Reviews (page 3 of 14)
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.
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
Classic sound. 5/5
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
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)
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
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.
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.
this is them at their best from what i’ve heard. really improved their business acumen
Great album, especially “end of the world as we know it”. Nice reprise on
One of my all time favorites. A perfect slice of lates 80s college alternative pop
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
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.
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
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!
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.
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.
Phenomenal album, one of my favourite REM have done. A true classic
Great album! Heard some unfamiliar songs but also heard a lot I knew.
Just a classic. Every song and its writing is amazing. Catchy songs and great performances as well. Very good!
"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.
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"
Better than expected
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.
Fantastic album!
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
closer to a 9 but probably my favorite R.E.M so far
Love the old rock vibes
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.
FANTASTIC!!!!
A solid album. Worth listening to. Could have been a few other hits in my opinion.
Such a wonderful album. Fun, meaningful...cohesive without being one note. Anything you would want.
Classic early precursor to grunge packed full off catchy pop-punk tracks.
love this one
REM are the band that KEEPS giving. I love their big hits and even know some deeper cuts but haven't ever deep dived into their early catalogue. This album fucking ROCKS!!!!!!!!!
Soundtrack of senior year of high school!
Meilenstein!
A fiery energetic foray into the mainstream. Still jangly but a little harder.
This was even better than I remembered
Very strong! Every song is perfect
Among my favorite REM albums
REM at their most rocking.
Kind of retro, but good tunes, more garage bandy-REM.
8/10
grew up on this, great memories
An excellent entry from R.E.M. I've always enjoyed their music and this album is no exception. Great sound and production on this one. Really open, kind of bleak soundscape while still being catchy as hell. The lyricism and delivery are also excellent. Lots of political themes here but delivered in a witty, sarcastic way that still feels extremely relevant to this day. All of this AND the album holds two of R.E.Ms all-time hits. I also get a really strong Tragically Hip vibe off of this one. I actually wasn't planning on giving 5/5 when I started writing this, but the more I reflect the more I realize this album has everything you could want. Fav Tracks: Exhuming McCarth, The End of the World, The One I Love, Fireplace
Love this one
I grew up a huge REM fan and it’s fun looking back on albums I loved as a kid. When I was 10 or 11, I was determined to learn the lyrics to It’s the End of the World as We Know It and remember spending an hour with my cassette player transcribing the lyrics. It was a pain in the ass, but now I have a pretty great karaoke song always up my sleeve!
No
One of my teenage years favorites! Saw them in 1989/1990 at the Concord Pavillion, Calfornia.
Phenomenal
I see why this is on the list. There is a lot more depth than I realized and this album is damn near prophetic.
Un gran disco, varios de sus mejores temas y un sonido avanzado a los 90s
Good rock and roll music Super jangly guitar tones
One of my all time favorites
An absolutely fantastic album all around. There really isn’t a weak song on here, though I totally could have done without “Lightnin’ Hopkins.” My favorites from the album are “Finest Worksong,” “Welcome To The Occupation,” and “The One I Love.” One of R.E.M.’s best albums and definitely worthy of being on this list.
done 8/10
Their first masterpiece
Yes
Great album
Großartiger Sänger mit goßartiger Band.
This is a very fine album indeed. Pretty melodies and Stipe's gorgeous voice make me weak in the knees a bit. Plus End of the World is my favorite way to end a karaoke party. Love it very much.
R.E.M. defined college radio when I was in college, and I was onboard! This was my first R.E.M. album and it has still got it! A terrific that brings terrific memories that still sounds terrific today!
Strong album. I didn't like them when I was in high school. As my musical tastes have expanded I've grown to appreciate their music. This album reminds me of different times. Well worth a listen.
Fantastic album.
Great album, never listed to REM outside of the radio hits but I love their sound and cannot believe they were mainly an 80s band. I think my favorite songs that were new to me were Fireplace and King of Birds.
Not my go-to for REM, but good record overall.
Веома добар, допада ми се њихов стил иако нема неке дистинктивно генијалне песме на албуму. Концепцијски је веома пријатан за слушање. 9/10
Brilliant, one my favourite bands at the the top of their game. The guitar work is classic REM and one of the most unique sounds there is. The lyrics are enigmatic and intriguing, and the vocals are fun to belt out along with Michael. Released 36 years ago and still sounds fresher and more interesting than most of the rock music that's came since. FFIIIIIRRREEEEEEEEEEE!
Love these guys
Arguably the best record in an incredible career. The hits are on here, but "Exhuming McCarthy" is one of the best political songs they ever wrote, "King of Birds" one of the most beautiful, and the Wire cover "Strange" was about as hard as they ever rocked.
Boy does this sound good to me. This album sounds like the perfect bridge from U2’s earnest social consciousness of the 80s to the disillusionment of 90s grunge. The depth of REM felt like it finally put the nail in the coffin of self-indulgent 80s arena rock. Love the background vocals from the B-52s lead singer Kate Pierson (better known for her accompaniment on Shiny Happy People). Most songs were hits. Glad to discover King of Birds through this review. It’s the End of the World As We Know It is timeless. We all knew all the words at the time (or at least we thought we did). Feeling…Pretty… PSYCHED.
You don't have to go far through my previous reviews to see I am a big R.E.M. fan. I consider this album to be one of my favorites by them, definitely more so than Green. This is one of the first albums where the actual political lyrics of R.E.M. can be understood and are less veiled. This album is a reaction to Reagan-ism in the 80's, but like most of their political music, it's more referenced rather than have the listener beaten over the head with it. Fantastic album that incorporates horns into the R.E.M. sound and "King of Birds" is one of my favorite underrated songs. This album has two hits on it, both of which have been played incessantly, but those are far from the best songs on "Document."
Ripper of an album
Feel guilty having given prince a 5 star for an album with 4 hits but a few fillers. Admittedly open and closing track on purple rain are stonking. However with Document we have a gold standard 5 star classic. Start to finish every track matters on this album. This is the kind of classic that you can hold any other against.
i love rem and don't care who knows it. this album might be their best work of the 80s (though i've listened to green more) and it's just fun and well-done all the way through. finest worksong is a great opener and it just stays high from there. i know probably 95% of the words to it's the end of the world as we know it (and i feel fine) so i may not be an unbiased judge of character here. anyway this album is great, five stars. favorites: all of it but if i have to pick a few, finest worksong, welcome to the occupation, exhuming mccarthy, ...end of the world..., the one i love
First REM album and first LP I bought classic. Michael Stipe has such a beautiful voice, that to me is the main draw of this band. But they also have a discreet inventive streak that only sounds old hat because they literally influenced everything I heard since. Should ask the boys about them.
Been loving this since 1987
Don’t listen to REM much anymore but am always overjoyed when I do. Remember listening to this on my sisters bedroom in the late 80s. A Truly subversive rollicking rock band
This album perfectly captures living under Bush era politics and the beginnings of alt-rock. Peter Buck has such a unique sound that guitarists are still trying to replicate. I never noticed the punk and proto-punk influences before on the band's sound, but I should have. A solid album from start to finish.
Primo college rock, slow start into a strong middle and end, It's the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine) continues to be a truly great song
End of the World, Finest Worksong, One I Love
It was, in fact, him in the corner
Really enjoyed this one. Great production, songwriting, and music.
A classic. So much good songs here.
R.E.M. No. 5. Document is a snapshot of a band transitioning from indie rock darlings to unlikely global hit makers. Although they seem to have approached the brink with their increasingly accessible musicality, they ultimately did not sacrifice their morals and overall being. They may go on to make zeitgeist defining and, to most fans, better records in the future but if you want to catch a glimpse of how R.E.M. became the band casual fans know them as, start here.
Great album amazing songs
Loved this album since it first came out
i thought the album only had one bop, but i was proved wrong
Possibly peak R.E.M., although it’s a broad, flat peak. Definitely one of my favorites.
'Finest Worksong', 'Welcome To The Occupation', 'Disturbance At The Heron House', 'It's The End Of The World As We Know It', 'The One I Love', and 'Oddfellows Local 151'. Stipe at his most political and a well-deserved international breakthrough.
Document is there to prove that R.E.M. is not all inaudible, absurd lyrics and jangly guitars. Okay, the guitar is still pretty jangly, but the lyrics are political and clear as day!
Definitive late 80s indie pop. Best in class for this kind of thing. Soul and dance beats, funky bass lines, jangly guitar, interlacing melodies, bookish lyrics. A lot of indie disco floor fillers here.
Great album. Starts a little slowly but really picks up speed toward the middle. Very much an early grunge album before ‘grunge’ was used to describe music. 9/10
Excellent REM album
surprised at how much i enjoyed this— at least a dozen bands come to mind that borrowed from this one specifically too.
Uno de los mejores álbumes de los próceres del “rock alternativo”. Con un sonido pulido que toma estéticas del Jangle Pop y el Punk, la banda demuestra por qué se estableció como uno de los actos más importantes del indie, y una de las leyendas más grandes de la música contemporánea hasta la fecha.
Muito bom
Solid album.
Great album, includes two of my favourite R.E.M. tracks "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" and "The One I Love".
Just amazing to listen to. The non-singles are as good as the singles.
This is an all timer. Reminds me of high school. Also, great writing.
I have to begin by saying that I am a MASSIVE R.E.M. fan. Their first FIVE (!) albums before this are all perfect. Like seriously, there is no sign of weakness in FIVE albums. Insane. Even though I feel that this is the first R.E.M. album with any slight lack of perfection, it’s still amazing and deserves a full count of stars. I mean, it has two stone cold classics that aren’t even the best songs on the album. Who can complain?
This is a fucking great album! I was familiar with the big two singles, of course, but from start to finish this is just fantastic. "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" may be overplayed and joked about too often, but it's just a beastly good tune. I think the final two songs are my favourite, but I feel like my favourites may dance around this album with every listen. Also, I don't know how it took me this long in my life to make the connection that R.E.M. and The Tragically Hip are like poetry rock cousins. It definitely would have been interesting to have Stipe and Downie collaborate.
Solid album
Brilliant. Michael Stipe manages to fit so much emotion in his vocals and the music is very catchy.
If I had to pick a single REM album to recommend, this is probably the one. It's a high point of a stellar career.
Liked every single song on this record. A strong album overall, and probably the best I've heard from them.
Psst. Hey, you! Yes, you! Let me tell you a secret. Please don't tell anyone. Even though I consider myself a big rock fan, until today I haven't listened to any R.E.M. album yet. I know their songs mainly because of various radio stations. Alright. What about the "Document" album? I liked it. I appreciated that it felt homogeneous, and created a whole. 4.5/5
A classic!
It's the End of the World as We Know It is is a gem of a song but the rest of the album is pretty damn good too
Ich mag R.E.M. - 5/5
baita som
Know this album! Quite good. Probably their third or fourth best record.
Brilliant, with a few tracks that are even better than that! It's the end of the world ... and To the one I love are stone cold classics. Also features the shortest review of another artist's album - " 'Standing on the Shoulders of Giants' leaves me cold" - Mr Stipe is obviously not a fan of Oasis's later work!
Excellent
Jangly masterpiece
love it
Ohh this R.E.M. album I really enjoyed. It sounded great. Maybe I like the earlier stuff than the later album that I got.
I knew this album anyway, although hadn't listened to it for a long time. Lovely blast from the past.
Love me some REM.
A brilliant album, among their finest.
One of my favorites from the 80s.
Yes
Rem
What an absolute treat 80's R.E.M. is! Yes yes yes yes yes!! They are at the peak of their alt rock niche here, doing some of their very best work. Their fundamentally unique R.E.M. sound thrums through every note of every song so joyfully. I love all the tracks, can't pick a favourite. It's a perfect R.E.M. album. If you wanted to know who this band really is, all radio hits aside, this is the album to get deep into. It's just so bloody goddamn GOOD. Endlessly listenable because of that peppy playful instrumentation layered within the subtly moody and contemplative lyrics. There's just as much to enjoy when listening from the shallow end of the pool as there is when plumbing the depths. That's the best thing about R.E.M. - you can listen and find something interesting to consider or toy with on every level.
Classic!
movimento rápido dos olhos
Never listened to this before but I loved it. Dark and gloomy with very jangly guitars. Hits and deep tracks were great. And 1987 is the best year.
a classic for me, me enjoy
In an era of repetitive and generic post punk new wave, these guys were doing something so unique and original and timeless, aging better than the biggest groups of the 80s. Michael’s voice is such a tool in the songwriting of the group and the quality production, guitar riffs, melodies, underrated harmonies, make this a perfect album.
Just something I really like about the sound of REM. The guitars, Michael Stipe's voice, always a good time
I enjoyed this one a lot.
A classic and a favourite. Glad to have a reason to listen again!
This is a record slightly ahead of it’s time. Feeling like Sub Pop Seattle circa 1992 except five years early. This album also has my favorite R.E.M. track on it. A simply excellent display from a hall of fame band.
Excelente
Great album!
My favourite REM album, and I still think it's their best.
The REM most people remember. I grew up to this album. The perfect mix of mysticism, poetry and a little politics. And oh that guitar. LEONARD BERNSTEIN!
great
Awesome
Knew a couple wasn’t too shabby for a nice easy mornings listen
Totally awesome.
New goodeeeeez
Really enjoyable listen. Learned from Reames that your pronounce every letter when saying the band name.
No thanks
My first returning artist of the project, and this time R.E.M. really clicked with me. “Finest Worksong” came out of the gate rocking and ended up being my favorite discovery on the album. I already knew “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine),” one of my favorite R.E.M. songs, and “The One I Love,” so those gave the album a pretty strong foundation. I also really enjoyed the driving drums and Mike Mills’ higher backing vocals, which reminded me a little of the way Michael Anthony’s voice added another dimension to Van Halen. The songs are generally short and keep moving, and I liked the political and social themes running through the album. At times it almost felt like a concept album, and some of what they were singing about in 1987 still feels surprisingly relevant today. Musically, a few songs started to blend together, and the final stretch was more good than great, which kept it from reaching five-star territory. But there really wasn’t anything here I disliked. A strong album and definitely a better R.E.M. experience for me this time around.
Хамгийн анхний санал болгосон албум. Анх удаа сонсож байна. Рок хамтлаг юм шиг байна. Гэхдээ чихэнд наалдацтай зүгээр байлаа.
I know I should like R.E.M. better than I do, however the over-saturation of radio-play of Stipe's voice/"What's the Frequency, Kenneth", may have damaged some brain cells. I came to hate that song, but happily, I really enjoyed this album! 4 stars
Bon album de rock alternatif. Un poil trop américain
'File under fire' they said, and it is a bit more fiery and muscular than the albums before it. I have always loved The One I Love, with Mike Mills typically excellent on backing vocals, and I also really liked Disturbance at the Heron House and Fireplace. Plus, I am always glad to hear someone cover Wire, even if it lacks the unease of the original.
This album contains at least five of the anthems we need right now. R.E.M for all.
This is the most important album of our generation. I liked the one where they talk all fast.
I'm torn because the two bangers on this album are really good, but the rest of the album is fine. Great if you like Stipe's register, but it sort of all kind of sounds the same to me. In between a 3 and a 4, ultimately I think a 3 because I would never really seek out a relisten to this whole album. On a second listen I realize I liked it more than a 3, like a 3.7. So it gets a 4/5.
I had never listened to this album before. While I respect REM for their unique style and Michael Stipe’s unique voice, they never really resonated with me. My knowledge of their music is mostly limited to their mainstream hits. Before listening to Document today, I discovered that this album is a commentary on Reagan-era politics and policy. When I think of politically-driven full albums, my first thought is always Green Day’s American Idiot, although in the last month I learned of My Chemical Romance’s Black Parade. I also learned that Michael Stipe likes to use tone and music to express his ideas more than literal lyrics in song. I am a very lyric-forward listener, so this was a new way for me to think about listening to music. With all of that as context, I was excited to dive into Document. It did not disappoint. I felt myself listening intently and felt I was able to appreciate the story being told about a valuable (and, for me, relatable) point of view on a specific time in history. I knew “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) and “The One I Love” as part of pop culture history, but heard them in an entirely new way. Side-note: I found myself wondering whether Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” was influenced at all by “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine”).
Rem
Belle découverte
4/5
Really good, dunno where it would land on the top X of their own discography, but I enjoyed it a lot. Quintessential REM sound a lot of the time and a couple of evergreens - whats not to love? Solid 4
Just a rock solid rock band. It did occur to me though, with this album in particular, that only a little twisting is required to turn a REM song into a They Might be Giants one. But that's fine, it's probably why I love them both.
This may be generous
Pretty similar feelings to my previous R.E.M. album from the list, Green. It's a very good listen, a strong showcase of the band's jangly sound including the classic tracks 'It's the End of the World...' and 'The One I Love'. I'm not sure it quite has the same amount of bounce and energy as Green overall, so it didn't quite grab me in the same way. A tidy 4* but there's better to come from the band I think.
Another solid album from R.E.M. The two best tracks are the ones you already know, ‘It’s the End of the World…’ and ‘The One I Love’, but beyond those obvious classics I also really liked the fairly heavy (by this band’s standards) opener, plus ‘Exhuming McCarthy’ and ‘King of Birds’. This is the second R.E.M. album I’ve had, the first being ‘Green’, and it’s pretty much on a par with quality-wise, and also like that album, I felt side one was very good, and side two mostly just decent. Certainly good enough for 4 stars, though.
Man, this album is so good. It's got some classic bangers on it, and although it also has some filler, surprising non-singles like Odfellows Local 151 are so, so good that it almost elevates this album to 5 stars. 4.5 stars for me, but not quite up to the tippy top of the mountain.
For 1987, this album seems to have helped bridge the gap from “alternative” to mainstream. There are good and bad things about that. But for this album, mostly good.
By no means their best. Also way better than thir worst. These first 6 or 7 REM albums are all solid though so, no issue with hearing this one today.
LEONARD BERNSTEIN
It’s good, uh… rock and roll music
Well this is certainly an R.E.M. album. Good energy in this one compared to their others listened to so far.
R.E.M. had a pretty prominent place in my adolescence. I love several of the tracks on this album, but there are a few of the filler tracks that I don't vibe with as much.
END OF THE WORLDDD
I am of the opinion that Automatic for the People is the greatest album of all time, and this album honestly isn't even in my top three favourite R.E.M. albums, but I am still happy.
End of the World and The One I Love are the big hits here, and the rest of the album is pretty good too. But it all seemed kinda samey and got a bit boring (at least high-quality boring though). Overall 3.5/5
1. "The One I Love" 2. "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" 3. "Oddfellows Local 151"
My favourite REM album. I used to listen to this, Automatic for the People and Monster on repeat through my early teens. Great to hear it again.
80s REM is always good
Great album, maybe one or two fillers but still class
Good band
I like this album… but. Yeah it’s just not going above 4 4 Boolean: True
Album was pretty good, I'd say 3.5 territory? Definitely knew a couple of the songs, was enjoyable to listen to, but no takeaways other than the 2 songs I already knew. Never knew the name of the band that played those songs, so that was a neat surprise!
This one has some monster hits. Have you ever tried singing along to all of the words to “It’s the End of the World as We Know It”? Impossible!
Bom.
Classic dad music
6 out 10 very consistent but consistency is it's downfall doesn't do much to vary in sound the one i love being the fav of the album
Not quite as good as Automatic for the People, but still solid
Great REM
Had never heard half of those songs, but they are great.
So, my only gripe with this album is that the first half is fantastic compared to the second half, which is good but not amazing. Some of the best political pop and folk rock from the 80s lands on this album, including some amazing songs that you've already heard. I think it deserves to be on the list, I'll be surprised if other R.E.M. albums make it onto the list but we'll see. For now I've given it an 8/10, it's a very strong 8 though and maybe if the world changes more each day this album would increase in rating.
Sick!!Liked it.
IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT
liked this
Glorious, I love REM!
Really good REM album!
C’est fort je devrais plus écouter R.E.M.
This is the second album I’ve received from this band, who I had never heard about before attempting this challenge. Boy oh boy, I think it’s safe to say that I’m a fan. The intro song on this album let me know this would be some good shit!
Not really a R.E.M. fan; I do love their hits. And this album has a few. Nonetheless, solid album when they were in their prime.
Tydligen gillar jag R.E.M?
När det är som bäst är det ändå riktigt bra.
Pendlar från stabilt till jättebra.
Solid R.E.M.
Good album, several good tracks and a couple huge hits. Some of the other tracks are a little below the level, but overall solid effort. Probably a 3.5 but raising to a 4.
This was way better than Murmur. The bass and guitar are incredible throughout, and the whole album has a lot more drive to it. R.E.M. still sounds unmistakably like R.E.M., but the songs feel sharper and less likely to blur together. “It’s the End of the World as We Know It” and “The One I Love” were obviously the songs that blew up, but they weren’t even the best ones here. “Finest Worksong,” “Welcome to the Occupation,” and “Exhuming McCarthy” were all bangers. Those songs have more bite, especially with how much the rhythm section pushes everything forward. I’m still not ready to call myself an R.E.M. fan, but this album made a much better case for them than Murmur did. Strong enough that I’d actually listen to it again. Favorite song: “Exhuming McCarthy”
Didn't know this record. Absolute bangers in there!
Gracias por las memorias, Chicken Little
Document by REM is one of those albums I think I like more than I really do. It's almost there but not quite there. It was almost like they were the heady super-indie version of Coldplay in the 80s. Lyrics that don't quite add up. In reality the songs are good but also kind of annoying in a way I can't quite explain. And I saw REM live in Great Woods and in Berlin on the Green tour. I mean I was into them. This album loses one point for the listicle song about the end of the world. I've said it before just because you list a bunch of famous people doesn't make it great. Is this an album I want own in my record collection? Borderline. And not one I would pull out to listen to very often. It's like a 3.5 album.
My favorite REM lp so far.
Song reviews: Finest Worksong- I love the drum beat. The melodic line is nice. I love how it name drops the title in first verse. Guitar is really nice. I love the little instrumental break. Bass at end is nice. 4/5 Welcome to the occupation: I love how it immediately feels different to first song. It’s hard to comprehend the musical genius required to make such amazing instrumentals. 4/5 Exhuming McCarthy: I like the typewriter (I think it is) at start. Guitar is cool. I don’t like vocals. Bass and guitar in the break is sexy. Subtle vocals in break are nice. 4/5 Disturbance at the Heron House: feels like good nostalgia. Sounds like something my dad would put on when I was a kid. The little riffs are nice. This feels like it is an underrated song in the album. 4/5 Strange: guitar intro nice. I love the keyboard bringing it in. Drums gets the groove on. I love vocals “ do do do do dooo” It’s the end of the world as we know it: this song feels unique (in a good way). It’s the type of intro I wish I knew all the words to so I could sing along. The virus sounds familiar and I love it. The vocal overlaps are so satisfying. 5/5 The one I love: I love opening. I don’t like the “fire” bit. Catchy. Extra point for originality. 4/5 Fireplace: cool. Lyrics I’m not sure about but I love the sax. 3/5 Lightnin’ Hopkins: I love how the oooohs set in and it helps give rhythm. Drums are solid. Vocals recked what I thought could be my fav song of album. Instrumentals is crazy good. 3.5/5 King of Birds: I love the instrumentals so much. 4/5 Oddfellows local 151: bass is so good at start. I love how the song starts. Immediately get the vibe of song, you know you gonna love it. I don’t like “firehouse” 4/5
This album is nicely political. The sound is familiar and the hits “it’s the end of the world as we know it“ and” the one I love“ are really good on this album. It’s nice to learn that the rest of the album also holds up really well. The late 80s sound kind of reminds me of Phil Collins.
wasn’t able to give it enough time. must revisit.
3rd rem album and the one I have enjoyed the most so far
Теплый по своей атмосфере альбом, приятный негнетущий инструментал в купе с мелодичным вокалом делает для меня этот альбом очень расслабляющим. Понравилось!
1. Not the genre I expected, but I am enjoying this song a lot! 2. Was okay. First song was better, not much to say. 3. My favourite so far! I really like the start. 4. Oh this is way better than the third! Adding this to my liked songs! 5. Was good!! Not much to say. 6. It's okay. Not my favourite. Reminds me of like a Big Bang Theory intro. 7. 8. I LOVE this one!! 9. 10. 11.
I like it, principally because I already like R.E.M
A great album
Solid album with a few standout tracks. With R.E.M. you know what you're getting into.
Favorite songs: Finest Worksong, Welcome to the Occupation, Exhuming McCarthy, Disturbance at the Heron House, Strange, It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine), The One I Love
So poppy and fun while still seeming like a secret underground band. Exhuming McCarthy is great - presents as a smart political song but it's also just a fun pop song. A few songs don't do so much for me (King of Birds, Oddfellows Local 151) so not a 5 star album.
When I was 12/13 I remember listening religiously to the college radio station, often at odd hours. I got to hear quite a lot at that time I realize. I got to hear a bunch off this album beyond the immediately recognizable It’s the End of the World and The One I Love. I remember Oddfellows Local 151. I remember pondering its meaning. It’s hard to rate an album that has such a strong feeling associated with a time in life. I almost want to give it a 5, just cause. Listening again now, I now it’s very good. On its own legs. 4 Boolean: True
I never listened to 80’s REM before, apart from the hits. It is a very mature album. This is a band that has found their sound and would be hugely influential in the upcoming decade.
Michael Stipe is best showcased on this album. Solid encapsulation of late 80’s and more than one track is all time classic.
It’s probably because I know this was their last album for IRS before signing to a major label but this record has always felt like their last indie/college rock record - it has that introverted feel to it that the next record, Green, blew wide apart. After Document, they had a much bigger, more sweeping sound and just a couple of years later, for better or for worse, were a stadium-filling rock band. I love every REM phase but the IRS years are by far my favourite. There are a couple of tracks here that weaken the record a little, Strange for example, so it’s not my favourite of the era, but I love it nonetheless. The One I Love was their breakthrough hit and it still sounds magnificent today. I love that people have walked down the aisle to this record - “A simple prop, to occupy my time”.
Tres cool
Да норм
-there’s a lot of clarity -reminds me of a summer road trip -wish there was more variety throughout the album because everything sounds the same to be honest -right in time for punk and for the state of the world right now -I like lightnin’ Hopkins and oddfellows local 151
I don’t really love REM but I do understand why this album is on here and do think the album deserves 4 stars.
This is the peak of the guilty pleasure era. A little more guilty than pleasure but End of the World As We Know It is one of the better "list" songs you'll hear and welcome whenever it popped up on MTV. Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives, and I'll decline.
REM feels like normcore Rush
Good.
R.E.M. finding their true sound for the first time, quite possibly their greatest album Stipe still sounds incomprehensible half the time though haha Favorite tracks: Finest Worksong Exhuming McCarthy It's The End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) The One I Love Fireplace
Solid, good working music.
My third R.E.M. album! And my god, this really concentrates what i like and dislike about the band. My biggest problem -and it already starts heavy on the first track- are the lead vocals. Something about them just sounds so strained and… whiny (for the lack of a better word) on some songs. That really is my biggest gripe with the band and i feel a bit pathetic because of it. What i do enjoy are as always the instrumentals - they are full and pack several punches. And in comparison to their debut, the production on here is so clear! Love that. There‘s also a nice variety in mood and tempo here and it strikes a good balance. I genuinely love how emotionally earnest REM are in their songs - well, often i‘m not really sure what they are singing about, but they transport emotions really well. Exhuming McCarthy is the one for me on here, while Oddfellows doesn‘t work for me at all. I‘m pretty sure i will return to this album from time time.
Pretty solid album I've somehow missed. I still like other REM albums better but this one is good.
3.5★/5 07.06.2026
It's always a pleasure to revisit R.E.M.'s discography. Their songs are just as relevant today as they were when they were first released.
I had this album on my pending list, and this was the time to listen to it. It is dynamic, fun and great for an afternoon listen. Great rock songs and good vibes from beginning to end.
Was pretty good, though I think I'd already heard most of the best songs on the album.
Good songs! Not fantastic but maybe 3.6!
favs: it's the end of the world as we know it (and i feel fine)
040726 22:27 4
Alternative Rock/Jangle Pop Favorite Tracks: Finest Worksong, It’s The End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine), The One I Love Least Favorite Song: King of Birds While there are a few standout songs for me, I did felt like most of the songs on this list are really just good, but not great. I think part of that has to do with how some of the songs felt a bit samey in tone, and it’s just alright. I have the album in my personal collection, and we shall see later in the future if this changes for me, but for now, I just think the album’s fine as it was. 7/10.
Cosa rara, pero me gustó este álbum de los REM y mucho. Nunca he conectado con ellos pero este disco fue la excepción. Grandes temas, hitazos y en general música poderosa y genial. Bien!
Very well made
#1 Great album to start off with, big fan of REM. Love the imagery throughout the album with the constant references to fire. Lots of catchy riffs & melodies throughout the album. Some highlights include Finest Worksong and It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine).
Alles solide und 2 banger 4/5
Really solid rock album with some really good political messaging. Some fun riffs and really good basslines. Was not familiar with Michael Stipe's lyrical game. Favorite track was probably welcome to the occupation
Did not love the last track, other songs good to great with the end of the world as a standout
Overall, this is a very good album. R.E.M. is one of those groups that I either like or can't stand their songs: with not much space inbetween. Most of these were good with a few real clunkers thrown in the mix. "Welcome to the Occupation" was a hidden gem.
Liked it. It was okay.
I never met an R.E.M. album I didn’t like. Solid 4 stars for this one.
Big respect to this band for having a sound that is uniquely their own, even when you can’t spot their influences.
❤️❤️I already like R.EM. a lot. This album was soo nice to listen to, I was so relaxed 💤💤 I had to shut if off and go to sleep cause I wanted to appreciate every song properly 💘 Thank you 💕💕💕
4/5. My favorite REM I’ve had on the generator so far. Of course “it’s the end of the world as we know it” is an all time banger, but a lot of the deep cuts were also great. I loved the intro track “finest work song” and “fireplace” especially. Takes their college rock sound of the first few albums and adds some more muscle to it. And in the strangest twist of all I can actually understand Michael Stipe here! And on this album he tackles a lot of the political anger and anxiety around the Reagan years of U.S. politics (unrelated to the review, but the one good thing Reagan did for the world was die.) But yeah, it makes sense that this was the album that started their launch to mainstream stardom because it’s a great listen.
Again REM in the last couple of weeks, I’m not complaining, I jammed to it while walking through the rain. It’s the end of the world as we know it is amazing :)
A classic.
If there's one band that defined the path from underground to superstardom in the 80's, it's gotta be R.E.M. Slowly but surely the band had built their chops, their skills, and their songwriting, and then dropped this absolute atomic bomb on the world. Their infectious blend of jangle pop and post-punk poetry gets infused with a healthy dose of anthemic production, evidenced in the statement of "Finest Worksong". It's no wonder they became a global phenomenon right after this, and even though it's not totally perfect, it's still a powerful record from a band about to explode.
4/5, really like their sound and how consistent the album is
I never really have much to say about R.E.M. records. They kinda defy reviews to me. But they're always solid listens. Obviously The One I Love and It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) are classics, but the rest of the album is just as solid.
I've always been pretty ambivalent about REM but this is a decent record
Good album, if imbalanced. Finest Worksong, Exhuming McCarthy, It's the End of the World As We Know It, and The One I Love are all great songs brought down by a duo of lesser tracks, namely Lightnin' Hopkins (he deserved better) and Oddfellows Local 151 (they presumably deserved better as well). Also, what is a skronky sax doing on an R.E.M. song (Fireplace)?
Disco claramente previo al boom de Out of time (1991) y de lossing my religion, a mi comprencion es un adelanto a lo que vendria en los 90´ con la musica alternativa, sin caer en seatle con el grunge nirvanesco y toda esa historia, sonoramente es más cercano a lo que vendria con bandas como pixies a mi gusto. Hablando del disco sonoramente, tiene una busqueda más punk en algunos temas como pueden ser "strange" o los "hits" de este disco que pueden ser "the one i love" y "the end of the word", buscando amigar lo alternativo/punk con ganchos más poperos radiales para poder abarcar rangos más grandes de oyentes, hasta donde tengo entendido este disco los ubica en el mapa del mainstream norteamericano. Ahora buscando diferencias con algun ejemplo sonoro contemporaneo, este disco salio en 1987, yo agarre un ejemplo totalmente dispar como es "appetite for destruction" de los guns and roses, por obvio que parezca en lo sonoro se nota una busqueda completamente distinta no quiero criticar mal al disco de los guns pero tiene una busqueda más concentrada en meterse en lo mainstream de la epoca, también se nota en este disco de R.E.M. una busqueda de critica politica (no es que en el disco de los guns no se usen referencias sociales), supongo que en una parte de las canciones un poco es esa la busqueda y se nota. Hablando directamente de sus canciones, no le veo puntos bajos como tal por ahí el ultimo track "oddfellows local 151" podria durar menos pero no se hace pesado. Para mi gusto personal los puntos fuertes son el track 2 "Welcome to the occupation", el tack 3"Exhuming McCarthy" y el track 7 "the one i love". Gran descubrimiento personal de una banda que solamente conocia sus hits de los 90´, si les gusta el rock más alternativo rozando lo pop es una buena recomendacion.
Fuck it, 4 for the culture, but there isn’t any culture, it’s just that I kinda like it. Plus it’s the end of the world as we know it
I hope we get some early R.E.M. (which I loved, and still love). I first became aware of them in 1983, I think, just before I moved to NYC (Columbia), and instantly LOVED their first EP, and then their first LP. I probably loved each album of their that came out slightly less than the one before, and by the time of this album, Document (their 5th LP), from 1987, I no longer felt compelled to purchase the album. Still, it's a pretty good album, and I'll give it a low 4. Weakest points: tracks 9 and 10 - Lighntnin Hopkins was a great blues musician, but the REM song with his name is not great, nor is the next track. My other complaint is about "The One I Love," which became (I think) their first top 10 single, but I always thought was kind of slight. The other eight tracks are good, though, headed up by "It's the End of the World [etc.]" - which features the biggest secret (sort of) weapon of REM: the harmony vocals of bassist Mike Mills.
Franchement un banger. Un des premiers albums de cette liste que j'aime bien.
I listened to this on the way home from my last major high school event, so maybe it was that mood that made me really like this, but I thought this was a huge improvement on the other R.E.M. album that I listened to. I thought the instrumentals worked better, his vocal delivery worked better, and there was just more for me to grab onto here. I was genuinely engaged with the songs that I didn't know, which I simply can't say for Automatic for the People. Favorites: It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine), The One I Love, Oddfellows Local 151
Know some of this, sounds good, like early R.E.M. Think I mentioned last time, early REM just doesn't blow me away. Still pretty solid 3.5 rounded up Heard before? Some Owned: No. 80/315 (25%) Will I get: No
Great album. Really evocative tracks.
What a great album. I don't know what genre I'd put R.E.M. into, they're just one of those bands that are so distinctive. I loved this album. So many tracks I'd never heard, but my two favourite REM tracks were on this album (It's the End of the World as We Know it and The One I Love).
Haven't listened to much R.E.M but I really liked this. A lot higher energy than I expected with some really great songwriting too. There's at least 2 absolutely fantastic songs on here but I thought all the songs on here were at least good.
It's one of their best. Lovely stuff.
#373/1001. Another R.E.M classic, I prefer this one over Green or Out of Time (but not over Automatic for the People). Simple yet interesting, familiar but truly unique.
A fun listen
Starts off strong with “Finest Worksong” even though lyrics are incoherent. R.E.M. songs are most times random thoughts—I gave up on trying to understand what they mean. It’s more a “this voice and random words work with the music” for me. I like this album better than “Murmur.”
Good
- I'm a fan of REM so probably quite biased - A few great hits, the majority are decent but not overly memorable on first listen.
More than two ok songs.
Love REM but prefer later albums
great lyrics !! great instrumental elements, not the biggest fan of lead singers voice but everything else was so well done I got over it
These guys are good.
Good album, I hadn’t heard it except for the hits.
Álbum com músicas marcantes e que foram influências importantes para toda a cena do rock alternativo dos anos 1990. TRI x HBB Kai.
Good stuff; it’s when this alternative band became mainstream (but this is the third REM album that has come up for me in the list… wonder about the random-ness of the generator)
Love R.E.M.! This is one of their best albums.
I’ve always loved “It’s the end of the world as we know it” and all of the best aspects of that song are the best aspects of the album as a whole. Great instrumentals, great harmonies, and political commentary that can be both funny and dire. Besides a few songs I just don’t care for, this album does a lot right, and I’ll probably like it more as time goes by.
R.E.M. so yes End of the world is one of my earliest music memories
Almost like a Beta version of OK Computer? (In the best way)
actually a really good album. Im glad I gave it a chance. fav songs its the end of the world and we know it. nice lyrics and interesting message
Recent, some filler
REM is a band I've always liked without becoming obsessed, so it's been interesting to finally delve into more of their albums. Document feels like a strong album from the outset. Finest Worksong has never been one of my favorites, but it's a solid start. The next several tracks keep up the quality while still adding some musical variety. It's kind of wild that two of their most well-known songs are right in the middle of the track order. It's The End of the World As We Know It and The One I Love are definitely my two favorite tracks here and deserving of their status as all-time great songs by the band. As many times as I've heard it, I still can't sing along with "End of the World." Even though I don't engage with the lyrics like some do, I can't deny being engaged by its exuberance. I can't help but wonder how well Document would be remembered without them. I think it tails off pretty hard after The One I Love. The sax on Fireplace doesn't fit here, and the vocals are pretty irritating on Lightnin' Hopkins. King of Birds feels like a meandering march, and Oddfellows just might be the least-engaging thing on the record. That said, I'd probably put this about on par with Green and both of those a full tier under Murmur.
like them, but nothing pops out
The songs have such a melancholy quality to them, but remain energetic. Good writing and composition, guitar playing is a highlight.
I’ve heard this before and I own it. I owned this on tape in the early 90s and picked it up again on CD about 15 years ago, so there was about a 10 year gap not having this in my collection after I lost most of my tapes. Lots of bangers here in the radio hits and deep cuts and not a few that drag. It’s a really good album.
Surprised by how much I like it. No real skips on here. The production is very of its era. Very sonically clear. The reverb is heavy, esp on the snare. Dont mind that, again very 80s. I get similarities between badmotorfinger and Epic by FAITH NO MORE in style and production, lyricallly not so much. I would say oddfellows was one of my less liked songs on the album. I like that the album generally sounded the same throughout, end of the world being the biggest departure in sound. Stipe's singing is classic REM here. Solid 4/5
A great album, but not that exciting for me.
Another R.E.M that was new to me. Found myself singing along instantly. Will definitely come back to this one!
I'm more of a post-Automatic for the People guy, but R.E.M. is undeniable