World… and One I Love. Really good album. So good that I bought it today to enjoy and catch up on lost time. 4/5 21/2/24
Not for me
A band I've never given a lot of mind but I really enjoyed this. It was a bit droney occasionally (particularly Fireplace) so missed out on the 5/5 but still really enjoyable, would listen again
Very good album with some iconic tracks.
Great album. I somehow never owned this “tape” back in the late 80s when I was listening to a lot of REM. I already have Finest Worksong, It’s the End of the World, and The One I Love, which are absolute classics!!!
Great album. Loved almost all of the songs!
Buen album para conocer la banda más en profundidad. Con un sonido que tiene colores propios de un estilo y similar a una movida general formada por más bandas.
closer to a 9 but probably my favorite R.E.M so far
Outside of the two everyone knows, this is dead boring
Nobody needs to hear FOUR R.E.M. albums before they die. NOBODY. Stop it
few bangers, rest rubbish
I’be always loved “End of the World as We Know It”, so it was cool to hear the whole album, but it was a bit more folksy (?) than I would have thought.
Very good.
Я любил эту группу когда-то [давно]. И этого альбома в моем их исследовании не значилось. На самом деле очевидно почему: по большей части этот звучит как бездушный филлер вокруг двух с половиной отличных песен. Как бы грустно это не звучало. Лучшая песня - It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine).
ok but pretty forgettable other than The One I Love
The most consistent R.E.M. album, although without the heights of Automatic. 3 apocalypses out of 5 ☣️☣️☣️
6/11, 55%
Pretty good. Pretty boring. I like two songs quite a bit but probably a 3 overall.
Love the old rock vibes
Har alltid tyckt att It's the end of the world as we know it påminner om introt till The big bang theory. 4 / 5
• Osäker på omslaget, lite stökigt och konstigt, inte nån favorit. REM NO 5 för det är deras femte album • Man har hört ett antal REM låtar, men inte jättemånga och aldrig ett helt album • Pretty good ändå • Vad betyder REM äns? • It’s The End Of The World As We Know It har man ju hört, låter som introt till Big Bang Theory, lite We Didn’t Start the Fire också Betyg: Detta är en av de smakerna av musik från 80-talet som är rätt bra (även om det finns bättre grejer), sångaren har unik röst => 4/5
A couple of amazing songs, a good sound, but it's not their best album for me.
3.5 I haven't listened to R.E.M. much beyond the greatest hits, but I was pleasantly surprised here. Pretty enjoyable all the way through and not as samey as I was expecting based on the little I knew before. Nice surprise sax in Fireplace and Indian sound in King Of Birds. Exhuming McCarthy is joining the obvious in the regular rotation.
Good indie rock. Finally grew on me as a band.
just couldn't get into it. if i never heard any of these songs again i would be fine. i don't like the singer's voice, it drove me up the wall.
Een verfrissend, verrassend modern klinkend album, en dat voor 1987. Er staan geen grote hits op die je echt pakken, maar verder is deze muziek nog altijd lekker.
R.E.M. De band met die grootse uitstraling, maar die toch altijd saaie brave muziek levert. Ook dit album gaat redelijk ongemerkt voorbij. Veel van hetzelfde. En als het dan toch wat uit de band vliegt, zoals The End of The World..., is het eigenlijk slechter. Ok, deze band is gewoon gespecialiseerd in saai en braaf. Houd het dan maar zo. Als het voorbij komt, luister ik het wel. Geloof niet dat ik het zelf zal opzetten.
R.E.M. maakte al 90s muziek in de 80s. Goede ritmesectie met bas en drums, lekkere gitaarriffjes van Peter Buck en de fijne zang van Michael Stipe. Van R.E.M. krijgen we ook weer meerdere albums voorgeschoteld en het leuke is dan dat je met zo'n rijk oeuvre de albums ook een beetje onderling kan vergelijken. Wat me gelijk opvalt is dat Out of Time niet in de lijst is opgenomen, terwijl ik dat toch een van de betere albums vind. Ondanks dat Losing my Religion er op staat, wat inmiddels een oorwurm is geworden. Ik zet tegenwoordig de radio uit als dat gedraaid wordt. Er zijn door deze lijst 4 albums gekozen en ik zit me dus af te vragen welke 4 albums ik zelf zou kiezen. Ik zou persoonlijk niet voor het debuutalbum hebben gekozen, maar de snoblijst zet die er natuurlijk altijd in. Als je dan uit de rest er 3 moet kiezen, dan wordt het toch best wel lastig. Want ook al zijn latere albums zoals Around the Sun muzikaal gezien hardstikke interessant, is het R.E.M. wat het meeste tot de verbeelding spreek, van de albums rond 1990. Eigenlijk is hun dubbelaar In Time: the Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 het album van R.E.M. dat ik verreweg het meest geluisterd heb. Dan hoef je gelijk ook niet meer te kiezen tussen de albums an sich en kun je het debuutalbum en Around the Sun er ook gewoon lekker in zetten. En dan als beste of meest iconische album Automatic for the People. Oh ik moet nog een cijfer geven hiervoor he? 5 sterren natuurlijk.
2024-03-08...
It was a decent album. I knew a couple of songs. It was not particularly a strong album. The second half struggles. It is not a 3 but I will round up.
FANTASTIC!!!!
REM represents an interesting moment in music. At a time when music was overly commercialized, REM went against the grain to create their own sound. They certainly were a popular band, but they weren't doing what the market was dictating at the time. Plus they're excellent songwriters in their own right. Document is an excellent example of that ethos.
REM não é meu favorito
That wasn’t too Strange, but It’s the End of the World As We Know It. Of the REM albums this is The One I Love.
I have a feeling that if this was the first R.E.M. album that I had heard I might have liked it a bit more than I did. Unfortunately I listened to Automatic For The People only 53 albums ago, and this does not live up to it. AFTP is an absolute masterpiece in my opinion, getting this after was a bit of a letdown. I actually re-listened to AFTP tonight because I was afraid I was over-rating it in my head compared to this, but no, that album is absolute fire. I think this album is perfectly fine overall, maybe even good. It's a bit less polished than AFTP, a little harder of a sound, maybe a bit more political thematically. My biggest gripe is that the sound is pretty consistent throughout to me, and very little stands out. The songs are mostly about the same pace, there isn't a whole lot that is really attention-catching overall. The one exception is the middle of the album. Song #6 is "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" and then #7 is "The One I Love". These are two of R.E.M.'s better-known songs, and for good reason. They're both great, and they carry the album quite a bit for me. I think this is a classic 3.5 star rating album from me, I'm like mildly positive on it, so I'm going to make a gut call on which way to go. I do really like Michael Stipe's voice, and he's really great when he's either letting it loose a bit or doing something a bit softer like "Everybody Hurts". This album was a bit more middle of the road on average and I don't think showcased him as well. One thing I will give them is that this sounds a bit ahead of its time, so I'll give them credit for that. There was still a lot of synth nonsense going on at this time, and they managed to pull off a pretty approachable (early) alt rock album in '87 without falling into that trap, so good on them. Favorite song: It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) Other: Finest Worksong, Welcome To The Occupation, The One I Love, King Of Birds 3/4/24
Aside from a couple finer moments to pull out of this mixed bag of tracks, this REM album ends up falling in the same vein as the group’s other safe and often boring “dad rock“ albums.
Ni fu ni fa, REM és molt repetitiu. M'agrada l'estil però fins a cert punt. S'ha de dir que "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" és un temazo. Expected Lorenzo Rating: 3
Tons of funs. Just a fun album overall. Hits and not. What a meaningful band.
A solid album. Worth listening to. Could have been a few other hits in my opinion.
Fine. Didn’t blow me away
Such a wonderful album. Fun, meaningful...cohesive without being one note. Anything you would want.