Reviews (page 6 of 15)
REM are one of those special bands that can garner indie cred and mainstream success, through their upbeat, quirky, yet accessible sound. They’re one of the only bands that my mom and dad like equally (though they saw REM at Rupp Arena in ‘95 and often recall that the band was kinda phoning it in) Document tries to make sense of, and have fun with, how shitty the world around you feels. I love that. Many of my favorite artists are those that see the chaos and weight of life and produce sounds that serve as either a blissful escape or a joyous, sharp rejection.
Overrated band but I still think they’re ok :)
Good stuff!!
Good album not as good as automatic yet better than most of that years albums.
I have scored the other REM albums pretty highly and i really liked Green. With the exception The One I Love and The End of the World - the album feels like AI generic music in the style of REM with no stand out features that grab me. The two aforementioned tracks are great and up there with REM's best songs but dont lift the album above a 3 for me geoff.
Document This is probably the only one of the pre mega fame R.E.M. albums I was familiar with before doing the generator, mainly as The One I Love is one of my favourite of their songs. Compared to Murmur and Green and to some of the later albums this one stands out as being more tense and terse, with more angularity and edge to it, particularly in the guitar playing, with a harsher tone and spikier riffs. However they can't completely get away from the jangliness - even if it’s more distorted many of the guitar harmonics are still very jangly and Brydsian in spirit. That slight change in sound also suits the songs, they feel more confident and forceful and nicely move between playful like End of the World and more sincere like The One I Love, also touching on the political with things like Exhuming McCarthy and Welcome to the Occupation. Disturbance at the Heron House and King of Birds are also excellent, the former one of those effortlessly great R.E.M. tracks and the latter with the dulcimer and a clean, dusty elegance. There’s a couple of tracks I’m not as keen on. Although its a different sound for them I’m not keen on the sax on Fireplace, it feels a touch out of place, and I’m not sure the scratchy, seemingly funk influenced Lightnin’ Hopkins is that successful. I’m slightly stuck between 4 and 5 - it is great, but I’m not sure it’s quite up there with their best albums. I’ll stick on a high 4. 📄📄📄📄 Playlist submission: Could be King of Birds, but I’ll stick with The One I Love
In summation, it is a great album with a couple of heavy-hitters and some nice jangling melancholy; nowhere near the beauty of Murmur or dark emotional heft of Automatic, where Stipe's voice develops more of a baritone. But as swansong for their college rock days, pre the big-time, it's grand enough.
I don't attack this task on a daily basis. Sometimes a little list of a few days builds up and that has a massive sway on my desire to listen. There are certain bands that appear and my desire totally shrivels and goes into hibernation. It's taken me months to feel like tackling this album. They are very firmly in my Not For Me category. Having said that ... it's kind of fine. It would take some pretty hard nosed stubborness not to recognise the brilliance of "It's the End of the World ... " and "The One I Love". Still Not For Me ... but I recognise it.
Simplesmente incrível, amei todas as músicas e a vibe delas
Always love some REM
Banger
Murmur remains R.E.M.'s 'finest hour,' but there is something to say in re the group's first refusal to 'murmur' any longer: Stipe clears his throat w/o an embarrassing or pedestrian devotedness to radical politics. What he's learned, or at the very least learned to express, are dialectical materialism and the structures of history: 'Sugar, cane, and coffee cup / Copper, steel, and cattle / An annotated history'; 'There's something going on that wasn't here before . . . There's something going on that's not quite right.' W/ this said, their political clear-eyedness fits right in w/ their new musical program to be catchier and happier than ever. Like a Born in the U.S.A., Document is this group's daring attempt to be more accessible AND more meaningful.
Absolutely unremarkable. Musically, vocally, instrumentally, lyrically - a complete bleh. Fine, the drummer seems to be at least original. Everything else is hopelessly boring and unoriginal. What a disappointment.
Lots of great songs.
REM is always missing that something extra for me.
Again, impressed with REM. Nice to see a fuller picture beyond their singles.
Exceptional album.
In the many months since my last R.E.M. album on this list, I have grown to love them, somewhat unconventionally, through their later albums. Listening to E-Bow the Letter and what surrounded it on New Adventures, along with finding the Up CD in a charity shop has led me to slowly explore and appreciate their output. So on my first listen to one of their most appraised albums, it’s no wonder that I’m already anticipating listening again, and again, and again, as seems to be the case with this band. Which is odd, since whilst this is undoubtedly well made, there isn’t anything particularly gripping on first listen (aside from maybe the immortal chorus of End of the World). It speaks to the musicianship of these guys then that I can know instantly from first listen that it certainly won’t be my last.
Guess they covered their bases by adding “As We Know It”. That way that song can be relevant every few years when shit gets worse.
HS memories: End of the World (my karaoke goal) and The One I love
5/10 The more I hear of them, the more I feel that R.E.M. fall into that category of bands where I really love some of their songs, but there’s not a single one of their albums that I love from start to finish. I feel like they have actually written 4 or 5 really good albums worth of music, but have spread those albums out over 15 releases and chucked in a load of waffle to fill up the gaps. This album has its moments, and the one two punch of End Of The World and One I Love is brilliant, but on a lot of the other tracks, I am often just begging for a more engaging hook or melody. There are hints of them and lead ups to them, but I often find that things just wander around without ever finding a solid centre to hang the song from, so things feel a little aimless. The vibe in general is great, the production is solid, the drums really punch and they move fairly effortlessly between the more jangly guitar side of their sound and the more heavy, driven elements of some of the songs, and some of the harmonies are lovely. But too many of the tracks feel like vibey fillers rather than engaging songs in their own right. I think I could probably pick an REM song out just from the vocal melody, even if it wasn’t being sung by Michael Stipe. He has a very distinctive melodic writing style, and when he allows himself to settle on something catchy, there’s magic to be found, but when he gets a bit more loose, I find it more of a struggle to maintain an interest. Often I feel like they overwrite some elements while underwriting others, which results in songs that have a fairly boring chord structure repeating for too long while the vocal just wanders around without ever honing in on something memorable or hooky. And even that could work if you built it around a chorus that delivered that musical centre, but that rarely came along. I can appreciate the development of sound and tone that R.E.M. developed, and you can hear bits of it all over the music that would follow in the subsequent decades, but the overall package isn’t one that does enough to stick with me long term. Finest Worksong - The production of this is great straight off the bat. It’s got a solid punch to it, and a real sense of space. There are some really nice moments, particularly in the blend between lead and backing vocals and the odd little flourish of guitar, piano and percussion here and there that add nice moments of nuance and depth. It’s a pretty strong opener. Welcome To The Occupation - And we’ve fallen back into the more dynamically and musically flat end of R.E.M.s work. It’s nice enough, but it kind of does more or less the same thing the whole way through with only minor flourishes of dynamic change. Yes, the chords change between verse and chorus, but the vibe and dynamic remains very one-note. It doesn’t quite deliver on the hooks either, so it all just feels like a bit of a wash of pleasant but unspectacular music. Exhuming McCarthy - There are some nice dynamic and tonal changes in places this song, but it’s also a bit meandering. The guitar strumming pattern seems just a bit sloppy and repetitive. Again, there are some nice moments, especially during the stripped back sections, but it’s very plodding and overly insistent without having the bite and anger that justifies the insistence. Disturbance At The Heron House - This one is a bit better. There’s a bit more variety and range between verse and chorus, and moments where things are allowed a bit more dynamic movement. Things do meander about a bit too much though, and it feels like Michael Stipe is singing along trying to find something that really works, but never quite finds it. Strange - Ah, what a great intro. Michael Stipe adds a bit more drive into his delivery here, and alongside the more chugging nature of the guitars, it gives it a much more interesting edge. I quite like it, but it also never feels like they ever really find the chorus this song is looking for. It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) - A classic. There’s a great pace to this and it has all of the elements that I’m looking for in a song like this. The instrumentation ebbs and flows during the verse, the pulse is great and there are interesting little bits of musical nuance here and there, and then we launch into a brilliant, hooky chorus. It’s got dynamic range, a relentless verse vocal that makes the chorus seem more fluid and smooth by comparison. Solid backing vocals too. The One I Love - Another great song. It develops through different sections really nicely and rarely stands still for long. It has a slightly laid back pace to it, but the drums really give it a bit of drive and attitude that dust some spice into the mix. Michael Stipe has found his melodic hook writing stride by now in the album, and this follows on from the previous track in that vein. A one two punch of quality. Fireplace - This gets a bit darker in tone and it pulses along, but as with some of the earlier tracks, it never really finds its centre. I feel there’s a bit of a clash of styles in that it could have been made to be more brooding, but there’s probably a bit too much energy for that to really work out, and it doesn’t have enough of a melodic focus to latch on to the energy either. I can’t say I’m a massive fan of the sax work either and find it a bit jarring. Lightnin' Hopkins - This has got some great drive and a bit of bite to it. It almost doesn’t sound like R.E.M., so it does stick out a little, and Michael Stipe sings with a bit of a rasp that is quite uncharacteristic. The drums in particular are good here and there are some really solid riffs, but I’m just not quite sure what to make of it. King Of Birds - We’re back to a more classic R.E.M. sound now, but with a rolling military style drum beat. It’s quite drony during those sections, but it does find a bit more of a solid groove through other moments. But there’s nothing particularly melodically satisfying about it. Oddfellows Local 151 - I like the vibe of the verse here, it’s pretty brooding and pulses nicely, with the lead vocal using some nice dynamic range and taking moments to soar above the almost malicious tone of the instrumentation. But then the chorus is just rubbish. It’s more or less the same thing as the verse from the band and MIchael Stipe just Singing the same line about a firehouse again and again. Give this a strong chorus and it would be great, because the verses are great.
i like the other rem albums we’ve had better but there’s some mainstream hits on this one that i had no idea was them
Not my favorite REM venture but the hits bring it to 3.5
Not a top 5 REM record but still really good. Haven't listened to it in a while
Have to confess this is my first time listening to this album. Obviously know REM from the bigger hits (in the UK) that come later. This is good! Bit more rock and less poppy. Will definitely go into rotation.
Two hits
8 / 10
Document was the first REM album I bought, so it will always be special to me. I played the CD so much that the disc got a giant circular scratch through it from my Discman.
Probably the heaviest of their indie albums, even if End of the World is a jangle banger. Could have used a little tightening in the last couple songs.
SLAPPER
Was already edging on the R.E.M. discography this week, so this album was good timing. Very solid album and made me decide to do the deep dive. I think this is the next big step for Stipe and Co after Reckoning. Wonderful.
This album is weird in the best ways. Kind of all over the place, but it matches my ADD. There are moments that sound like REM is doing their best impression of The Pixies and those moments kept me intrigued. I’ve always found it hard to get into this band, but I must have smoked the right strain last night cuz I walked the dogs extra to listen to the whole thing. I’d love to read Michael Stipe’s lyrics to get a better understanding of them. He’s a strange writer and this album piqued my interest. This album and KISS’S 1998 Sisyphustic album “Psycho Circus” are two sides of the same coin… If REM’s side represents “Amazing”, then KISS’s side represents “The Worst Dogshit You’ve Ever Heard”. I would be interested in hearing a mashup of the two though. That would be an interesting afternoon.
pounding at times and enthralling, had the right drive and intensity to it
Vilken start på albumet! Genom hela albumet så är jag på en resa och sitter och diggar med konstant. Vissa låtar känner man ju igen mycket väl. Albumet avslutar lite svagare än starten men mycket trivsamt overall!
Very repetitive. Like to sound.
Good instrumentals and very relevant lyrics. The album as a whole is very cohesive - the songs aren't repetitive but they blend into each other well. It was really ahead of its time - it has a sound that many bands would follow throughout the 90s.
Consistently cool. Liked the overall vibe. End of the world as we know it was my favourite.
Great REM album. Really liked it, some songs are a bit samey at times
2 R.E.M. tracks i like on this album. I'm not a huge fan but the rest of the album really feels really well polished and well written
So what I was a little lazy? So what I avoided listening to this in order to extend the carefree nature of my weekend? So what that extended to Monday? Who cares? I do. Deeply. That’s why I’m writing about this. This is my sincere apology to the vast, vast legions of readers that tune in daily for half-baked musical takes littered with typos and ill-informed rhetoric. It eases the pain to know that I haven’t disappeared and I will continue to lazily churn out slop for my hogs (that’s what I call my fans) who need to hear what I spew forth while avoiding emails at work. Document THAT. Finest Worksong - The finest? I’ll be the judge of that. Upon further review, it’s really not the finest one I’ve ever heard. Working Man by Rush rips pretty hard. Anyway. This song is fine. Welcome to the Occupation - Hell yeah. We’re getting all minor keyed here. I am now fully occupied by the spirit of Michael Stipe. I don’t believe he is dead, but here we are. Exhuming McCarthy - Oh no! The members of R.E.M have been arrested on suspicion of grave robbing. They exhumed the wrong McCarthy. Sad. The widow was devastated. Disturbance at the Heron House - Man is Tragically Hip really just the Canadian R.E.M? Trouble at the Hen House? Disturbance at the Heron House? So much turmoil in the fowl lodging communities. An issue that can unite the two vastly different nations. Other than their usual bonding over orally servicing billionaires at the expense of their populations. Strange - Good! It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) - You won’t believe it! Quirked up white boys invent rap. Read as if it’s a click bait article. Memo: remove all instructions to readers from “finished” review. Oh yeah. It’s “finished” alright. Where was I? Fun song. The One I Love - This song has always been cool. The swinging jangle of it all. A classic and for good reason. Fireplace - Somebody had the audacity to call me in the year 2025 and I lost my train of thought. I know I’m kind of liking this record though. Big ups to the R.E.M. Lightnin’ Hopkins - This has nothing to do with that guy, but man this was a fun one too. Erratic twangy, and ultimately, enjoyable. King of Birds - A shabby husk of a man. Aerodynamically thin, covered head to toe in discarded feathers, held on with smeared bird excrement. Scarred with the clawing of his subjects. The king of birds presides over his kingdom. Terrified squawks from the harried rabble meet the verdict of death cast down for their crow brethren. Another feather to the tyrant king, whose thirst for baubles is only exceeded by his lust for power. A naturally loyal species, betrayed by an outsider. Long live the king. Dismayed are the fowl that cross the Avian despot. Oddfellows Local 151 - This song is about Peewee Herman. The word of the day is “jangle.”This is a weird little B-52’s-esque romp to close us off. Short and actually pretty sweet. What a time to be alive. Older R.E.M not only made me type that band name into my fucking phone keyboard like six times (switching tabs for punctuation is a bitch) but it made me enjoy the band. This thing isn’t going to change my world (as I know it) but I certainly feel that it’s fine. And that is how you end a terrible review. Begone. I grow tired of this. 3 HIGHLIGHTS: Welcome to the Occupation, It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine), The One I Love, Lightnin’ Hopkins
Classic REM. Need this on vinyl.
Cover 4 Good album. Very listenable.
5.7
Nice.
Fantastic Album. Obviously, there are a couple of earth-crushingly famous tracks, but the other "filler" is still better than 95% or current music industry output.
I always like an REM album. Not my favorite but still very solid.
I don’t listen to REM enough
im very impressed with this record. its just songs that feel good to listen to. its not flashy or impressive, its just its own thing. the only song i have an issue with is "king of birds", but other then than that, i think this is quite good. 8.7/10
Vocals are not growing on me. Probably a good album for some.
instruments are kinda nice, but i didn't like the vocals.
Love it. Love it. Love it.
I liked it
I've always been a big R.E.M. fan, despite not being around for their heyday. They were actually the first gig I ever went to (the Around the Sun tour). This is definitely one of their best, and possibly my favourite of the IRS years. I'm also partial to Reckoning and Murmur. This one just has really solid songs from start to finish, not a bad one among them. And the hits are some of their best singles too. Love the weird and extremely specific lyrics - I've been listening to this album for decades and still have only vague ideas what some of these are about.
End of the world is pretty good, of course. "The one I love" is good as well. All in all a pretty good album. 4,5/5
Pa ima tu par kultnih stvari koje stvarno nisu loše. One thing koji appreciateam kod njih je da od mora takvih bendova oni su jedan u kojem bubnjevi ne zvuče ko da netko lopatom roka po bačvama kiselog domaćeg vina, that's a nice change. Ili barem ne all the time. Imaju isto dosta specifičan zvuk općenito što mi je kul, iako možda ne zvuče uvijek kao meni nešto predobar bend. Still, kao što rekoh, ima par stvari tu koje su mi oduvijek drage. 3/5, 6.5/10
Tämmönen läpisoittohan tää oli. Ei oo ikinä remmi lähtenyt muutamaa superbiisiä lukuunottamatta. Ei mitään vikaa, mutta ei mitään ihmeellistä
Tää REMi ollu mun mielestä kyllä aina jotenkin niin äärimmäisen kädenlämpöistä, ettei kyllä herätä minkään näkösiä tunteita. Mitä nyt laulajan ääni vituttaa pidemmän päälle. JOS musiikki on taidetta JA taiteen pitäisi herättää tunteita, niin laulun vitutuksen lisäksi aivokäyrä näyttää suoraa viivaa, sen vuoksi YKSI PISTE
Kyllähän tätä nyt kuunteli ihan suht mielellään, ja pari parempaakin kipaletta osunut mukaan, niin annetaan nyt hiukan hövelisti nelkkukelkku.
Ei nyt kauheesti herättänyt fiilareita suuntaan tai toiseen. Tykkään kyl ihan pändistä ja alkupään levyjä oon kuunnellut asioikseni. Vähän ehkä lattee meno yhellä kuuntelulla, mut ei ärsyttänytkään. Remmii vaan kireemmälle ja menox.
Kyllähän remmin herrasmiesrokki aina maistuu. Ei ehkä bändin parhaita levyjä kokonaisuudessaan, mutta muutama ihan jees kappale, kirkkaimpana tietysti It's the end of the world as we know it. Vähän tasapaksua junttaamista saadakseen korkeampia pisteitä.
Liked this more than I anticipated, most songs were good listens without many songs I’d skip
Finally an REM album i don't hate, the hits slap and the duds dont piss me off, which is saying something. Good driving album, none of the songs dragged on, and the whole thing had a nice full sound to it.
Maybe repetitive, but still good. Short, easy accessible songs, many of which sound melodically like “The One I Love”, which is a great song.
this was the REM album I played the most in the 80s
Not their best by any means but a couple of good tracks
I discovered REM with Green, and saw them on that tour. I went back and bought their previous albums. Document is a really good album. I still prefer Lifes Rich Pagent though.
I find it hard to love REM. Their music just doesn't "hit me in the feels." They've got some undeniably quality songs, though, and many on this album. It deserves a . . .
Another classic without a single bad track.
I’m between a 4 and 5 on this album, but I will round up. All three of my kids (22, 19 and 11) know and love It’s the End of the World… completely independent of me. That’s kind of amazing, and fitting for what you could argue is their best song. I don’t really like the late album run of Fireplace to King of Birds. I appreciate them trying something outside their comfort zone with Lightning Hopkins, but that one in particular work. That said, lots good ones on this record and Distrubance at the Heron House is a personal favorite.
Easy 5 for me, as forecast when we rated Murmur. Exhuming McCarthy and Strange are my favorite not-as-well-known-as-the-two-massive-hits tracks. I didn't realize the latter was a cover for a long time, but it and Superman and Toys in the Attic and the Hindu Love Gods album confirm my opinion that REM is a great cover band, as well as great at most other things. Anyway, back to this: the last four tracks aren't as flashily great as the rest, and I confess that back in the day I didn't listen to them as much as the part before, but they are excellent too.
5/5 - This is an easy 5 for me. I had this on cassette when I started driving, and I played it on endless loop back then. Every song here has its own mood and is so distinct, but I recognize much of that is from familiarity. One of the best albums from the late 80s.
Favorite Track: One I Love
strange guete produkt
This album is best described as jangly, poppy indie rock before indie rock was a thing. It's obviously influential, being the breakthrough album of one of the biggest bands of the 90s. The lyrics are quite good, and the lead and backing vocals are both good, if not excellent.
Good stuff
Such good vibe on snowing day at my small room alone in the morning. Makes my mood to lift and want to continue today. Really like guitar in this album, maybe 'cause it's closer genre to me and overall songs are in my taste. "Finest worksong", the first song in the album, was a great start and I liked it to a good degree as I added it to spotify liked playlist. Did like "It's the end of the world as we know it" too, hits right there. The album was great at start and mid, but kinda starts to fall in the end. Not to offend, just not as good as at the beginning, still decent songs. Overall, I rate this album pretty high, 8.3/10
A great album by a great band. College radio wouldn’t be what it is without these trailblazers.
One of my top 20 albums. File under Fire. I saw REM on this tour and met the band backstage. How else can I rate this other than 5 stars.
Another forgotten gem from my youth. While no "Life's Rich Pageant", this album still has plenty of that lush sound I love so much from early days R.E.M.
I heard Losing my religion by REM previously, and this song is super annoying for me. The guitar is very annoying, and the vocalist's timbre is also annoying to me. And this album has the same annoying guitar and main vocalist, so it's a pass from me. I'm giving it 2 stars because the album has energy, and I'm sure some people might find it good. Oh, and one more thought that I had in my head while listening to the album was: It feels like I'm at my classmate's house, and his dad forces us to listen to his band's music.
gut, aber rem hat bessere alben
Surprisingly great album. Like hearing the crossroads of 80s and 90s indie rock. You can hear earlier influences like The Smiths and then feel their own influence to come with bands that will emerge after them. Good production and performances, really solid overall.
Solid album
Great, as always!
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I’m Here for it
non è che sia chissà quanto male ma mi sono rotta di ascoltarlo
Meh, monotono
Never really gotten into R.E.M. but this was pretty decent.
Not in my top three REM albums but if losing this album loses The One I Love, I'll protect this album with everything I got.
Not as many hits as Green, but def some recognisable stuff on here. Kind of reminds me of Green Day. Fun enough but not that memorable aside from the hits.
Brought back great memories
great, atemporal
Pleasant but didn't wow me.
I swore I already listened to one, but apparently this is my first R.E.M. album from the list. I'll admit that, for reasons not fully known to me, I've never particularly cared for Michael Stipe. Maybe I saw him acting too self serious in an MTV interview once upon a time or something. With the exception of the unavoidable radio hits (a few of which are featured here), my prejudice has kept me away from the R.E.M. catalog for most of my life. I'm willing to put that to rest and see what I've been missing... but does this list really need four R.E.M. albums? let's find out! I'm obviously jumping into the middle here. This is the band's fifth studio album and I'm coming in with basically no context for the four prior albums. My first impression is that the lyrics are very punk rock, but the overall sound is... not. If punk rock is cheap beer, this feels more akin to a cheap coffee. It's an interesting juxtaposition. "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" bridges the gap a little bit and I appreciate that. For the sake of belaboring a dead horse, we'll say there's whiskey in that particular cup of coffee. There's a thread here that extends forward to "August And Everything After" by Counting Crows (not on the list), which was/is an important touchstone album for me and would be at the top of my personal 'required listening' list. For that influence alone, I probably owe R.E.M. more deference than I've ever given them. R.E.M. deserves to be on this list, but I'm still undecided if I need to do this three more times.
Goofy songs structure and comically childish lyrics, with the thinnest level of depth possible. One of the most annoying nasally vocals performances I've ever heard as well. No idea how this band is so popular. Wholly unserious album
Great!
I've never been the biggest fan of R.E.M and their overall sounds and hits. Now that I've listened to a full record, I can say that I respect them. Still not my style though.
все хорошо.
Fun and enjoyable. 4/5.
Another reminder of how good R.E.M. were as a four piece. Great, indie rock from a band who were seemingly at the peak of their powers, if not their fame. Jangly guitars fight with distortion and the distortion wins this round to great effect. Stipe's typically obtuse lyrics are here, but the hooks and melodies are so strong who cares what he's actually singing about? Best Tracks: Finest Work Song; It's the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine); The One I Love
Whenever I've tried with R.E.M. in the past, Automatic For The People aside, I've never been that impressed. I just find them mildly boring at best, and quite irritating in some instances. This one began promisingly, but the style of vocals quickly wore thin, and there wasn't an awful amount of variety between tracks aside from a couple of standouts ("Finest Worksong", "Welcome to the Occupation" and "Lightnin' Hopkins"). I know these guys receive a lot of love, but I just don't understand it personally.
I've meant to listen to more of R.E.M.'s albums for years, so this was a treat. Love the jangle pop-ish sound so many of their songs have and this album has two of their greatest hits ("It's the End of the World..." and "The One I Love"). For that reasons, I tried to pick album tracks that weren't those hits to include from the album and that was pretty easy because this is a solid album. Went with "Finest Worksong" and "Strange."
All the songs sound the same to me. I think the songwriting sucks too, they repeat themselves constantly. Don’t think the lead singer has a nice voice. Some of the instrumental parts are cool but doesn’t make up for the rest of it being pretty lacklustre. Wasn’t a very enjoyable experience overall
Sounded good, but nothing I remember.
3/5
R.E.M. is fine, and thats about all I am willing to say about them. This album has a few hits I enjoy, End of the World and The One I Love are as famous as they are for a reason. Its a solid album but nothing really eye-opening to me. I'm not sure if I'm just on the wrong side of the Millenial divide on this one or not. It seems like older Millenials rever R.E.M. and their work and to me as a baby millenial/old Gen-Z they're just another radio rock band.
Decent REM, has a couple of hits, but I don't think it's their best. -It's the End of The World -One I love
Second half makes up for the first.
There are some classic tracks in here, but the album as a whole is not that interesting. Without The One I Love this would be a below average album. Finest Worksong and End of the World are also great. Beyond those its hard to see much value in the tracks here.
Oof
REM albums run into each other a bit, although the run of albums from Green to New Adventures all had some particularly great tracks. Like all of their first five Document is a good album.
Is it objectively bad music? No. Did I like it? Also no. I liked the hits, especially The One I Love and Lightnin' Hopkins, but all the rest sounded the same. I also find the lead singer's voice kind of irritating. 3 out of 5.
Really solid R.E.M. offering. Kicking off with Finest Worksong and also featuring End of The World and The One I Love. This is showcase of a great band that really honed in on what they do. There are other albums songs in their catalog that I prefer but this has been on vinyl purchase shortlist for a while.
REM stepped out of the college dorms for this one and it worked. Scoring them a timeless album that still rocks to this day. One of my favorites from this band.
- ei paskempi meno, oma tuntemus remistä on vaan aivan top kuunnelluimmista biiseistä ja tältä levyltä ei aivan suurimpia rem hittejä paria lukuunottamatta löydy - tämmöseen musaan pitäisi melkein olla nostalginen suhde että lähtis kunnolla - yllätyksekseni nautin levyn vähiten spotifyssä kuunnelluista biiseistä paljon - voisin kuunnella uudestaankin
Same as the others. Some really good songs, some forgettable.
great jangle pop, production could have been better.
A pesar de que aprecio la calidad del trabajo de R.E.M. su originalidad y la particular identitaria de su estilo y sobre todo de la voz principal, nunca logro conectar a un nivel personal con el sonido de la banda. Es una cuestión estrictamente subjetiva, simplemente no me gusta. Dicho esto, estuvo bueno aprender sobre el uso de guitarras jangle, que he escuchado en muchas bandas, pero de lo que no tenía conocimiento hasta ahora. También me aprecio la aplicación de instrumentos como la mandolina, que le dieron un sonido identitario a la banda. Así como considero que la musicalidad y la grabación es buena. Simplemente no conecto con el material.
Not bad, but not anything to write home about.
I liked this album way more than I expected. Their music brings forward feelings of paranoia mixed with a prosperous listlessness that I think really captured this era of American life.
End of the world and this one goes out to the one I love re both iconic songs for me. I didn't love the whole album but it was definitely a nice listen
50/50 some songs were unbearable some i liked hidden gem: oddfellows local 151 is the reason to listen to the end
Generally good, just felt really generic
need to listen to this more. but rn loving the beats and the vibe of it is perfect for autumn.
Some days this is my favourite REM album. Not today, but generally. Professional intriguing mainstream rock.
I’d written a bunch of stuff about this record but somehow that draft was lost to the ether. So, here is a shorter albeit accurate account of this record. It is not R.E.M.’s best record. It is not. Murmer is. And it is not close. Next is Fables. R.E.M. probably does not exist without Big Star, the Replacements, the dBs (Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey), Don Dixon and the whole Athens and North Carolina scene. The guitar work on Document is excellent, Peter Buck demonstrates how to expand what would become alternative rock - jangling guitar with a pop sensibility best displayed on the gems from this record: Exhuming McCarthy, Welcome to the Occupation and the Wire cover, Strange. Stipe is singing clearly, the vocals are crisp and the lyrics interesting and wide ranging. The anti-love The One I Love is a solid track as is Finest Worksong, but these become tiresome as the sugar in them is a bit sweet. So with It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine). The last couple of tracks are just not interesting, save for the closer Oddfellows Local 151 which saves the album from falling of the cliff. This really was a transitional record for R.E.M. as evidenced by the dull title: Document. They were documenting the time when they were moving from college rock heroes to commercial rock stars. Really - go listen to Murmur and discover a band crafting a beautiful record that still holds up today.
This seems really smart.
I've always loved the idea of REM. I keep expecting it to grab me by the balls but it never does. Apart from a few standout tracks this did nothing for me.
chill. ok. some bangers. mellow.
It's the end of the world as we know it seems to be the stand out track. The rest is solid rock, but mostly forgettable. Might have been my cup of tea in yesteryear, but kinda feels like a CD I wouldn't miss too much.
Never listened to an REM album before, but this is pretty decent. End of the World is pretty played out but there is some solid stuff on here.
Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background Easy 5. A foundational building block in my musical journey. Hidden Gem: King of Birds
That one song is real catchy the rest is just okay
This felt pretty meh for me. I didn't hate it, but it was honestly pretty forgettable.
Enjoyed most of it. Nothing outstanding but overall pretty good.
Pleasantly surprised by this. Had heard the singles before but never listened to the album and really enjoyed it, would listen again. Favourite Track: it’s the end of the world
loved it
Finest work song, McCarthy, end of the world
a really great album. this is r.e.m. at one of their peaks. it's dour, a little obtuse, but really catchy and a fun listen. it's got hits on it to draw people in, but the album cuts are equally great. i especially love 'finest worksong.' ultimately, is it my favorite r.e.m. album? probably not. is it one of my favorite r.e.m. albums? yeah
8.09/10 4/5 REM is always pretty good and I love end of the world and the one I love
It's good, but I like what they became after this album more
Decent. Don't care for the vocal melodies or guitars but there is some solid songwriting on here. Favorite songs: Exhuming McCarthy, Welcome To The Occupation.
Really enjoyed the one!
ujdzie, stare dziadki pierdza pod ta sama melodie, nuda
Wszystkie piosenki brzmią dla mnie tak samo. Gdyby ten album był jedzeniem, byłby rozgotowanym kurczakiem z przesolonym ryżem.
Great
Nothing wrong with the album, but I just found myself struggling to stay engaged. Favorite Songs: It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine), Oddfellows Local 151
I've never listened to this album (33). Bald guy stuff, again. Still sucks.
2 classic songs on this album: “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” and “The One I Love,” the latter reminding me of the Smiths.
If this is one of the albums I have to listen to before I die just kill me already. Enough.
Not too shabby
Solid album. Not for me but it was good
When I was young and received the CJP magazine, there was a recommendation for R.E.M. in it. At the time, they were still completely unknown in the Netherlands, yet they were already being recommended. Watch out: this band could become big.
I consider R.E.M. one of "my bands" because their sound captures something that I love and that nobody else has. However, the album experience is a little bit lacking in my opinion — it can be enjoyed, but I couldn't listen to it frequently. With that out of the way, "The One I Love" is one of my favourite tracks ever and many of the progressions in this album are jams. Interesting rhythms, instruments, and lyrics. The band mixes up the tempo then hit a cool groove, meanwhile the great voice of Stipe is waxing poetic and sometimes belts out lyrics. Calm and anger exist simultaneously, and I dig it.
End of the World as You Know It is enough
way better than murmur
One of my all Time favorite bands and my favorite album of theirs. This one is just exactly perfect and does NOT sound like it came from 1987 like so many other records of that era do (hell even In The Dark sounds more 80s than Document). Anyway, there’s hits, actual hits for the first time for them, and there’s an entire side A of killer rocking album cuts and weird shit like King of Birds and Oddfellows on B. I love every second of it, even if it’s what my REM obsessed friend calls “The Safe Choice”
R.E.M. just doesn't do it for me.
Great album with a couple of classics!
Absolute masterpiece by these guys at the height of their powers. Everything came together here as their sound continued in the harder-edged mode of "Life's Rich Pageant" only this time with more politically charged lyrics. "Fire" is the operative word with songs like "The One I Love," "Fireplace," and "Oddfellows Local 151." These songs are fiery and vital and, in these days, seem especially prescient. The song "Fireplace" with its call to anarchy in the face of a crazy world really resonates. And "Welcome to the Occupation" with its anti-colonial stance and "Disturbance at the Heron House" with the line "the followers of chaos out of control" says it all. This album hits hard and is one of their top 3 for me.
I only fairly recently have really realised how great REM were. I know people who were there love the earlier 80s stuff, and i certainly like it, but this is the one where Michael Stipe really spat the marbles out of his mouth and you can actually understand and appreciate the lyrics. As much as I love Automatic For The People and a few other albums, this is the band's pinnacle. The first three tracks, especially Finest Worksong and Exhuming McCarthy, start off the record with such a bang, and then you have the twin titans of End of The World and The One I Love, and it just doesnt let up. It's political (fuck you Reagan and all you've wrought), it's punk, it's fundamental to the history of alternative rock
This is one of my favorite REM albums and takes me back to my carefree childhood days. Improved production and clarity of Stipes lyrics were dramatic steps up from prior releases (although I enjoy those prior releases a lot too!)
The album that introduced me to REM
Strong opening, good hooks. Liking it more than I expected Nearing the end, strong album
Finally an album I have heard before and actually had the cd at one point. Great REM album with the classic jam, It’s the end of the world…
Une belle découverte, parfaite pour travailler!
"Document" is a much better album than "Murmur," showcasing R.E.M.'s growth and sound evolution. I enjoyed it.
Very good. I enjoy REM.
So this is the album that helped REM blow up and of course It's The End of the World as We Know It and The One I Love are songs that everyone has heard before. And their other best known songs came on albums after. The album is very upbeat and just feels optimistic. Michael Stipe has such a iconic and recognizable voice that it's almost a detriment. It sticks out and there isn't much of a vocal range. It's like a kazoo playing in every song, you can always hear the kazoo and no matter what you do, a kazoo sounds like a kazoo. It's a good album, but a couple run-throughs is enough.
This historically hasn't been my favourite R.E.M. album, but I had forgotten how many great songs there are on here beyond the well-known hits, as well as how amazing Michael Stipe's voice sounds. I'm giving it four stars, but it's a narrow miss for five, only because the album's final run isn't quite as good as the start.
Great album
A great album and I feel it’s probably the one that started the golden age of R.E.M. knowing that there is better to come from later down the line this one gets a 4 from me but it is a brilliant album
forgot how much I love REM. Under rated and underplayed (by me)
2/3
Liked this a lot. Weird to call them an underrated band given they did actually achieve massive mainstream popularity, but that's how it feels.
Oddfellows is the best song on this album IMO... the ability to make it sound so 'disregarding' is a trait unique to REM.
Strange was a surprising favourite, a different side to the monotony of ‘that’ REM sound. They all sound the same. Still One I Love - you can’t deny that’s a classic My husband only just learnt that the Chelsi line is Fire not Paella haha
My second R.E.M. album in the space of a week. For me, this one is better than Murmur but not as good as Automatic For The People. None of them, however, are necessary to be heard before death.
Never my favorite, but still good. Have always disliked End of the World
Always brilliant.
I see why this was a classic, but to me it’s quite boring college rock. Probably won’t listen to the album again.
A strong 3. Almost a 4. Wish there were half stars
an ok album
Indie jangle with rock edge.
Mais ou menos, gostei de algumas musicas mas em geral foi mais ou menos
3.5
Pre: I like rem not crazy about the slightly whiney vocal, don't know any songs on this album so will be cool to hear the non radio hits Post: I was wrong and did know a few songs, solid album but not compelled to go back to it
Yes.
3.6
Alright. 3
Good Album
Good classic album
"the one i love" 💖
Good
Didn’t get the chance to listen with 100% focus in all honesty
Some prime late 80s alternative / jangle rock right here. Everyone knows “It’s the End Of the World As We Know It”, but the rest of the album fits in quite nicely. I personally love the dulcimer on “King of Birds” and horns on “Fireplace”. To some this might sound like dad rock, but if that’s the vibe you’re looking for, you can’t do much better than this.
It’s the End of The World and The One I Love are great but the remainder of the album was disappointing. They were to go on to make better albums.
Some great stuff. I was never big into REM but, I totally get why people did them. Would totally listen to again.
An easy to listen to album with a distinctive sound. Only had heard It's The End Of The World As We Know It before, but the rest of the tracks are pretty consistent too.
Great trip down memory lane. So interesting to listen to the whole album.
1. Finest Worksong - 6 It's not a bad song is but a bit repetitive, especially in the bridge. Instrumentally it's a solid track. Really enjoyable sound on it. 2. Welcome To The Occupation - 6 Standard R.E.M. sounding track. Vocals okay, instrumentally okay, lyrically okay, it's nothing phenomenal but nothing poor either. The melody and pace are the most enjoyable parts of the track. 3. Exhuming McCarthy - 5 It's okay. Starts instrumentally brilliantly but that quickly fades into a less enjoyable sound. Lyrics aren't anything inspiring. 4. Disturbance At The Heron House - 5 Exactly the same problems and critiques as the track before it. Guitar solo is very enjoyable on this track however. 5. Strange - 5 Vocally it sounds rather unpleasant but lyrically it's a lot of fun and instrumentally it's really enjoyable. It's just the grainy rather strained nature of the vocals that keeps this track from being a great one. Almost like a budget Oasis. 6. It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) - 10 The pace of the song and the quickness of the verses is what makes this track so fun. Absolutely legendary track. Lyrically brilliant. The best track on the album so far. 7. The One I Love - 3 Lyrically very boring, it's a completely forgettable track outside of the awesome guitar in the bridge. 8. Fireplace - 2 Even worse vocals and lyrics than The One I Love. Extremely repetitive and boring. The sax, while nice, feels immensely out of place on the track. 9. Lightnin' Hopkins - 2 Vocally very unenjoyable and lyrically not really anything great. Instrumentally the drums are brilliant but they're the only pleasant thing on the track. 10. King of Birds - 3 Lyrics are just rando and at times good, at times completely pointless. The drum is fantastic on this track but that's about it. Sounds like a Renaissance Faire track. 11. Oddfellows Local 151 - 5 Lyrically a lot better but vocally the sound is still unpleasant. Instrumentally a solid track and the guitars sound excellent. They really lead the track well. Average Rating: 4.73 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 2.36 Rounded Down: 2 Stars
Sometimes I enjoy REM, but not today. Kind of a grating winy sound.
Wtf so so bad tried to rip my ears off but it didn’t help
Great record. Finest Worksong is a powerful opener, album cuts (esp. King of Birds) satisfy, and it had the hits it needed. End of the World is… ok, then annoying, but The One I Love is REM at their best. FIIIIIRRRRREEEEEEEEE!!!!
I think of my self as someone who likes R.E.M. I never really imprinted strongly on them in their heyday, but they have some great songs. Maybe I even look a little bit like Michael Stipe? This one is fine.
"Stroke, stroke, stroke." "Stop mocking me!"
Not quite sure what it is but I can't quite enjoy this one too much, maybe it's his voice. Still a decent album
I'm a big REM fan. Love this album, a bunch of great songs on it.
I listened to R.E.M. pretty much from the beginning when their odd, often un-understandable lyrics and different sound were perfect for my late teenage angst. By the time Document came out I was well past that and they changed as well. The lyrics, while still often odd were intelligible and the meanings understandable without digging to deep. For me this is about my favourite period for REM. Of course great music was still to come but for me this was when the changed from a band I listened to in order to seem a bit pretentious, to just plain good music.
Original indie sound, very influential band, enjoyable listen.
Not really that exciting.
#713. Do we really need four REM albums on this list? The answer is no. Unsurprisingly, I think this one sucks just as much as the other three. 2/5: shit.
Classic R.E.M., not bad but after a while it all sounds the same, the last song could've just as well been another song with different lyrics
This was unremarkable to me.
better than murmur, and better for the inclusion of the two big singles, which are undeniable. always liked "end of the world." my favorite thing about them is still peter buck, but michael stipe isn't my least favorite thing on at least those two tracks. something about their sound still goes through me though.
Sadly, I thought this was a guaranteed five great album, but they’re definitely are some stinkers. This band is absolutely phenomenal. Just found a couple songs brought the album down a bit overall great hits and we definitely listen to it again.
I can confirm that Mike Mills is very nice and cool to work with (he is the only member of R.E.M. that I have worked with but I will never miss a chance to mention it)
It's REM. It's good. Enjoyable. Not the best. Just good enough.
Pretty good! Kind of fall vibes!
Ah, I see why this is Radiohead’s favorite band.
One of the best from one of my all-time favs. I appreciate when a band shows many different influences while not trying to sound like anyone else
A damn fine album
This caught me by surprise…strong album, was too young in the 80’s to appreciate
Brilliant
Solid, uncomplicated work. It’s always a jumpscare when one of these has a widely known song on it. I wonder if there’s ever a time when a band compose a song and just know that millions are going to hear it, especially if it’s the song that sounds the most different from the others.
Decent, though the song featured in Family Guy when Peter gets a stroke is a bop. 3/5
Excellent album!
Good album I like song the end of the world and To the One I love
Pretty good. I don't feel like ever listening again but if I was forced to I would enjoy it
I was never a big R.E.M. fan. They always felt too vanilla - they SOUND amazing, I'm not denying that - just they always seemed shallow and vapid, like a corporate pop band - but then again, that could also just be me not clicking with Stipes voice, versus the solidly polished band playing behind him. It's a good album, no doubt. I love "It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - but really, that's it for me. They felt like a band that had a few awesome hits, but a lot of "sounds good" output.
How come REM are always so dull?
All bangers.
Between 17 and 20 I was obsessed with R.E.M. But this album is another of many examples on this list of bland albums by bands who produced brilliant work. Reckoning is, for me, their masterpiece. But I'll take Murmur, LIfe's Rich Pageant, and even Fables of the Reconstruction in a heartbeat over Document. Those earlier works were so artistically powerful that they inspired an entire genre. But apparently they should be remembered for their first whack at making radio-friendly pop. Urgh. As my friend Chris Barron said when this was released, "Michael Stipes' lyrics were a lot better when you couldn't understand what he was singing." It ain't just the lyrics. It's like a nightclub when the lights come on at 2:00 a.m. or a photograph of Monet's Water Lily Pond; sometimes clarity obscures the magic. 425 albums in and my sublist of bands who produced brilliant albums but who have mediocre products on this list now includes: R.E.M. ZZ Top, David Bowie, Metallica, U2, Bruce Springsteen, the Cure, the Black Keys, Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth, Paul Simon, Prince, Miles Davis, and the Go-Betweens. Given the GREAT music that those acts are responsible for, It's remarkable how many misses by them this list contains.
3,5
As is so often the case for me, a band's album with the heaviest guitars is my favourite album of theirs.
60
I like Michael Stipe’s voice. Especially when you can hear the words, which is the case on this album. The songs are good without any obvious filler tracks. A very good rock album! The closing track is a real gem! 4/5
Pretty good, quite similar songs across the album.
Not exactly my first REM record, I think that was Fables, but the first one I actually heard. I have incredibly distinct sense memories of hearing The One I Love on the radio in 1987, but didn’t hear End of the World until sometime in the early 90s, maybe part of a video collection or MTV revue around the release of Out of Time; the ramshackle video made them seem all the more underground/poor/relatable. On balance, however, I’ve never enjoyed Document as much as I always thought I would, at least based on their earlier and later material. It very much sounds like their first big reach to the rafters, not dissimilar from their contemporaries The Smiths and U2 or even INXS and Depeche Mode doing roughly the same either that year or just a few prior. That’s not a criticism, it’s fun to hear big sounding records and songs, just, Finest Worksong is not as compelling as what they would arrive at only a year or so later on Green. My sense is they were still trying to bridge their quieter or subdued material (even the upbeat stuff) to arena rock and just hadn’t put it together yet. Moreover, it’s still a question to me if that was ever the right guise for their talents, given the superlative efforts on Out of Time and Automatic vs the good, but not great material produced for Monster and Hi-Fi (which I love).
Good change from some other music. A few of the tracks were on guitar hero.
middle of the road, probably wouldn't listen to again
It feels fine
My favorite REM so far!
This is middle of the road rock of the time.
I like it more than I love it. The two big singles—“The One I Love” and “It’s the End of the World…”—still hit, but a lot of the rest blurs into similar mid-tempo jangle for me. The sound is sharp and focused (Stipe clearer, Buck taut, Mills/Berry locked), yet the back half can feel samey. Right now it sits in the solid-but-not-ecstatic tier for me.
The singer has such a unique voice. Overall decent though.
It's perfectly fine but I do wonder about albums that have cult followings or helped launch their careers that I'm not blown away by. what was the difference at the time or what am I missing? 3.5*
I actually liked this one. 4/5
Alternative album from before it was really a term that was in popular use for music. The jangly arpeggiated guitars over a more distorted guitar are a hypnotic signature of their sound, and it is all over this album. Solid performances and writing from all involved. The hit tunes from this album were in heavy rotation on the radio through the 90's and beyond. They definitely have staying power, and this album is way before his time.
I don’t get the fuss over REM
Two standouts and the rest is ok. Probably in that 3.5 range.
Classic album, one of my favorites by REM.
I really want to "get" this album. I really want to "get" R.E.M. Not that its by any means bad but I just don't love it like I see other people do and I kinda want to. I liked The One I Love and Exhuming McCarthy ... and of course The End of the World As We Know.
This album feels like all REM albums to me, his voice gets old, the music is somewhat nouveau for the time, but doesn't do much to move me.
Jangly guitars! "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" is a certified existential bop. I enjoyed the overall vibe and restless energy, but many of the songs sounded incredibly similar upon first listen. I'd likely add a couple of the heavy hitters to my rotation, but unlikely to listen to full album frequently.
Solid album, solid band. Very much leans into the indie folk side of punk but there's definitely a punk band in there. As with almost everything else I've heard by REM this album never properly grabbed my attention though end of the world might have done heating it for the first time. They are really good, not amazing, nailed on 4.
Not as good as Automatic for the People. Really like Oddfellows 151, not heard that before. Otherwise, End Of The World As We Know It, and The One I Love are the famous tracks. Didn't find it nearly as irritating as Green.
Not heard this album before. Most of it I thought sounded exactly like that later rem sound that I know them for but not quite there yet. But then there were other songs which were quite different to that later rem sound and more unfamiliar to me as REM. Obviously Stipes voice is pretty distinctive throughout. Maybe this was a kinda transitional album where they found that formula? Not sure if it's just because I'm familiar with them, but "it's the end of the world...." and "one I love" I thought were by far the strongest tracks here. One I love is the best. 3.5 but closer to 4. Automatic for the people still their best for me
Very famous songs on this album. 87 i had no idea. Doing this I have learned about the time periods more. It has been very interesting. The highlights for me were the hits. of course
pretty good stuff
tbh this was better than "Out Of Time" because the vocal felt more dull on it than on this one.
This kicked off a long day of listening to REM.
great album, a little too close from the 80s' rock for me
Another super influential late '80's/'90's alternative group that it seems like everyone loves and I just can't stand. They're just too kitschy and poppy sounding for me. Like, let's have these major chord upbeat sounding songs singing about oppression and some major social injustices. It's just never clicked with me. But, that was the early alternative schtick I suppose.
I was pleasantly surprised by the first REM album I got... which was their debut album. It was almost as if it was the lack of "REM-ness" that resulted in the positive reaction. So, in contrast, this one was very REM-y and therefore, not great, Bob.
Solid album, the use of different instruments and styles work really well.
I guess it’s objectively good but I can’t stand the singer’s voice.
Never listened to early R.E.M enjoyed it
This one is fine. Didn't love it didn't hate it. 3 stars
Не думал, что в этом списке будет что-то кроме automatic for the people или out of time из репертуара R.E.M. и document слаб по сравнению с этими альбомами
Feeling HATEFUL lfg!!
Good
Oof - really do not like this
I don't get R.E.M. Their music feels consistently mid to me, and I don't really know what am I supposed to like about it. It sounds kinda nice, yeah, but it doesn't do anything special; the music feels formulaic. Most of their songs aren’t really memorable. I don’t hate their output in the slightest, but if I had to choose one artist to listen to on repeat, there would be 200 other ones before R.E.M. (they’d go before 99% of pop rock, though). I don't know. I enjoyed this album fine enough, but It's the End of the World As We Know It and The One I Love were the only songs that stood out to me, because of their fun choruses. This sounds like a R.E.M. album, and that pretty much all I can say. If that's a good thing for you, I guess you would like this, but I feel completely indifferent to their style. 7/10
3/5
R.E.M.'s big breakout album. I totally get how people latched onto this. There are big anthemic songs, hints at the poppier songs that would come later, and a political consciousness that R.E.M. carried with them always. The first half of the album is perfect college rock. The second half, gets a little more experimental, but not that much. Saxophone on "Fireplace", the funkier "Lightnin' Hopkins", the plaintive "King of Birds" (a hint of things to come on Green), and a throwback to their post-punk roots on "Oddfellows Local 151". Overall the quality is exceptionally high, but I find that, while this second half is still good, there's just not as many memorable songs. Still a banger.
I love this album so much. By the time it released Document, the band’s sound was mature—but still, thank goodness, quirky and distinctive. Delicious! “Finest Worksong,” “The One I Love,” and “End of the World” would be enough to get me to five stars. But I’m pretty much *just* as keen on the deep cuts, especially “Exhuming McCarthy” and “Oddfellows Local 151.” The album is solid from start to finish. There’s simply no doubt: it’s a five-star offering. R.E.M. was one of the two or three preeminent bands of what I think of as *my* time, and this album shows the band at the start of its (long) peak. So, naturally, it has been one of the soundtracks to my life. Sniffle.
possibly not bad but I don't like it
Sometimes, it's hard to remember that R.E.M. every happened.
If I could give 3.5 stars, that’s what I would give this album but unfortunately I can’t so 3 will have to do Despite a few low moments, there was a ton to like here… -Michael Stripe delivered great vocals on just about every song -A big hit in It’s the End of the World… -A perfect runtime and amount of tracks, which made the listening experience even better There was a few forgettable songs, but the strength of the rest of the album more than made up for it Favorites: None Honorable Mentions: It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine), Lightnin’ Hopkins
No strong feelings. Not bad, not my fav
This album starts to see REM transition from indie jangle into more "alternative". Not my favorite REM, but overall still great. 4.5/5
Awesome album. Brings back lots of memories
I personally really like Michael Stipe's voice, but I know it's not for everyone. However, a pretty mid-album with their singles really being the stand out tracks (It's the end of the world... & The one I love)
I've always liked R.E.M. but hadn't heard much of their earlier stuff. I really liked this album. The distinctly R.E.M. harmonies, Michael Stipe's unique voice and the understated guitar are all great. It always seems like R.E.M. have just done their own thing and it has always worked for me.
I’ve always been a solid 3 on REM. I like some of their hits but never really my fav.
Solid album
I didn't realise there were so many bangers on here. I particularly liked the second song, Welcome to the Occupation
A document of a solid rock band
Not my jam for sure.
Demasiado convencional para mis oídos curiosos y mi hambre de escuchar algo con carácter que me llene.
Good album with politically charged lyrics/intent and snacks, punchy music. - 3.5/5
Love his voice
Kul val av album, inte så öppenbart. Särskilt som Document också är sista albumet på lilla IRS innan man blev sajnade till storbolag Jag är svag för R.E.M. åren före genombrottet med "Losing my religion". Båda albumen "Document" och "Green" är genomgående bra, lägg därtill en rejäl bunt fina singlar så har du ett 80tal som inte skäms för sig. Det låter indie utan att vara det minsta svårtillgängligt eller poserande Tre helt strålande singlar i "End of the world", "Worksong" och “The one i love". Den senare kvalar med lätthet in på min topp 20 lista av bästa gitarrpoplåtar från 80talet. Men skivan är jämn och i stort sett fläckfri från bottennapp, det är ett band som här vuxit in i sin kostym. Vill gärna lyfta Peter Buck som får alldeles för lite kärlek. Han är otrolig på att hitta små finuerliga men bedårande gitarrslingor, en amerikansk Johnny Marr fast kanske ännu mer karaktäristisk. Stipe däremot är ingen vidare sångare och jag kan förstå om man har problem med honom, det har jag själv i stunder. Men aldrig så det stör helheten märkvärt. Fyran är stabil varken uppåt eller neråt, det här är kvalitetsindie från 80talet. Lyssna också på The House of Love - The House of Love (88), The Triffids - Born Sandy devotion,
REM pre-Losing my Religion, när de fortfarande kunde kallas alternativa och lät lite råare. The One I Love och The End of the World As We Know It känner man ju till. Resten har jag nog inte hört tidigare. Även Finest Worksong och Stange är bra. Trots det kan man förstå varför det megastora genombrottet skulle vänta ytterligare några år. Stipes sång är absolut där. Men låtarna lite identitetslösa överlag.
Jag har svårt att förstå varför detta album finns med i boken. Ett helt ordinärt rockalbum. Dessutom ett ganska tråkigt sådant med svagt låtmaterial. Stipes gnällröst är svår att ta till sig. Texterna ska tydligen vara bra sägs det. Men vem orkar lyssna när framförandet går en att räkna minuter och sekunder till skiten är slut så man kan spela nått bra istället. 😴
Det är inte uselt, med det är trist. Här finns ingen låt som jag vill höra igen. Inga melodier som sticker ut. Väldigt grå produktion.
Not for me
Can I be honest? I never got the amount of hype for REM.
Solid. But, the thing I find with REM is that they’re not always great at stringing together a 10/10 record. This is one of those. It’s a solid effort, but it’s not Out of Time or Automatic for the People. It’s not even Orange or Monster. But it’s largely decent. It has a couple of my fave REM songs, and most of the others are solid, but there are a few skippable tracks. 3.5/5