Reviews (page 8 of 13)
A solid album that establishes the band as being ahead of the curve in many respects
I like this album but I'd challenge it's need to heard before you die. It's not that different from other better REM albums.
I know R.E.M., but mostly just the hits, so this album was a fresh listen for me. "It's the End of the World as We Know It" is a masterpiece of a song that feels really fitting for the world we are living in at the moment. Even though it was one of the tracks I already knew, it still deserves the number one spot in this review. The other big hit from the album is "The One I Love," but to me, it sounds a bit more like "typical" R.E.M. It’s okay, but it doesn't quite hit the threshold for a song I’d want to put on my playlists. On the other hand, one great and upbeat find from the album was "Exhuming McCarthy." After reading about the background for this song, also it seems really fitting to today's time and place. Sound-wise, the record has nice 80s drum sounds and some great drum and guitar moments.
parece musica de pai
o álbum é ok prefiro outras do REM
I enjoyed this one, and may listen to more R.E.M. after this. I wasn't blown away though, overall. 6/10
Not bad, but I think it´s not for me, i mean, its R.E.M, they are big, but this album is not catching me, they have great songs in it as The One I Love or It´s the end of the world as we know it, great ones, by other hand, i prefer the next albums or the next perior of the band. My rate to this one will be a 6.
Fine, couple of hits. Not life changing.
Cannot get behind his voice
Stipe can write the fuck out of some lyrics. The instrumentation was a bit too bouncy for my personal taste, albeit it's clearly a brilliant album and you can hear how much influence it's had in the artists that came afterwards.
Never listened. Expectations: Mid - Verdict: Very Good - Finest Worksong comes flying out of the gate with a great riff. The basslines are really good on the first few songs. Strange is very direct for R.E.M. and reminds me of something I can't quite put my finger on but I like it. The End Of The World As We Know It is a change of pace and then The One I Love takes us back to the moodier vibe. Lightnin' Hopkins is another odd track that just seems to work. I would have to give Murmur another go but I think this is my favourite R.E.M. record so far.
Mmkay
R.E.M. was never my cup of tea. There are some good song on here, but I find it hard to get past the droning vocals. Its a very... medium energy throughout punctuated by mountains of gated reverb on the drums. I was whelmed. Its not a very far leap from here to the beginnings of grunge. "End of the World" and "The One I Love" are pretty clearly the top songs here for me.
Rounding up to 3 because I can’t give 2.5
It is an REM album. What else can you say? It is fine, but not great. 6.5/10 Top song The one I love
Good record
vocals are a burden on enough songs to hold it back from an otherwise easy four stars
gostei do som dos instrumentos, particularmente da guitarra. achei uma vibe. deve ter sido legal escutar esse album nos anos 80
Good enough for a three
REM & Document provided a soundtrack of the 90s, directly & by influence. But while Stipe’s voice & their overall sound were immediately recognisable, it often feels laboured. End of the World though deserves its place as an icon.
Holy shit how are there so many R.E.M. albums fml. That being said this one is just as okay as the others so it gets a 3
This probably should have been the only R.E.M. album on the list because this is like all the hits I guess. Even though I liked automatic for the people I genuinely think I feel inclinded to give this a lower rating basically because it's the third one we've listened to and I don't feel like I like it enough to tolerate That
fucked that I really liked the second half of this one. 3.5. Best REM
chicken little soundtrack it gets a 3
best one yet in the challenge. high 3 this time
not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue
Tämäkin REM kuulosti REM:ltä, menevää musiikkia, laulannasta en suuresti välitä, mutta sopii kyllä kontekstiin. Varmaan olis fiksumpi taas jos kuuntelis ja keskittyis lyriikoihin, mutta harvoin semmoseen tuntuu keskittyvän, ainakaan noin ensikuuntelulta. Ei säväyttänyt, muttei ärsyttänyt - eli oikee mid (ei teinien/lasten mid)
Dull, sounds like a bad intro to a cartoon from the 90s. It isn't painful, but it isn't enjoyable.
Rocksito chill, mejor que television
Buen álbum, tiene ése tono de rock alternativo típico que no falla acompañado de dos hits y otros temas que no conocía están buenos, escuché el remasterizado digital del 99' porque el original se escuchaba medio bajo y con poca calidad, se notó el cambio.
I mean, it's fine. I liked 'Finest Worksong', the opener, and of course 'The One I Love' and 'It's The End Of The World As We Know It'. But the rest of it just kind of blends together. 3.
Bueno
Decent yall
A funny little album, would listen again, definitely recommending for everyone who know just the basic opus of this band 😎
on one side, i don't really like the sound of REM. On the other, some songs here surprisingly are bangers and deviations of that sound. So 50/50
Its crazy that their best song had to be community submitted. This is a more an album before Out of time, both in time and how much i appreciate it. The one i love is a good track doe. I liked Green the album more
Decent album! Bit droning but that's REM. 3/5
don't like this particular R E M album rate a 3
The R.E.M. Effect: When a good band that makes some great songs but also some bad ones becomes a fad and gets called the greatest band in the world. (also see: Coldplay) I remember this as the album when critics started calling R.E.M. an all-time great band. There are some really good songs here -- Welcome To the Occupation and The One I Love stand out, and It's The End of the World... is still a hilarious batshit-crazy classic. But there are also some real clunkers: Exhuming McCarthy is sloppily played, and Strange is just bad. Why did people fawn over this album? To be fair, a couple of future R.E.M. albums were a lot more consistent and complete. But this one exemplifies how much of a mixed bag their output was.
I love R.E.M. but I don't like this album. This album doesn't have the Sabrina the Teenage Witch vibe that I'm looking for.
loved the vibes. feels like autumn and would listen to this at a park in a swing set. I favorited about 3 songs. Overall it was pretty good. 3.8/5
I always think I'm going to like REM more than I do. I do own Automatic for the People in Highschool, but even then I don't think I loved it in the way I did the alternative bands I was listening too at the time. And this has a couple great songs but otherwise feels like they could be any cover band playing songs I don't know in a bar somewhere.
I keep wanting to make a project of getting into REM and it never seems to stick. There are parts of this record I love like Finest Worksong and End of the World, but then also lots of blah tracks. I'm going to keep working on it.
Please do NOT beat me death to hammers, but I think "Its the End of the World as We Know It" may be one of the worst songs ever written, "We Didn't Start the Fire"-core "One Week"-core, absolutely corny in the least camp way possible. Broadly, this album is fine, I really cannot stand the lead singers voice but it is saved by some good backing. While it was certainly easier listening than Murmur (the only other R.E.M. album I have heard) I liked it less. 3/5
3 stars
This album marked the beginning of my love for R.E.M. I can’t remember whether it was on the radio or on MTV when I first heard “The One I Love”. But I liked it. Finally, a new band with a (back then) fresh sound that really grabbed me. I remained loyal to the band right up until they split up, even though my enthusiasm gradually cooled. At some point, they perhaps became too big for me, and all the albums after the excellent ‘Up’ left me cold (even before that, I’d struggled with ‘Monster’, which I considered a failure). Today I listen to it with more distance; even on this album, not all that glitters is gold. But the raw urgency of R.E.M.’s music and Stipe’s cryptic yet somehow hypnotic lyrics were good companions to me for a long time as I was growing up.
Don’t remember but I dont think it was my fav
Un rock progresivo se podría decir, acompañados por la voz bastante singular de el vocalista del grupo, en su gran mayoría evocan tranquilidad o al menos no pasan al lado de un rock pesado, de hecho no me parece que acá en este álbum arriesguen mucho The End of the World es la canción que sobresale
Decent jammailut. Entiedä voittaako toista remiä.
It’s the end of the world
*Document* sees R.E.M. toughen up their sound, resulting in a hard-edged approach that actually serves their songs better than the hazy cloud of guitars employed on their previous records. This tightness of focus allows the melodies and chords to have an exceptionally strong impact. The songwriting isn't consistent all the way through and Stipe spends a little too much time on his soapbox, but on the whole this is one of the better entries in the band's catalog.
asasdasdasdasdasdasdasdasdasdasdasdasdasdasdasdasdasdasdasdsa
My first of the 1001! R.E.M. is one of the those bands I'd been meaning to listen to forever, but could never find the excuse to. I quite liked it, I love Michael Stipe's voice, and I love his lyrics, they're so visceral and clever as well as being incredibly catchy. Although overall I feel it couldn't decide weather it wanted to go full-on hokey pop or stick with their moody alt rock roots, and I vastly prefer the latter. This is exemplified when you compare a song like "Welcome To The Occupation" and "It's The End of the World As We Know It", these are entirely different songs that feel they were written for entirely different albums. Good, but not my favorite. Excited to hear more of their material!
Eh
I do like the harmonies.
Good album.
I want to like REM more than I actually like REM. There are some great songs on here, but I've always thought their singles are better than their albums.
R.E.M.!
Hasn't aged nearly as well as I remembered it, what an uneven record
Not unique enough
I do like REM. They have some amazing songs, but for me a lot are kinda forgettable. This album has "the one I love" which is awesome, but a lot of the rest of it I'm not massive on
incrível como a primeira metade é bem mais ou menos e de repente o álbum resolve que ele precisa dar um jeito de ser melhor.. não sei se deu tempo de consertar mas é preciso valorizar esse esforço na reta final!!
Alright, a couple classic REM track of course....
Mir hat die E-Gitarre durch das ganze Album sehr gut gefallen, die Musik war gelassen und ich konnte mit ihr im Hintergrund super online shoppen. Es ist auch auf einer Wellenlänge mit meinem normalen Musikgeschmack, deshalb war es sehr angenehm, dieses Album anzuhören. Ich würd's noch mal anhören, aber keine Songs jetzt zu meinen Lieblingen hinzufügen.
Album sympa dans l'ensemble mais rien ne sort vraiment du lot. Note : 3 À réécouter : Oui
It’s a nice listen.
Meh....
Kind of fun. The group does seem to have a kind of unique songwriting voice. The two popular singles in the middle back to back are really great
It's alright. REM is pretty meh overall. It's The End of The World as We Know It is a great track, though. There are some other decent tracks here, and nothing objectionable.
Pretty good, the two big tracks, "The One I Love and "End of the world as we know it" are well worth it, and the rest is the normal high standard you get from REM.
Surprisingly pleasant. I feel like most songs can fit a coming-of-age countryside movie in the good sense. Countryside rock? Maybe. Oddfellows Local 151 and, of course, The One I Love are the best songs!
Perhaps it's not the best kind of albums to give this days, because I usually like r.e.m much more. It's not one of their best projects in my opinion. Some songs slap though. A very good band, not the best connection with me today. Sadly. Welcome to the Occupation is an unbelievable banger Overall it's a
Nicee…full of solid catchy songs with some anthems peppered here and there..overall enjoyable…but nothing revolutionary, groundbreaking, or exciting(and not all music has to be either).
Pretty cool cover I guess. 3/5
ja kann man mal hoeren, bischen background music, late night hangouts draussen mit Ariel vibes
I do love me some dad rock and some messaging was quite good, however it got kind of repetitive. REM have a distinct sound and don't really waver from it.
Kunne godt lide det, men sangeren var jeg ikke helt vild med.
Really good album. Every time I listen, I think "college radio!" even though this was on college radio years before I actually made it there. One of those albums that gives you nostalgia for a time you didn't experience. I need to give it more listens. I suspect it's more of a 4, but on initial listen, I'll rate it 3. I'll keep coming back to it.
После продиджи слушать этот альбом было ошибкой
Nothing memorable honestly
It honestly wasn’t my favorite on the first listen. But that’s how most of my favorite albums start. I think a couple more listens and I could get more into it. I was a bit distracted and craving higher BPM so that could be why. If I was a bit more emo it could be big
Decent enough time capsule. A few of the songs fall down. Others hold up, but ultimately it is a decent album, nothing more.
Conocia dos que me gustan y el resto me cansaba un poco de escuchar
it felt like coming to a record store and saying “please give me 1 music”
Best Song: It's The End Of The World As We Know It. A great song with my favourite combination of upbeat tempo and sombre lyrics. This version does lack some of the speed and energy of the (much better) cover by Great Big Sea. Worst Song: Lightning Hopkins. The vocalist has to know he can't pull off a rock track. He just has to. Overall: A couple classic tracks here, but everything on here that I hadn't heard before did nothing to entice me. It feels like since their time in the spotlight, their best songs have risen to the fore, and there isn't much in the leftovers worth re-visiting.
not bad. 3/5
3 1/2 Stars: I always found Document an interesting turn in R.E.M.'s career. You can clearly hear the band with one foot in their indie college radio roots while the other is stepping into Top 40 radio friendly hits. All in all the band sounds dialed in here. Lyrically Stipe's singing about the same things that are just as relevant today. Not my favorite R.E.M. but a band clearly growing towards something here.
Uf que decir, me gustó el toque político, medio irónico rebelde, lo volvería a escuchar para darle un significado diferente a los temas, dentro de todo muy bueno
Not my type of music
Maso
7.3
Klassisk REM
2026.04.01
2.72
Sonaba bastante actual para ser de 1987. Aprobado. Música de ruta a la mañana
tava achando que as músicas seriam todas iguais, mas me surpreendi com o som moderno. tenho a impressão de que muitas bandas posteriores se inspiraram nesse som. bom álbum. exhuming mccarthy ficou na cabeça.
This is my first album of the challenge. It was quite new but I feel there's no comparison here. On an absolute scale, 6 on 10
Upbeat R.E.M. album with multiple anthems. Cover of Wire’s “Strange.” “Lightnin’ Hopkins” is an odd song, spastic rhythm, chanting, and horns. Closing song “odd fellows…” is another odd song out with a dark feel, discordant guitar and heavy bass.
Favorite track(s): Welcome to the Occupation, It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine), The One I Love
3.5 - Some decent songs but not the greatest feature of REM.
2.5
3.0
Great album, lots of different sounding songs, just not my cup of tea.
Some good tracks but didn't gain loads from it, always fun to hear a song I know though without expecting
I’m not the biggest rem fan, but this album is a classic. It definitely is a sound that got more polished as time went on when on but as a collection of songs, I think it’s a bit under done. There are a few songs I really like but others feel repetitive.
- Genre: rock - i didnt like it that much, not my fav genre of rock. - But, there are some good songs there. - 7/10 album, not that bad but still not my favorite genre.
I struggled to care about this album. Nothing wrong with it per se, just sort of whatever.
not my go to REM, and starts slow, but builds. will listen again
From College Rock darlings to the big time, this was the big breakout with MTV and One I Love and End of the World. A sneaky Wire cover was a nice surprise. It's not my favorite REM but it's not my least favorite REM. A Goldilocks album.
I had higher expectations for this, thought I would like this but for me all songs seemed the same.
Not their best album
Like yeah pretty fun but I can’t work out if I like the way this guy sings or not. Was starting to piss me off but then became kind of a vibe?
Not their best
favorites: finest worksong; exhuming mccarthy; it's the end of the world
Fun rock album. The first four songs really hooked me in particular although it lost me with the middle part (except for the big hits), until picking back up again near the end. Most songs feel a little bit same-y though, which is unfortunate. But I can't deny they sound really tight on this record, and the musicianship is awesome to listen to. 3.5/5
Very good
Finest Worksong verdens første grunge-song? The One I Love verdens første post-grunge låt? Skjønner ikke vitsen med å covre Wire. Minner meg bare på at jeg kunne hørt på bedre musikk. End of the World er en bop. Fortsatt ikke solgt på REM.
Mellomplate mellom den mer skitne rocken de holdt på med før og den mer strigla poprocken de holdt på med etterpå. Funker sånn halvveis, her kunne de like gjerne tatt steget helt til poprock, og det er på hitsa de låter best.
1987 More audible lyrics and harder rock sound. Has a more political undertone.
Думаю, достаточно типичен для того времени - немного гаражный рок и двуголосье в вокале. Почему то, напомнило весну, весну года 2019-2021, когда я шла со школы, и еще картинками в пинтерест весенними, когда только закончился дождь и выглянуло солнышко. Первая песня была по звучанию немного грустной, но потом остальной альбом держался плюс-минус на одном уровне по настроению. К концу ( ну ток Fireplace, Lightnin` Hopkins) стало поинтереснее, трубы в в LH прям оч хорошо Состарился, думаю, состраился еще в начале 00х. Не думаю, что буду к нему возвращаться хехе
Mmm no hay algo que destaque de este album para mí, no es un mal álbum pero hasta ahí
It's hard to pin down exactly why I like this album. But I do. Unfortunately I also listened to this album multiple times while putting together IKEA furniture, which may have colored my opinion of it. Sort of cheesy and fun in its own way.
this album makes It's The End Of The World sound annoying. otherwise i like it! i only have a vague awareness of R.E.M., but the record still didn't really measure up to the R.E.M. highs i was aware of. the lyricism was cool and some of the tunes were catchy. favorite song is probably Lightnin' Hopkins
Rating: 7/10 R.E.M. is a surprising blind spot for me as I really haven’t gotten into them before, and Document is an interesting one for me. The songs can really verge on annoying sometimes but can also be really enjoyable. I didn’t really especially like the last few tracks of the album, which didn’t help with the length of them. There’s some bangers though. This is clearly a very influential band, they have their own brand of the post-post derived jangly sound of the 80’s while also having aspects, good and bad, that really influenced some 90’s stuff in the pop/rock field that I don’t enjoy. it’s the end of the world as we know it it’s the end of the world as we know it it’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine it’s the end of the world as we know it it’s the end of the world as we know it it’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine it’s the end of the world as we know it it’s the end of the world as we know it it’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine
It's fine, I'm not a fan of the "formula" and vocals in general, even if the album is a little interesting song-to-song with almost interesting ideas. In short, I almost like it 5.1/10
For the most part it was fine, I wouldn’t mind hearing it but I wouldn’t choose to put it on. A few songs I did add to my library
Not my favorite REM album, but as with most of their albums there's are some real bangers and some fairly forgettable filler.
Solid listen, couple of big hits in there too.
86. lightnin hopkins
The hits are great but the rest of the album feels kind of soulless. The vibe I get is a very technically proficient cover band working on a cruise ship.
As is the way with REM this contains a couple of absolute Crackers (End of the World &The One I Love) ; a couple of things that make you go hmmm (Finest Worksong has you wondering how many tines they listened to U2. Lightning Hopkins makes you want to listen to Ligtning Hopkins instead) and a few songs that you'd cheerfully skip. (Looking at you Exhuming McCarthy) Wouldn't be my first choice to play.
Pretty decent rock album not bad 7/10
6/10. Fav Track - It's The End Of The World As We Know It The first album where I already had some listening experience with two of the songs, which needed little to be enjoyable. The rest of the album had a similar sound but only really peaked one or two more times for me.
Ok for rem
Joda
Довольно просто Не очень хитово Вокал не надоедает Инструментал разнообразный 3.2
Really mid start but peaked in the middle with end of the world and the one I love. Ending finished like the start in that it was mid. Overall, not a fan of the production of the album.
This was pretty good.
Such an iconic sound. As soon as I heard the first song I knew which songs were coming (2 in particular). I probably won't be seeking out the rest of the album again, but it was fine to listen to today. Just not entirely to my taste. Happy to hear out in the wild
Decent album but not their best. Only 1 single I recognize and that one not great.
meh
Love this album for when I'm grinding. Keeps the focus
Holy man wails, batman. I can appreciate a good man wail but wouldn’t typically listen to a whole album of it. The hits are great of course, although I realized I only really like the chorus of “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It.” My favorite song on the album is easily “The One I Love.” The beginning of “Lightnin’ Hopkins” felt like a skim milk version of The One I Love.
A fine album. REM has a very recognizable and interesting voice. I didn’t dislike or lose interest in any of the songs, listening to each of them all the way through. I wouldn’t mind having the album on again in the background. However, I don’t think I will be revisiting it again to listen to with intentionality. The two hits on the album, End of the World as We Know It and The One I Love, are the only tracks I liked enough to save, but they are good hits.
Some good somgs but I was bored
I haven't been much of an REM fan over the years. I don't dislike them, but other artists are ahead, however, this was better than I expected and I actually enjoyed it. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit 🫳 Fine ★★★☆☆ (6/10) Total reviewed : 240 Already owned : 54 Purchased : 12 To buy list : 3 Nope : 171
Not an album I would have normally listened to but it wasn’t bad, more diverse than expected
I thought that while the quality of the songs were high, none of the songs really shone bright to me. Some songs I really liked, but the rest just didn't stick out at all
Not the best REM record front to back but there are some classics, One i love, and discovered a new jawn i like, Oddfellows Local 151. Can’t say its one id just let play all the way through if i owned the record, its just not my style
Enjoyable
Not bad. More alternative than [[Rock]]. Pretty jammy. Not bad. High 3.
damn i dont like rem
REM is definitely appealing to me. On a first listen, I can’t quite follow the lyrics but I can tell they are interesting and have depth. The music is creative. The overall sound would have very much appealed to a younger me - for me, right now, in need of solace and comforting, it’s too jagged. A high 3 in my current state.
R.E.M is one of those bands that I respect, but will never love. They’re the opposite of your mum.
Well, this has a couple of crowd pleasing favourites on it. As a band I used to quite like, though from a bit of a distance, again I expected more from this album. It is though less disappointing than the last one on this list. Perhaps I’m being generous. It is a good album, well produced and executed.
Like REM in the abstract. This felt schlocky somehow, with the sharpness of some of their other stuff.
Loved the first album, Reckoning, more romantic melodies, the singing was lower, mumblier, almost impossible to distinguish the lyrics, sounded a lot closer to Dire Straits minus the virtuoso guitar. On this one I find the harsher cleaner sound really forgettable. Except The End of the World, that's just plain grand.
I feel as though id have to re-listen to give a more accurate review, but tbh i think thats just how the list goes. Somedays there more effort and time to listen more in depth, and some days you just gotta skim through. Other than its the end of the world and the one I love, I dont think was anything too crazy to write home about? Love the end of the world as we know it though, feels like theres a lot of albums on this list that just house these one hit wonders, so its interesting to hear the songs that accompany them.
The album probably deserves a higher rating. But ever since Shiny Happy People came out, the sound of REM has become an instant spawn for anger spren.
Lingers in your head
When this came out I was in highschool and already an REM fan and thought this was when they "sold out" lol. A lot of the songs fell flat for me then (and now), and I wasn't a fan of the lead single (One I Love) but there were some highlights, and mediocre early-REM was still better than 99% of what was out there.
(67/100)
Probably more like 3.5 for me, I knew a couple of songs off of this but never heard the majority pretty good album.
Not bad, but I'm definitely not a fan.
This was great
I liked the album, the vocals are interesting Fav song - It's The End Of The World As We Know It 3/5
I rated this a lot higher on my previous listen, according to my Spotify likes. I like REM, but I find myself not listening to them very often. This one was too grating for today, but that's probably mostly on my current mood.
It was ok
I preferred the other REM album
This one ranges meh to timeless. “End of the World” and “The One I Love” are two of the best pop/rock tunes of our time but I’m struggling to find too much else I really enjoy on this one. 6/10 Favorite Track- “Exhuming McCarthy” “End of the World” and “The One I Love”
Didn’t listen the whole way through but liked a couple songs
Solid 3.5 stars
I want to like this, but it's not hitting me.
I liked
Very underwhelmed. Kinda boring. It’s the end of the world really carries the album
If this had a different vocalist it would be a definite 4. Great songs, great guitars, great production. What a shame about Michael Stipe’s voice. Still, much better than Automatic for the People.
Like the other R.E.M. album I got on here, there's some interesting ideas and parts but I'm not fully invested. Cool lyrics.
I don't really like his voice but this is a solid album, with good jangly guitars.
Feels like the 90s. Songs still topical, the world is still ending...
Not their best album, but fine. Includes a couple of bangers
Wierd album, songs all sound the same, decent tho
Album #49 R.E.M.: Document Of the R.E.M. albums that I’ve heard, I’ve enjoyed all of them, and of the ones that I’ve heard multiple times, I’ve really enjoyed both of them (Murmur and Automatic for the People). So I’m unsure why I never decided to give R.E.M. a complete discography listen. To me, they are sort of just an always the bridesmaid never the bride type band, consistently enjoyable, yet never my absolute favourite. When it comes to 80s alternative bands from the United States, I’m far more likely to put on some Pixies or Replacements. But that doesn’t mean that R.E.M. aren’t around that level, they are a band with undeniable hits (which this album has a few of), as well as having really consistent and fun deeper cuts. Document leans more into the sound of Automatic for the People than it does Murmur, more conventional and clean-sounding, with quirky lyricism. I do think that I prefer the earlier R.E.M. stuff, which has a more hazy feel to it for me. End of the World was the first big R.E.M. song that I found, and it probably remains my favourite from this album, such an undeniably fun and energetic song. The only bad thing about R.E.M. is that they spawned a series of imitators who just simply weren’t as talented or clever as them, but thought they were. As a Canadian I have seen firsthand the good and the bad R.E.M. clones, on one hand we have the Tragically Hip who borrow R.E.M.’s sound yet make it their own through themes and lyricism, and on the other hand we have The Barenaked Ladies who attempt to steal R.E.M.’s formula but with even more quirkiness, the result is an abomination like the song “One Week”. Though I wouldn’t put Document amongst my favourite albums by R.E.M., it is still a great album by most standards. I like the commentary on labour throughout, and there really isn’t a bad song here. Best Songs: It’s The End Of The World As We Know It, Exhuming McCarthy, King of Birds Worst Song: Lightnin’ Hopkins Score out of 10: 7.5
Guitar tones and drums are often have an echoey and energetic sound. Bass tone and sound is quite notable throughout the album. Certain lyrics carry strong messages, making it clear what the band stands for. No song on the album sounds the exact same from the last, making every minute feel new and exciting. Standout track: Fireplace.
It's nice but not really my taste right now I am sure there will be a time that I will listen to this. For me it's a 6.5/10
3 decent but not my kind of music
kind of annoying and boring but I liked It's The End Of The World As We Know It
My mum had a crush on Michael Stipe when I was a teenager and, obviously, that was really icky to a 14-year-old girl and that has always coloured my view of REM. That being said, listening now to them as a 46 year old woman, I can better appreciate them. The lyrics are intelligent without being patronising and "ooohhh look at me, don't I know long words". The musicality is spot on and the pace of the album meant that didn't get bored. Surely a 4 or a 5, then??!! Trouble is, I like music to move me. I don't care what it is, just make me feel it. I didn't get that with this album and I don't get it with REM at all. My head nodded along but my heart stayed still. So, 3 stars, I'm afraid.
Very easy listening. Enjoying this so far - more than I was expecting. Good choruses - has a 90s feel to it, which I think, because of that, it does sound a bit dated in places - e.g. 'It's the end of the world as we know it'. A bit twangy for me as an overall sound, but a pleasant album.
É um rock psicodelico, não acredito que seja muito minha vibe.
2 stand out songs end of the world and the one I love. The albums is almost a precursor for grunge .
I can't say I would listen to this album by choice but if someone listened to it or it would come up on the radio I wouldn't be bothered by it. I would describe it as divorced dad rock that you would listen to on a roadtrip with said dad. For me it also sounds like any old Romanian rock band:))) (this band probably was one of their inspirations so it makes sense).
It's an alright one
endof the world as we know it is a banger!
Outside of a couple tunes REM is a band I missed. I hear about them being important to college rock in the 80s but search me if I know why. Still, pretty good music.
Overrated
Unreal jumpscare on this one
it was a decent album! i haven’t listened to their whole discography so this was a great way to start. Theres a few songs I will add to my rotation
not my favorite R.E.M. album but it's good. Scott Litt some rough choices (from the 80s). 'Welcome to the Occupation' is my favorite. IT"S OK
Not much here beyond the two songs I already know. Quite forgettable
Nightswimming by REM was my only experience with this band, and that is such an incredible song !!!! Hate to say it....did not feel particularly strongly ab this album, do not see myself returning - maybe should have done two listens...
Favorite Track: The One I Love
Nice debut album, Songs I like: it’s the end of the world as we know it
Top Songs: It's The End of the World As We Know It The One I Love
Loves this! Trodde inte R.E.M var såhär mångsidiga.
I guess it's a classic?
very good
Some great tunes on this one. I think I'm admitting I like the poppier R.E.M. Is that so wrong?
Having trouble finding something that stands out, but overall it's a nice album so far (up to Fireplace). Will probably rate it 3/5, unless one of the three last ones feels special, then it will be a decent 4/5.
This is the third REM album I've gotten on this list. I still don't particularly like REM, but I thought this one was a decent album. I find End of the World to be an annoying song, especially given how many times I've heard it (not true of The One I Love, which holds up). Without that track, I think this would be a really good album. Still, it's probably my favorite of theirs from the recommendations so far. I would even say it's good. My biggest issue was that I got bored by the end. That's a common thread for me with REM, for what that's worth. I just don't find them very engaging, even if they do seem to do enough to change things up throughout the album. Guess it's a personal preference thing. Overall: 3.25/5
7.5/10 I’m not big on REMs style of music, but I do respect them more than I actually enjoy listening to their music, most tracks here with the exception of a few I would not put on myself but wouldn’t be mad if a friend put it on or I heard it played in a bar. I understand they are a pivotal part of Alternative Rock along with bands like the pixies, sonic youth, etc but they are just a band I don’t entirely get, there are some great tracks on here, notably “the one I love” & “oddfellows local 151” though I think the latter drags out a bit. Overall a good band just one I don’t think I will get into. Favorite song: the one I love Least favorite: king of birds
Great sound the whole time, but a little one-dimensional. I wouldn’t recommend listening past the hits of this album
Vocals not for me
неплохо весело
Next time I get into a 90’s mood this is probably going to be one of my go to’s. Classic sound.
Good music and some recognizable hits. I don’t know much about the political climate of the 80s though.
Buen álbum pensé que sus canciones eran más oscuras tipo "Losing My Religion", que era la única que conocía, me parecieron un poco soundtrack de película universitaria de los 90's, lo cual no hace que sea malo, solo me parece un contraste interesante.
not my fav but a few classics
Gratuitous saxophone solos will almost always make me drop a number off an album's rating. Lucky I didn't give this a 2.
REM has a very distinct sound. I like it! Top 3 songs: Finest Worksong Disturbance at the Heron House The One I Love
Pretty good! It was a chill listening experience. I added two songs. 3/5 ⭐️
Favourite track- it’s the end of the world as we know it
Faves were - The One I Love and It’s The End Of The World As We Know It
I refuse to listen
Another good one from REM. This one was maybe a bit more refined than some others, but it’s not detrimental. Just an observation. I’m rounding this one down though because I think End of the World is so frickin annoying.
it’s no “automatic for the people”, but still a great listen with a couple of fav’s … happy to reminisce and revisit this
Album that could definitely belong in the Cars soundtrack. Would listen to again in long road trips.
Funny voice
Not my kind of music but I’d give it another listen
I couldn’t get through it, it’s just not right for me at the moment
Classic REM
it’s good , adequate reminds me of thrifting as a kid some funky bad boys in the mix okay
…sounds like R.E.M. to me!
bien, no es mi rollo, pero supongo que es mítico. me dio un poco padre de familia que no se sabe el nombre de las amigas de sus hijas.
Jangle pop like The Smiths while keeping most of the 80s pop rock sound. They have some sarcastic and witty lyrics.
I've never been a huge REM fan. This one has a few hits, and I'm sure it's great for fans. Just not my thing.
I don't think I knew what REM sounded like although I'm sure I never would have admitted that. I love that the album is "jangle pop" according to Wikipedia and my ears, but has such impactful and deep lyrics in most songs. I really like the layered instruments with more simple vocals. The saxophone in Fireplace!! The double lyrics in King of Birds!!
REM
A typically solid late 80s alt rock album.
I’ve never liked REM. I don’t know exactly what it is about them I don’t like. Wikipedia categorized their genre as indie and jangle pop and they definitely had a jangly sound to them when I listened to the album that I didn’t enjoy. Also not a fan of Michael’s voice. Giving it a 3 though because it’s not them, it’s me.
first listen meh
Top songs: Finest worksong It’s the end of the world as we know it The one I love
Enjoyed this album. They're a great band but this wasn't one I was as familiar with. Thought the sax bits on fireplace were a cool addition as well.
I like a few songs, but never realllly got into this album.
Classic rem sound
This was an okay first album! Not specifically my type, some of the lyricism was very repetitive and I didn't care too much for it, and nothing was very memorable to me. "Fireplace" however really grabbed my interest because of the sax solos!! Like holy shit where did that come from. Anyways, I'd give this likeeee a 2.5/5, wasn't really my cup of tea, but I'm glad I listened to it!
Good for the time, kinda dull now
Enjoyable, from songs I knew to new ones. Will listen again.
good but i didn’t like all of the songs tho but to listen again
R.E.M. is a band I’ve listened a lot to, but I only discovered them when they released Automatic For The People, so I actually don’t know their first albums very well. Document has three good singles that I enjoy a lot, and I also like the first few songs, but the latter part is rather bland. It’s close to a 4 star album, but only just…
Had a few songs I knew and was nice well put together album
solid welcome to the occupation top song
Niet heel erg boeiend. Vind alles een beetje op elkaar lijken. Twee liedjes kende ik al en die vind ik ook best wel leuk. Een ander aardig leuk nummer dat ik nog niet kende is Exhuming McCarthy
This one was not bad, not great for me! I will always love "It's The End of the World..." but the rest of album doesn't hit as much for me.
i cam take only so much of his voice in this album.
REM is so good, and I love this early stuff that is a little more raw. Highlights: "It's The End of the World As We Know It" and "The One I Love"
No me gustó del todo el álbum, es agradable para tenerlo de fondo pero no tengo todo el contexto sobre su crítica al gobierno y eso le quita algo de disfrute al escuharlo, aún así no me termina de gustar no es mi tipo de música aunque estaría dispuesto a escucharlo otra vez con el contexto presente, mi canción favorita fue "finest worksong"
This album is... better than what I thought it would be. It's not the R.E.M. I remember, it's much more interesting, to be honest. However, it's still not my cup of tea. The album is good though.
C'est pas que c'est pas bon mais c'est pas assez bon pour que ça soit vraiment bon.
Great old college radio rock before they got HUGE.
Same old REM
Pleasant.
Sounds a lot like the tragically hip tbh. Album was good, but nothing legendary. It's the End of the World As We Know It and The One I Love are the only really notable songs from this album.
roger from rent vibes
REM just doesnt quite do it for me. Feels like middle aged man music lol and I just dont enjoy the vocals enough.
It was ok. I recognized It's The End Of The World As We Know It and The One I Love, and even those aren't anything spectacular.
REM is very much a hit or miss kind of band for me, even on an intra-album level. There are some classic songs on here (End of the World, One I Love) and quite a few just nice ones but at least one song has a terrible sax solo and towards the end there is a sort of attempt at funkrock that doesn't work at all. Also, more general, the 80ies drum sound gets on my nerves quite quickly. Nice to have spent some time with it as part of this project but unlikely I will return to it any time soon. Two-and-half stars rounded up.
May be a 4 if it wasn’t as long as it was.
Fun album to listen to
Surprisingly good. I think they somehow got muddled with another band in my head because these songs are great
This music is such a vibe in a sense that it reminds me and melancholic but not sad cloudy day on a spring summer. The guitar riff and tempo are appealing, though a few segments lose their color and slip into monotony
Not bad, though however good the lyrics are the only bit I'll really remember is shouting "Leonard Bernstein"
Fun! Solid 3
...
6.0/10 Some solid tunes but felt it was inconsistent overall.
Enjoyed the lyricism, pretty solid record with some songs that could be written today and the lyrics would still ring very true. 'it's the end of the world as we know it' feels like the anthem of this generation. Look forward to the next REM entry. 3.5/5
3/5 and I mean that in the way a professor says a C or a B is still not bad. It was nice to hear the full album where It’s The End of the World as we Know It (and I feel fine) comes from. I also think a lot of the album is caveman music. It just has a certain unga-bunga to it.
i can play "the one i love" on expert on guitar hero world tour but i'm not very good at "it's the end of the world and we know it (and i feel fine)" on rock band 2 because i didn't have rock band 2 as a kid and the controller felt weird and different so... three stars
There are certainly some jams here, but it all started to blur together after a while. For every song I liked there were 2 that just kinda passed me by. 2.5-3
Allow me to be insufferable about R.E.M. for a moment. In their prime, they were one of the rarest breed of band, where each member was truly in-expendable. The band was run as a democracy, all 4 of them contributed something distinct. All songs were credited to all 4 members. All money was split 4 ways. I think with the vast majority of bands, there’s one or two central figures (usually a vocalist and/or a guitarist) who end up surrounded by a rotating cast of characters. There’s obviously exceptions to that rule (The Beatles are the obvious big one), but R.E.M. is a band with 4 members who straight up cannot be replaced. Michael Stipe is an incredible singer. Bill Berry and Mike Mills, as I said in my Who review, might be my favorite rhythm section of all time. Mills is at the very least my favorite backing vocalist of all time. Peter Buck is not a stellar guitarist but his love of rock music put the band together and we love him for it because passion > proficiency and Buck is a jangle icon. He's the working man's Johnny Marr. When Bill Berry left the band in the mid-90s (he had an on-stage brain hemorrhage and decided to retire from music to become a farmer), they didn’t even try to replace him and spent the last 15 years of their run without an official drummer. They also felt that whole time like they were going through the motions. While there’s some standout tracks, that era is basically consigned to history. I recently read a book about REM that spent 43 chapters on the 16 years that Bill Berry was in the band and 4 chapters on the 15 years after he left. Peak R.E.M. (Murmur - New Adventures in Hi-Fi; the Berry years) , is maybe the most consistently great American rock band of all time. They just flat out did not miss for 10 albums in the span of 16 years. I don't know that I've seen that replicated. All that said, this ranks pretty low in my peak R.E.M. ranking and is definitely my least favorite thing they put out in the 80s. But it has not 1 but 2 bona fide classics, so I get it. Everything else is solid, but the fact that you know exactly which 2 songs I'm talking about is proof enough that those songs are carrying. I think I could nail "It's the End of the World As We Know It" at karaoke if I was drunk enough.
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.
REM is always missing that something extra for me.
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.
Not my favorite REM venture but the hits bring it to 3.5
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.
Great REM album. Really liked it, some songs are a bit samey at times
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
Cover 4 Good album. Very listenable.
5.7
I always like an REM album. Not my favorite but still very solid.
I liked it
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
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.
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.
strange guete produkt
gut, aber rem hat bessere alben