Green

Mid

Listened on the beach in a small southern town. Pretty cool.

Album 248. Green (https://open.spotify.com/album/7rfKAiPs9ToZP9zEJDBqBH?si=875JEUSxSXO4llKfnPNADw) — R.E.M. (1988) It's pretty good, boring, depressing, chill — all simultaneously. Well, classic R.E.M. I guess, but not the best. There'll be 3 more of their albums — a lot of opportunities to compare. 3/5 Liked: — The Wrong Child

Eyy, det albumcoveret er ikke mye grønt. Michael Stipe måtte kanskje bøte med fargesynet for å få seg rå stemme. Som nevnt, vet jeg ikke helt hvor jeg står på REM. Mange av mine favorittband elsker dem, mens jeg forblir litt kald. De har absolutt noen låter. Her liker jeg best det som er mer jangly. You Are the Everything, World Leader Pretend, Hairshirt... Kunne klart meg uten Stand. For noen som åpna skiva med det de mente kunne vært pop ett år (!) inn i fremtiden, høres Stand ut som noe de fant i en tidskapsel som ble begravet fem år tidligere. Heller ikke solgt på Orange Crush, som tydeligvis skal være skivas standout. I Remember California er kul da, høres ut som et annet band. Bastard child av The Cure og Tool eller noe.

This is a good lane for REM

Transitional R.E.M. The qualities that made me love it in the early '90s feel a little tired now, but maybe that's just overexposure. You Are the Everything is still breathtaking.

not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue

Pretty bog standard rock album with a bit of fun experimentation, fair instrumentation and a singing style and lyrics that I don't like. Saved 2 (likely to only keep opening track, Pop Song 86), shelved 2.

Pretty good, I like stand, good

this is the weakest rem album imo, who’s nostalgic dad made this? also no female artists so far… like the medieval feel on you are everything tho! okay tbf hairshirt is p sensational

I liked some of the songs, but I've never loved the lead singer's voice.

This just like every other REM album. A handful of really good tracks, surrounded by blah. This time, the good songs are the opener and “Orange Crush”. Maybe good opening tracks is a pattern, because “Automatic For The People” and “Document” also start with the best song. Anyway, back to this album. “Stand” is one of the band’s most annoying songs. I strongly dislike it. There is a fair bit of guff here. You can tell how talented the band members are; Borge the production and the musicianship are clear, but there are parts which really drag. Don’t be surprised to drift out and wake up again a few tracks later.

At first I was a bit disappointed. I knew R.E.M were a good band and I hadn't heard of this album so I was excited to listen to it. But as teh songs progressed I didn't feel the cohesive excitement and energy I usually feel when I listen to an album. I also felt as I was listening that the songs had a meaning that I couldn't decipher, from lack of context or knowledge. So after I finished it I did a bit of research and found out this was the album that R.E.M debuted with Warner Brothers, they were all turning 30 and suddenly had a wider global audience which meant they could use their platform. All of this ultimately led to this experimental album and the non-cohesiveness of the entire album is explained by their own feelings of uncertainty with all these changes. My favourites are Orange Crush and Stand. But I feel the more I listen to it, the more I will have more favourites. Edit: I actually really like Turn You Inside Out too.

I’m not really sure which subcategory to place REM. They’re definitely a rock band but in an interesting transitional era w a really unique sound. I like them, haven’t done a deep dive, but I have no problems. This album didnt blow my face off, wasn’t a massive disappointment either.

3/5

Great album solid 7.8/10

Embarrassingly I haven’t listened to much REM throughout my life. This album was fun. It’s cute and easy to listen to. It doesn’t wow me but I liked it enough

Pop song 89 - 3/5 Get up - 4/5 You are the everything - 2/5 Stand - 4/5 World leader pretend - 4/5 The wrong child - 2/5 Orange crush - 4/5 Turn you inside out - 3/5 Hairshirt - 1/5 I remember California - 5/5 Untitled - 4/5

This album is fun I really like stand

alla REM låtar låter typ exakt likadant..

gostei de algumas, mas acho q n é pra mim

melhor q o último álbum do REM daqui mas ainda n é WOOOW

- Not a big R.E.M. fan, so credit where credit is due because I lived with the first third of this album; in particular, "You Are The Everything" stands out to me for 1) being more toned down than their usual fare and 2) prominently featuring an accordion which makes me want to hear them do more legit folk. - Found the rest lacking. Stipe's vocals are back and forth for me in general and the lyrics here did him no favors.

Lots to love, but got bored of it by about the second half. Will definitely go back though, liked quite a few of the first half songs in particular. Might give it a very strong 3 stars 🤔

Orange Crush is a catchy song but the rest of the album didn't reach the heights I think other REM albums do

Rv

I had never heard of the band R.E.M. before listening to this and I don’t listen to anything adjacent to their 80’s poppy rock sound, so I wasn’t as into this as a lot of people seem to be. This is one of those albums for me that I turn on and everything just kinda blends together and doesn’t surprise me, especially since I wasn’t really into the sound and what was presented, nothing really threw me off my feet. I don’t really know what the theme of this album is supposed to be besides some songs are political, like Orange Crush, but even in those songs I don’t get the lyrics. So this was definitely an album. Highlights: World Leader Pretend, Pop Song 89, Turn You Inside-Out - Tracks I just remember enjoying the most, nothing really special Lowlights: You Are The Everything, The Wrong Child - I don’t like the use of the Mandarin in You Are The Everything, and The Wrong Child I just remember not liking. Everything else is just alright

2,5 por ser medio 0,5 pelo esforço

Typische REM sound

Leuk

takie ok ale dla mnie nic wyjatkowego

One R.E.M. album was enough thank you very much

I really like REM, but I don't think this is a very good album album, bit long and meandering. Orange crush is great but it's doing alot of work for the more mumbly ones. Maybe its just not good for a hangover ?

Quite enjoyed it! Nostalgic. Stand is amazing. Orange Crush is pretty fab too. Quite a bit of filler.

It's alright, pero no mi género favorito World Leader Pretend es mi favorita, Hairshirt segunda Su voz es muy particular, y siento que eso combinando con sus instrumentales los hacen destacar mucho en este género industrial Siempre muestran mucha potencia y eso le da bastante dinamismo al álbum, desde mi ignorancia a veces si peca de ser algo repetitivo, pero probablemente la diferencia la hacen las letras He de admitir que escucharles me ha abierto la perspectiva a expandir más en exponentes de este genero

As my introduction to R.E.M, I appreciate it's a good album, but it seems like for a lot of people this album means a lot more to them than it means to me. 3/5 top tracks: pop song 89, I remember california

I really liked the last R.E.M. album generated, so I have high hopes for this one. First song's fine, and I like the lyrics, but the instrumentals themselves don't do much for me. Get Up also failed to excite me. It seems they're going for a more rock sound, and not so much the poppier sound of their debut. You Are The Everything is the best song so far, but something keeps me from fully loving it. Stand is definitely the most comercial song so far, and also my favourite. Love that chorus. World Leader Pretend, while being the slowest track so far, manages to immerse the listener nonetheless. The Wrong Child sounds absolutely tragic, but I'll need some more time with the lyrics to accurately analyse them. As is, I like it! Definitely political, Orange Crush feels at the same time serious and fun. Not much else to say, great song man. I don't know if it's because, this deep in the album, its sound is more ingrained and so works better, but Turn You Inside-Out works so well. The drums, the vocal performance, which sounds so desperate, everything comes together incredibly well. While I didn't like its beginning, Hairshirt reaches one of the record's highest emotional notes. Another song that I'll need more time with. I Remember California is another case that seems to be common in this album, where I don't like the song at first, but I grow to enjoy it as it develops. It builds up nicely towards a not explosive ending, but not all build-ups need to lead to an explosion. This is cool too. Untitled feels out of place in general, but that fact sticks out as it is the closer. As is the case with a few songs here, it is not bad, just a bit underwhelming. This record feels more disjointed, when compared to Murmur, their only other project that I'm familiar with. There are no bad points, just some songs I'm less excited about than others. But when it's good, it's very good. I can see myself liking this much more with some more time. As of now, it was a pleasent experience!

i rated document, another album from the same band (which i didn't know prior to this website) with 5 stars so i was pretty excited to discover this one. sadly i liked it a lot less. it was alright but didn't really click nor made me want to listen to it again

Ojämnare än Document och med lägre högsta nivå. Dessutom är produktion märklig, jag kan inte beskriva den på annat sätt. Första plattan på storbolag, kanske är boven ett ängligt bolag som inte riktigt vet hur de ska paketera ett i grunden indieband. Dock finns här ett knippe bra låtar "World leader pretend" och "Orange crush" är allra bäst, "Popsong 89", "Turn you inside out" och "Stand" skäms inte heller för sig. Men mycket av det andra är mer anonymt eller rentav svagt. Tillräckligt många bra spår för att klara svaga trean trots allt

Man är lite mätt på R.E.M nu efter tre album från boken. Det hade kanske räckt med ett, de skiljer sig inte så markant åt. Även här finns ändå några goa låtar som håller betyget på en trea. Stand, Popsong 89, Hairshirt, World leader pretend kan nämnas.

i am a genz so it was a bit hard for me to listen to this shi but i kinda enjoyed some songs like the weight , chest fever and long black veil

I find this album kinda boring. REM is a band that I'm mixed on and this is on the colder side of things. I enjoyed Pop Song 89 and I've always liked Orange Crush, but the rest isn't so exciting.

Better then the last REM.

Decent.

Not a bad album, just not my personal taste.

ja.. ja. rock. kein banger banger drauf. also paar gute. gut - i guess? find untitled und hairshirt gut. orange crush hat ma auch gfallen. joa. 3/5

I mean, I’ve never been a big REM fan, but I’ve listened to a couple of their albums and this is par for the course.

Good album. Not my favourite REM tho.

Genuinely not as good as their others but I see the vision

Feel bad giving an REM album less than 4 stars but this isn't a favourite. Some standout bits but not their best!

Yep, sounded like loosing my religion. A bit country and a bit of joy division.

This album was fine. Pretty sure Stand is the soundtrack for Ben's claymation video in Parks and Rec (it's definitely from something at least) but nothing else really stood out to me. Got kinda bored by the end.

Meh. At no point was I very into this album. Will try to revisit

Encore R.E.M. ? Bon, pourquoi pas, c'est un plutôt bon groupe donc c'est pas désagréable à écouter, mais est-ce que ça vaut la peine d'en écouter tant que ça ? Bon, je vais pas m'étendre, c'est sympa, ça s'écoute, c'est juste pas spécialement incroyable.

REM sometimes bores me but ¨The Wrong Child¨ and ¨Untitled¨ are both incredible songs for different reasons. The first is haunting and emotional, the second beautiful and heartening. REM is a band I mostly skipped over but I'm thinking there might be more worth rooting out.

I did a full discography listen for R.E.M. with my dad last year, and this was like my 5th favorite album by them. Green is too repetitive and unambitious for me. Nevertheless, I like R.E.M. and this is still deserving of a 3

The sound of this album is appealing. I like the idea. Micheal Stipe's vocals give it a little more edge, and I like the minimal and almost thin production on this album. That being said, I this is a very one dimensional album. The lyricism is really bad in my opinion, and the sound they bring to the table gets old fast. Overall, it's a solid idea and a solid album, fun to have on in the background, but lyrics cringe me out.

After a several week run of mostly mediocre albums, I was really glad to get something I knew, but I ended up being kind of disappointed by this album. Of course I like Pop Song, Stand, Orange Crush, and Turn You Inside Out, but the rest of this album was kind of whiny and annoying. (3.5)

Litt kjedelig.. rem er ikke favoritten, men det er noen låter som stikker seg litt frem. Tror ikke jeg hadde husket noe av låtene hvis jeg hørte det senere..

Nostalgic

Music my parents listened to on the radio but doesn’t feel impactful. Enjoyable listening though, just no lasting impact for me

2-3 really good songs but otherwise pretty much a meh album for REM. And I don’t ever want to hear “Stand” again.

Good album! I dont inow a lot from REM but their sound is rlly cool!

Some standout moments but it’s an album where they sounded like they were between identities

I enjoyed this more than I thought! I got used to his nasally voice enough to feel nostalgia. Solid!

Tired on a long road trip

Pretty good! Quiet a few songs I knew.

Abstract & biting; a great album for doing a deeper social commentary dive, for sure.

Liked Orange Crush, the rest was fine

Competently played and written, but doesn’t do much for me that a legion of other indie records do.

Good, but didn't grab me.

i never actually realized that stand was by r.e.m fsr?? fav track: orange crush

not especially interesting to me, kind of forgettable--i'm also not really a fan of the frontman's voice. an album better suited to walking on a sunny day than sitting on the bus. fav: pop song 89

never a bad time with R.E.M., but this left a little to be desired.

Not my favorite from REM but a solid album overall

I love REM, I really do, but what the hell is this doing on this list?

R.E.M. is a vibe. Didn't know any of these ones. Liked it!

Standouts Pop Song 89 Stand Orange Crush Turn You Inside Out

Dober

This album starts off slow, the first three tracks do not have drums. I definitely prefer the tracks with drums.This album seems to meander a bit, lacks a little focus. To me this is a collection of songs as opposed to a cohesive album.

eh

je m'attendais à plus tuff

Booooooring

Audiophile dads must get the biggest boner listening to this, but I just think this ones a little like chicken with rice. I enjoy it but its pretty bland

Given how I have felt about R.E.M. albums in the past, this was somewhat of a pleasant surprise. I find the vast majority of their music to be super boring and generic, even a bit grating at times. This one, while nothing special, felt like a bit more than that. Maybe I'm just now warming up to their style, maybe I've just had a bad streak before this so it doesn't seem so bad in comparison, or maybe this album is genuinely just different from the others I've heard. Realistically it's probably a combination of all 3, but whatever the circumstances, I can say that my opinion of R.E.M. from this album has gone from "boring and generic alt rock band" to "nothing special alt rock band that are sometimes good."

Nice, varied, the mandolins had not yet taken over

I remember this album when it came out, I had the cassette. Not my favorite REM album, but it’s ok. 2.5 stars

More decent stuff from R.E.M.. This is the third album I've listened through from them and while I have yet to be truly wowed by their music, I haven't necessarily disliked it.

Solid album. Stand will always make me think of “Requiem For A Tuesday.”

me ha gustado el album

A perfectly fine power-pop album. It’s not quite fully developed REM yet, but it is showing those shoots. Solid, but not great, album.

Buena banda, los vi en vivo. No me gustó tanto el disco, pero su música es buena.

Not bad but it seems repetitive.

Other than Stand and Orange crush, this was kind of all over the place for me. Idk. I guess I just like their 90s run more than their 80s run

putz, não gosto da banda r.e.m.... e tem vários álbuns deles nessas listas...

Its giving where are you im so sorry and early 90s grunge. Not bad. Fun at times.

It’s r.e.m. it’s fine

I always think I'm going to love R.E.M., but they never quite get me there.

3 ish .

I have always disliked REM so much. They grate on my nerves and were so overplayed back in the day it just made it worse. But like I said in our last review, it’s not them it’s me.

REM does a great job with this album in creating a unified sound across the tracks. I don’t mean to suggest that all the tracks sound similar, but rather it is a cohesive collection that blends well from song to song. Additionally the music has depth from the variety of instruments being played and the multiple layers of vocals. If you were alive in the 80’s and had a radio you were familiar with multiple songs from this album (I.e.- Stand, Orange Crush, Pop Song 89) before today’s listen. Overall, it’s a well orchestrated collection and REM consistently puts out a unique, yet solid rock sound.

I once grew my hair out long. There was an awkward period where it was no longer short but could not yet qualify as long. I looked like Scottie from Boogie Nights. It was not ideal. Green is that sort of transition for R.E.M. The album fits between Document, their commercial breakout, and Out of Time, the Zeitgeist-defining stylistic revamp that made the band mega-stars. Document is a really good album and Out of Time is legendary … Green is just fine. It’s as if they are exorcising the demons of their college rock persona one last time before becoming famous. I Remember California is a great ‘old style’ R.E.M song, the kind that will sadly die on upcoming albums. They lost themselves by trying to rage against selling out, creating an edgy, rock-tinged sound and producing a more commercial sound which yielded big hits and sold albums for the next decade. Their career trajectory reminds me a lot of U2 in that way, actually.

well yeah it's that what you expect when listening to a R.E.M. Album. Either you like it or you don't. I gotta feeling that there is no "yeah i like 1 or 2 songs on this album but the rest is awful"

Bastante bien, lo que esperaba de REM

Solid, enjoyable - not quite my favourite of theirs. Love Hairshirt and Orange Crush.

Pleasant enough!

The singer sounds so whiny. Stand-outs - Orange Crush - I Remember California

A nicely varied album released during the rise of the alternative rock music era. I’ve always enjoyed their music whenever it came on the radio back in the day but I never got around to buying any of their albums so it was finally great to sit down and listen to one. I found the variety of moods here surprising. Some songs are light and poppy, some are dark and brooding, and some have a tinge of folk to them. Now I’m looking forward to their other albums on this list.

REM shortly before a high point with Automatic for The People. I enjoyed this one. I think 18-20 yo self would have dug into this more than I am now, but it was an enjoyable drive around with the windows open to the spring air kinda album.

decent

Favorite Track: I Remember California Least Favorite Track: Pop Song 89

Good

Hairshirt is cool. This is my 3rd album by them and I don't think I'm gonna be blown away at any point.

Pretty good REM, but Murmur still easily my fave of theirs

Bob Dylan stinks

--Pop Song 89...the "we're too cool for pop" pop song. it's catchy --Get Up...generic college radio. I guess these guys invented generic college radio --You Are the Everything...I'm a sucker for a mandolin. Stipe's vocals dance between soulful and annoying but the track is pleasant overall --Stand...solid guitar riff. not much else to it other than the key change --World Leader Pretend...this one really works for me. it might be the slide guitar. Stipe is restrained but in a good way --The Wrong Child...the mandolin is back but I do not like this. very whingy --Orange Crush...good base groove --Turn You Inside-Out...another solid bass groove. Mike Mills doin' work --Hairshirt...mandolin is good but the annoying Stipe vocals are back --I Remember California...a bit of a dirge --Untitled...it's fine

I have been a fan of R.E.M since the release of Radio Free Europe on 45. I saw their first shows in Vancouver BC when Michael still had hair. I loved the mumbled indecipherable lyrics. By the time Green arrived, Michael was more confident and the band which had already begun moving towards a more pop oriented sound distinct from the more jangle rock sound coming out of Athens/North Carolina (see Don Dixon, Chris Stamey, the dB’s). For me Green is challenging. It’s easy to recognize the immediate catchiness of songs like Orange Crush, Stand, Get Up and Pop Song 89. The problem is the rest of the record and that fucking mandolin. I get that six albums in you don’t want to sound like the same band as the prior 5. However, R.E.M. had truly progressed from record to record. This sounded like a retreat. It also signaled the end of my interest in R.E.M. as a band. As the sound was no longer interesting designed to appeal to the masses it was truly disappointing to see this rather uneven album be released. It is uneven (Hairshirt) and incomplete (Untitled). In hindsight it is probably worse than I recall because R.E.M. still held my interest. Now, looking back, history bears out what should have been obvious then: R.E.M peaked at Document which for me was their last complete album. Green is half a record and the beginning of the slide into generic mediocrity. 3/5

Shiny happy peopleeee

I like REM, but this is their weakest 80s album in my opinion. The production is just a bit lackluster and sounds very thin. Doesn't make the songs stand out that much. The songwriting is good, but the album is missing that REM magic to bring it to the next level.

It all just feels unresolved, which, the more I listen to REM, feels like the point

goooood

I can never put my finger on what it is about R.E.M. that is just slightly off-putting to me. Similar to The Cure, I wonder if I’d enjoy this a lot more with a different singer. I think it also doesn’t help that the Atlanta alt-rock station that I grew up on played R.E.M. to death.

Solid, you are everything stood out.

i mean it was pretty good but me personally its too dad like, coupled w the fact i was listening to it almost muted while 20020 WHICH U SHOULD READ so i didnt rlly get the full experience but overall this might be for u!

I understand there's talent here, but R.E.M. has always felt very bland to me. Worthy addition, but ultimately not very impactful. 3 stars. Also Stipe's vocals sound like Trump.

Good album, I can see why it is considered a classic. I would like a little more cohesion throughout. Would buy for collection if I saw it.

Heared only "that one song" from them. This one is Muuuch better! I almost wanted to give it 4, but the excitement of the first part is a bit ruined by more mellow second part.

First time listen I like REM quite a bit but I don't think I vibe much with the vocals even on the albums by them I like a lot. The songwriting itself is hard to fault, it just seems to come to a coin toss whether or not the vocals tick me off on a given day. Favorite Tracks: Pop Song 89, Orange Crush, World Leader Pretend Least favorite: Get Up, You Are The Everything 3.5/5

Track 1 - Pop song 89 - 3.5/5 Track 2 - Get up - 3/5 Track 3 - You are the Everything - 3 - Lowkey a pretty song but very different from the rest of the album, so the vibe kinda threw me off. Track 4 - Stand - 3.5 Track 5 - World Leader Pretend - 4 Track 6 - The Wrong Child - 3.5 Track 7 - Orange Crush - 4 Track 8 - Turn You Inside-Out - 3.5 Track 9 - Hairshirt - 3 Track 10 - I Remember California - 3.5 Track 11 - Untitled - 3

Full Album Thoughts: Album Rating: 3.68 (A-) Having never listened to a full REM album, I still knew in my guts I liked REM. And lo and behold, I like REM! Funky Folky Alt Rock band with a super weird nasally vocal delivery paired with wacky guitar tones and a dethatched sarcastic lyricism. I think its got just a few too "Skips" to be something I throw on regularly, but it also has some solid gold! I really would like to give it 3.5 stars for official rating, but I'll actually drop it to 3 Stars, even if I've rounded up in the past. I KNOW there are better 4 and 5 star albums out there. "Pop Song 89" A+ Love me a sarcastic detached "lets mock pop songs" pop song. Fool that you are for you participate in the tradition! Add in the wacky guitar tones and excellent hooks... yeah this is a kick ass way to start an album! The lyrics almost have a Talking Head quality to them "Should we talk about the weather/government" is hilarious "Get Up" C A bit too repetitive for my like on the main riff "You Are the Everything" B Accordion + Mandolin to start with???? YOU SHOULDNT HAVE REM! <3 See this "whiney folk punk" sound is why I think they're canadian XD, this is exactly the kind of crap CanCon we were pumping out at the time! I kinda wanted the beat to drop though... This is a very nice stripped back song, but I know this could go so much harder. REM ran so They Might Be Giants could do whatever the heck they did "Stand" A I mean its no Spam. "World Leader Pretend" B+ See this is how you do a slower song with some drive to it... I am still not sure its a standout though. Too bad the lyrics have aged so well and remain just as relevant today :/ "The Wrong Child" C Got lost in the folk sauce here boss. Like an intro to a YES song that never actually kicks off. "Orange Crush" A+ Do I have nostalgia for this song because of Rockband? You bet your sweet bippy? Did this song get picked from the great pantheon of rock songs to be on the first Rockband track list for a reason? Yes! Because its excellent! Groovy, biting, excellent vocal harmonies... Unless there is something else to wow me on the album, this is likely the standout, go figure. "Turn You Inside-Out" B This feels very heavy, the way the drums cut through like a bullet being fired every time, and we bring in the organ and the heavily distorted guitar... I think I like it? But I think its also not the sound I picture REM having. An outlier on the Album, but a good song in its own right? "Hairshirt" A See this is how you write lyrics! I love a good wtf lead in, and then the actual chord progression goes in to some whacky places! Organ+Mandolin is also a nice touch. This is the standout deepcut from the album I think? "I Remember California" C+ Oh heck we are buckling in for a 5 minute long repetitive song I am afraid. This album seems heavy on the "each song will have a distinct tone", and we have hit the drum grove tone... which isnt really my favorite. I still appreciate its darker feel and the picture its painting, but its only ever going to be a sometimes food, not really something I throw on for fun. "Untitled" C The REM patented call and response, this feels VERY bright. I keep waiting for the actual song to kick into gear for so many of these, but they seem content to right a single good hook and just repeat it ad nauseam. For some it works, for this one it didnt. Untitled, probably cuz it could have been cut.

it's whatever

70

Not heard before. R.E.M are a band I’ve got into much more recently. This was a great listen with some really good tracks. 3.5

Banda muy reconocida por tener grandes éxitos, y el disco no decepciona para nada. Muy bien trabajado, sonidos muy particulares de la época, todo hecho con demasiada prolijidad, mucho rock, buenas baladas, un disco muy muy bueno y recomendable.

Its ok, just very uninspiring. It has the same semi meloncoly tone throughout the entire album

It isn't bad, but I am not gonna pretend I actually like it. One song of them is fine, but it misses a lot of power and after 2 or 3 songs I am very much done with the same guitar chords and the singing about how things could be better.

Decent album! Not what I'd usually listen to

Ok

ok

- This wasn't an R.E.M. album that I was familiar with, but I knew the hits. - I felt it was kind of hit or miss. There was a lot to like, but I also found a lot of the songs pretty forgettable. - I think I'd skip a lot of the songs if they came on. - It's probably a 3.5, but I'm rounding down because I don't remember much from the album other than the singles.

Solid

I love most of what REM does, but I didn’t really care for this album

3-4

80s rock classic - feels mostly dated now. but stipe's voice is an earworm for sure.

great album some nice pop songs

I’m probably being a bit generous because I find this band a bit dull.

I’m probably being too harsh as I like this band

Needs coming back to but compared to other REM albums it feels lacking

The first four tracks on this are amazing. Fades a bit after that.

Wasn't in the mood for this so didn't really listen...

Enjoyable album with some classics

It was ok. For sure a one and done e album for me

I just love the lead singer voice so so much

I liked listening to this album.

This is the third REM album I’ve had. Funny enough, I’ve had them all in chronological order. This is also the first of their albums that really deserves to be on this list. By 1988, they’ve finally figured out how to write meaningful lyrics without repeating the song title over and over and over and over and over and over and over and calling that a chorus. However, I’m still ticked that this is called Green when the album cover is piss yellow

R.E.M. was one of those bands I am aware of and know more songs than I realize, but never actually listened to outside of their videos being on MTV when I was a kid.

Stand and Orange Crush are the definite standouts.

Light 3,5

While R.E.M. never really made a bad record (even though their are some stinkers in the later discography like 'Around The Sun' and 'Accelerate'), I don't think 'Green' is one of their best albums. Personally, I prefer the tongue-in-cheekiness of 'Lifes Rich Pageant' and the omnipresent 'Out Of Time' – both have a more cohesive and overall more enjoyable atmosphere. Though I can appreciate how they started to break into the mainstream with this record and perfecting the broader instrumentation they started to bring in on 'Document', it comes down to the songs that are indecisive. Not quite pop yet, but also not underground anymore. It's a mix that has its charm though. 'Orange Crush' is a blistering track, an obvious highlight. 'You Are The Everything' hints at future greatness, though Peter Buck hadn't perfected the mandolin yet. And 'Pop Song '89' is a fun, quirky opener that tackles the exact conflict I described above. But ultimately, this is the sound of a bands' arrival – and musically, I'm much more invested in the journey.

me encantaaaa. los temas tipo world leader pretend, que manera de vibear. Se disfruto mucho. no tiene nada muy especial y por eso el 3. no me parecio elevado

é bom, mas é ruim (?) as músicas parecem as mesmas, mas tem só uma que eu gostei, mas eh meio mais ou menos

This was the majority of their hits that I found annoying with a nice song somewhere in the middle of it. I just don't get the appeal, man.

Remmiä, remmi kuulostaa remmiltä. Ihan okei.

REM eioo koskaan ollu lemppareita, lähinnä ku en pidä laulajasta. Levy meni aivan ok, mukavaa rokkia noin pääosin

It's a good album. Not a great album. I liked listening so I’ll give it 3 stars. Some great pop rock songs on here like Stand but my thoughts on REM are unchanged. Good, but overrated

Love REM. However, this isn't one of my favorite REM albums. And Stand is one of my least favorite REM songs. Low 3.

Einheitsbrei. Nicht schlecht, nicht gut. Tut keinem weh. Wie die SPD.

3.25 - I really want to like R.E.M. more than I do. I did really like their last album, Collapse Into Now, but I find every big album that people tell me is amazing to be hit or miss. There are some great songs here and some that are just mid.

run of the mill rem?

Good separate. Not all together

3.5

It isn't my favorite REM, but I love his voice so much. You can see how they influenced Nirvana and Counting Crows though

not bad

nikako da mi dokraja sjedne ovaj rem... sad mi je opet bilo neujednačeno. neke pjesme dosta dobre, neke okej, neke dosta seljačke. eh, trojka

Mediocre R.E.M. album. 5/10

Previously known. Very nostalgic. Half songs I love and half that are just ok

I can only think about Ben Wyatt’s stop-motion animation film.

for some reason I wanted to hate this, but don't

Solid not my vibe

Me gusta

There are better rem albums. This is good, a couple great songs with a few but so good.

Best Song: Orange Crush. I refuse to believe that this song is about anything other than a man who is deeply excited for his orange soda. Worst Song: I Remember California. This felt like it was being played in slow motion. Overall: Music that absolutely glides across your attention, mildly pleasant while present but then pretty much immediately forgotten. Inoffensive music suitable for public spaces.

Fine, nothing stood out to me. Pleasant to listen to but wouldn't seek it out.

I listened to this album a lot when it came out and really liked, over time I guess my opinion of it has dipped a bit, but still a pretty decent album.

This was decent but not much outside the singles grabbed me on the first listen. Better than Murmur in my opinion.

world leader pretend y turn you inside-out fueron mis favoritas

I sincerely apologize to you, Mr. Michael Stipe. You're probably a very intelligent and interesting dude with a lot of friends, a neat collection of figurines and caring heart, but as Tom Segura once said, your voice makes me soft and I'm tryin' to stay hard out here. The music itself is thoroughly engaging; all the best elements of rock with high level of maturity and craftsmanship... BUT I'm gonna need an instrumental cut of the record.

might revisit this rating, but sticking with a 3 for now. it was fine. i might dig it out again when i'm in the mood for happy music, but no promises.

There is something about Stipe's voice, a plaintive whine, that sells whatever song he's on. I'm also a sucker for a mandolin. This album didn't surprise me on the first listen. I'm a little sad about that. Definitely some tracks I'll be coming back to. Overall a well put together alternative rock album when alternative rock was still in it's infancy. Pop Song 89 Stand Orange Crush

Buen disco. Lindas canciones.

I wanted to do some funny twist on R.E.M. acronym but I don't have any ideas.

“Could a depressed person make this?” - Ben Wyatt I enjoyed listening to this album and I think I will listen to some of their other albums. I don’t think I’ve given REM enough credit. My one critique is that they do go on a bit, don’t they.

They literally ALL sound the same. It gets an extra star due to my political affiliation (VOTE GREEN)

2/20 Was okay. Heard the song Stand many times at work but never knew the title or band that played it

I found this enjoyable, but honestly a bit repetitive and forgettable. 6/10 Pretty Good

During three, good mandolin

My second REM album so far. I like this one better. Stand is goofy. I watched a lot of MTV and they loved REM. So I knew the hits. Stand and Orange Crush. Today I learned a little more about orange crush and it has more meaning to me than it did. The World Leader Pretend seems fitting now for where we are. I like this album much more than I thought I would.

I guess I'm just not an REM guy. There's a lot of variety here, but the throughline is that Michael Stipe sounds like he should be bullied. I have to give credit for the expansive nature, but I don't have to like it. Also, Get Up sounds like it inspired the theme from Psych, which is both laudatory and derogatory.

I love REM but there are way better ones than this. At least half of them. Three stars because it's a good record but it doesn't hold a candle to any IRS or Automatic

I like Michael Stipe's vocal but not the "cryptic" lyrics so much. The compositions and musicianship, product and all that are always good on their albums.

Michael stipe is a genius at creating catchy music that pisses me off

some bangers, some not

3.5 stars

Basic wel lekker

buen album (vaya racha)

This R.E.M. album didn't grab me like Automatic For The People initially did. I can't really place why, but I still enjoyed it. I love his good/bad voice. Maybe after a few more listens I'll change my rating on this like I did for that.

Nah bro. I like the style but the singing is kinda ahh

Forutsigbar og lite minneverdig. Har kommet mye bedre REM plater både før og etter.

Conflicted about this one, elements I loved and other pieces dragged. Deserves another listen

solid meh. REM has like two songs that are interesting and the rest are just fine

Nothing groundbreaking, will probably like it more when I’m older

I understand why people like them, but at the same time find it really strange that people could think this is the greatest music ever!!

Yep, pretty good, nothing much to say

Great album but not the best of REM.

soo cute. malo sedamdesete iako je iz 88. najobicniji rok album, veoma mi je prijao posle jucerasnjeg... ali ne vezano za to, ovaj covek fino peva, produkcija je super, instrumenti, melodije sve jako lepo zvuci.

This album is very mid. Some hits on it but there's no much that would bring you back

Nice

I found it quite forgettable other than orange crush which is a great song

I liked this more than the other rem album we’ve had on this, but still lacked some edge as a post-punk record for me. Some interesting songs on here but I nodded off in the second half.

Fav- pop song 89 3/5

da vibe gfallt mer und hätt as paar guati songs aber sicher ned ihres besta album

R.E.M. has never really been my thing. I’ve never quite gotten the massive hype surrounding them. That said, their album Green is pretty harmless and actually kind of fun to listen to. It has enough recognizable, enjoyable hits to hold your attention, and the rest of the tracks just sound solidly like classic R.E.M. nothing groundbreaking, but nothing offensive either.

Niet helemaal mijn ding, maar er zitten zeker elementen in dit album die zijn stempel op de 90's hebben gedrukt. I remember California vond ik een highligt. 6/10

Top Songs: You Are The Everything Stand

Enjoyable enough, I wouldn't say there were high highs or low lows and Michael Stipe's voice can become grating after a while.

I only listened to half the album.

It's aite. Worked well as a background album while working, nothing really stood out per se but just good vibes

I grew up listening to a fair amount of R.E.M., but I've never heard this album (I did know a few tracks, like "Orange Crush"). I like it. Stipe's vocals aren't necessarily the best in a traditional-singing-voice-sense, but they're somehow so powerful and haunting. I think "Hairshirt" is a really good example of this. Highlights: - "Orange Crush" - "World Leader Pretend" High 3, low 4. Not my favourite R.E.M. album but I enjoyed it nonetheless, clearly on the experimental side, the switch to a major key has a surprising impact on the "standard" R.E.M. sound.

Bändin tuotannosta on tutuimpia ne hittilevyt.

Not the most essential Green on this list - that would be Green Gartside, frontman of Scritti Politti. This is just a good, not necessarily great R.E.M album. First 4 songs and Orange Crush are all strong and have the shape and feel of classic R.E.M. It does start to fill quickly with dud tracks though and they’re too lazy even to give the last song a proper name. It would have been much better to put their follow-up and big commercial breakthrough Out Of Time on the list, what with it having Losing My Religion and other firecrackers like Shiny Happy People and Radio Song.

This is a surprise rating for me - I've had this album in various formats since it came out, and expected to give it a 4 but it really is not as strong as their others - at least through Automatic. So I'm giving it a 3, but a very high 3

A fresh-water album. Clean and consistent. Maybe I won’t actively seek it out again, but if it shows up on my YouTube Music shuffle, I won’t skip it. And I think that’s a good thing.

Green, prima facie, is an average rock album. Sonically, it is relatively safe, apart from the introduction of the signature R.E.M. mandolin. Of note is Stipe's vocals, which forces this relatively pedestrian album to, at times, threaten to become something greater. Yet, apart from, primarily, "Orange Crush", it fails to do so.

Meh. Never really been a fan of R.E.M., but they do have a few song that I find enjoyable.

Yeah, decent album. I didn’t hate it but didn’t love it, was a decent listen. Orange crush was the standout song for me, just the album overall felt a little bit boring maybe I'm missing stuff idk. Low end of 3 stars for me.

With Green, R.E.M. began their transition from 80's indie institution to 90's arena conquering alt-rockers. Of course that was more noticeable with their huge 1991 single "Losing My Religion", but the seeds for that song were already here. But, come on! The cover is not even green! Key tracks: Pop Song 89 Stand Orange Crush

Yeah, another R.E.M. I consider them a Greatest Hits band. You know, there's three GREAT songs in here (Pop Song 89, Orange Crush and, in slightly smaller scale, Stand). Get Up is good as well. Don't get me wrong, there is no objectively BAD songs in here. All of them are well recorded and produced, and they have safe chord choices and etcetera. But man, this is tiring. And depressing. And not for me. 3 out of 5, because of the great songs.

some classics for sure

13/20 L'album est assez agréable à écouter, on ne s'ennuie pas dessus, et certaines chanson nous donnent même envie de les réécouter. Il manque peut être quelques hit qui resteraient dans la tête pour que l'album soit mémorable.

#217 Green ~ REM One of the underground's most beloved bands, the reason for REM's sucess has always lied in the band's good ear for catchy simple pop tunes, regardless of what stage the band wants to explore with its sound. Whether it's the Velvet Underground/Sonics garage rock sound of the earlier albums or the eventual grand pop rock sound of the 90s, REM have always managed to write a really feel-good tune. It's probably because Micheal Stipe, sounding like Donald Trump with fleshed out vocal cords, really likes 70s bubblegum pop. Green is a bit of a weird album though. It's sandwiched between two definite periods of the band's sound. Previously, the aggressive jangle pop blitz of Document told us it's the end of the world as we know it. Later, they start losing their religion in Out of Time, a more orchestral Beach-Boys inspired folk run for the band. But Green is a mix of both, and quite noticeablely a whole bunch more downtempo and murkier. Smaller in scale whilst trying to achieve greater (it's more political in nature). Overall it can feel a bit messy. But at least Orange Crush is a really good song. Overall it's just very average. Go listen somewhere else.

YEP, it is what it is. Middle of the road.

Loved this album when I was much younger (another one of the first albums I got really into, had the tape). I still enjoy listening to it for the feelings it evokes. Almost want to give it a 4 but there's some tracks I'm not totally feeling as much ("The Wrong Child," "Hairshirt," "Stand" though I loved it when I was young!). Really dig "I Remember California." Other good stuff in here as well. It fits well in the REM discography and is a good album. I'm still giving it a 3 but I feel weird about it like maybe it should be a 4.

Ok but too scrawny and grungy, kilka piosenek się wyróżniało! Pierwsza na pewno

Denne var helt på kanten til ålreit. Catchy rock med relevante tekster. Låter: I remember California, Pop song 89. Ned: mandolin

Hørtes ut som slik jeg forutså, en litt blidere Madrugada uten Sivert Høyem. Greit album med en bra låt, Orange Crush var ok. 5/10

Ekstremt medium album

Hørt hjemme i stua etter jobb 16/01/26. Hmmm. Mye bra, favoritter: Pop Song 89 Get Up Orange Crush Det gir 90s High School romcom-vibes. Ellers mye dølt.

Never listened. Expectations: Mid - Verdict: Good - I've never been able to get into R.E.M. I like some of their songs but I tend to just find them a bit boring. This is a decent album that I can appreciate but I don't think I would ever reach for it.

Again I enjoyed this without falling in love. I can see academically that it is all there, good playing, string lyrics, Stipe has an emotive voice and i enjoyed the drums. Yet for the second time with REM it floated past without grabbing me after 2 listens through. Im assured that when i 'get' them, this is great, but im not there yet.

This is pretty decent. It just sounds like very classic REM but not as good as some of their other stuff. I might just know nothing about music but some of the mixing or sound quality is sort of weird. Anyways this is good but not particularly exciting. Fav songs: pop song 89, stand

Ну, хз. Прям какой-то одноразовый, хотя бенгеры есть, но в своем большинстве ничего интересного.

Good album kinda boring I think it has more story behind it but I don’t have the patience to pay attention

Alltid förstått att R.E.M. faktiskt ska ha ganska mycket fint bakom hitsen när jag pratat med äldre indieentusiaster. Tyckte det var kul att höra den här men fastnade inte jättemycket för den. Ibland ganska dåligt, ibland ganska bra. Kan nog växa på mig om jag skulle ge det fler chanser. Blir en svag trea!

Three memorable tracks, but the rest isn’t much

R.E.M. has always been one of those bands like U2 for me. Loved, even revered by a lot of people, but growing up I didn't really get it. But while I have grown to appreciate U2 through the years, I can't say the same about R.E.M. Do they have some cool songs? Sure. I could easily go listen to Losing My Religion, Nightswimming, The One I Love, Driver 8, and a few others. But they are never a band that I say "I have to go listen to them." Stipe has an interesting (not great) voice, they are good players, but far from incredible. Sometimes I think they appeal to people because they are offbeat, which is fine, but that's not really a reason to consider them great, it just means they are different. This album is another example of me diverging with a lot of people on R.E.M. I see a lot of 5-star reviews on this, and when you think about all the great records that exist in music (e.g. I just had Rumours), this one vastly pales in comparison to those masterpieces, both in playing and in influence. Take Stand on this record, for example. Arguably the most popular song on this record, but when you listen to it, you realize that it is pretty basic, especially the chorus. "Your feet are going to be on the ground, your head is there to move you around." Ok. That's basically like saying the grass is green (no pun intended) or the sky is blue. They are saying nothing. There are some decent tracks on here, but as an overall record it's a bunch of average music from a decent band, nothing more. I will say, though, I've heard Orange Crush a bunch of times, but I can't say I've listened to it with intent like I did this time. And I have to say that I quite like that track. An excellent song, with lots of layers. Unfortunately, this type of greatness was few and far between from this record and this band, at least for me.

They've got some social concerns and they're coming out on this one man

just like the last R.E.M. album, nothing stood out as horrible or amazing to me. except for the song that ben Wyatt tries to use for a stop-motion animation when he is terribly depressed and he thinks it's gonna be really long but he just keeps replaying it and it keeps going "stand in the place where you-"

Listened to it in bits and pieces throughout the weekend, but I don’t really remember much. I’m not sure how legitimate my review is in that case, but it is what it is. 2.5-3

An 80s REM album that sounds like a 90s REM album. Important as a major label debut, directly traceable to the subsequent alternative rock boom. Some great stuff like “Stand” and “Orange Crush.” I’ll go to bat for both those songs, they’re goddang perfect. But also a lotta forgettable stuff. I really try hard when doing my reviews not to ask “why is this here?” since the answer is “because it is.” I also try not to ask “why is this other thing not here?” since the answer is “because it’s not.” But at the same time, I feel like I can make an exception here in the same way I did with my Meat is Murder review and just say something along the lines of “REM deserves spots on this list but they have albums more deserving than those chosen.” They really put the 2 worst golden age REM albums on here tbh, I got lots of love for all of it but it’s hard not to question why Green and Document are here over Out of Time or literally any of the other 80s albums. Fables of the Reconstruction, maybe? That one’s got “Life and How to Live It” and “Driver 8.” Reckoning? That’s a crackerjack banger of an album and “So. Central Rain” is the best song they ever wrote. Lifes Rich Pageant? “Fall on Me” babe I’d say I like this a little more than Document and way less than the rest of their 80s output. And about as much as their 90s stuff, though Automatic for the People will get a 4 or 5 from me depending on my mood that day.

Three REM albums, three stars. Not a lot here other than Orange Crush and Pop Song 89. I’ve always thought Stand is kinda annoying, even though I love the Parks & Rec scene where Ben gets super depressed and makes exactly 4 seconds of a claymation movie set to the song.

It's decent but it's average fare for this band.

Ok, so I'm the biggest REM fan on earth but I do not understand why this is on the 1001 list. It's by far the worst record of the Bill Berry era of the band (and worse than a couple of the ones from after he left). Obviously it's still and REM record so there's a lot of redeemable material on here. "World Leader Pretend" is great, "Orange Crush" rips, but the tone is really off for the most part, like it's got one foot in Document and one foot jumping ahead to Out of Time, both of which are superior albums.

One of my fav Bands, not one of their best albums

Though I wouldn't consider myself a huge fan of REM I do listen to them occasionally and even have a few of their songs on my playlist. I hadn't heard of this album until now and I think it was a solid album overall. I wasn't sure I was going to like it at first as I thought the first few songs weren't great but I think it redeemed itself a bit with the last few songs which I will definitely be coming back to

Good, but nothing really stood out to me. Could be my problem :/ Does sound like the 80s.

3.5

Not my fave R.E.M. album but there are some bangers on here. And amazingly nonsensical lyrics. Faves: Stand, World Leader Pretend, Orange Crush

Enjoyed this one - Had to message a friend to tell them they were right after many years :D 3/5

Liked the vibe of the whole album

REM hasn’t ever been my taste but some of this, esp the later tracks, is pretty good, nirvana-esque.

It’s ok a few good songs I guess

Um bom album

Should really be 3.5

Never been much of an REM fan. Stipe's voice doesn't really work for me. Music is fine, I like the guitar style. "Orange Crush" is a decent song. Overall, didn't really do anything to convert me.

Before listening: I think the only REM song I’ve heard is Losing My Religion. This will the the first album I listen to that I don’t know! After listening: This album was good, but not great. I felt as though the last few songs sort of all sounded the same. However, I enjoyed Get Up, Orange Crush, World Leader Pretend, and The Wrong Child. Stand just make me think of Parks and Rec. I enjoyed the vocal layering throughout the album and the clear Doors reference in Pop Song 89. I also liked the instrumentals throughout. Not too bad!

I've heard way better from R.E.M. though Orange Crush is a great song

Best Song: World Leader Pretend Worst Song: NA I haven't listened to much REM before. Enjoyed the album, some songs standout and I don't think there are many misses. It's hard to explain how I like the sound of the album but I didn't find it particularly impactful.

Best: Orange Crush I am a big R.E.M. fan and a couple of the songs from this album will definitely be getting added to my rotation. Stipes vocals are great as always and the production across the album is really good. However, as a whole it didn’t feel very coherent, (I did read somewhere that this was originally supposed to be a two sided album, half acoustic, half rock and tbh it shows) some of the tracks felt boring and I found myself losing interest, the album becoming background music.

This is the third R.E.M. album we've had, which is just too much for me. I've always found Michael Stipe's vocal style a little irritating, so all the songs turn into a blur for me. They are not bad, but I'm just not in love with them

Some truly amazing songs but also some bores. Not very cohesive.

It's pretty good. Plenty of decent tracks, but never elevated to anything more. Quite nice. Kind of upbeat and pretty fun. Some interesting instrumentation in places. A solid 3/5.

Overall good but a bit repetitive and depressing

(66/100)

I was a HUGE fan of REM for years when this was released and I bought this (with GREAT anticipation) the day it came out. I've listened to it countless times and even went to see them on the tour that supported the album. It's hard to do and difficult to say but if I separate myself from all that nostalgia, I have to admit that this just isn't a strong album when compared to their previous material. Production is cleaned up, pop sensibilities are MUCH more prominent, and in general their sound is shifting toward something more marketable and radio-friendly (ironic and sad considering the cynical message in Pop Song 89). Side B shifts more toward their original sound, but the damage is done.

Normally don't like REM, but there were some good tunes on this one. 3/5, not too bad a listen

The album is ok, but really R.E.M. never felt like a band that made music that was made for me. The one song that struck home was the one about California.

166 Es R.E.M siendo R.E.M. No puedo decir otra cosa.

I know that R.E.M are an incredible band, I know they play an important piece of the puzzle in the alternative rock scene. I was around when many of their hit songs were released, I just never lost my shit about them, and haven't now either.

A bridge between the early fun R.E.M. and the later incredibly boring band from the 90s. The music is more folky here, but it still has some energetic songs. The musicianship is great, but Michael Stipe is by far the most boring singer I've ever listened to. This is a 3/5. If it had a different singer, it would've been higher.

Funky but a lil slow

Absolutes Mittelmaß

Schöne Stimme, aber sonst nichts hängengeblieben

I really want to like this, but I just can't get into it. R.E.M. is just one of those bands I'd see growing up and hear some of their songs that I'd like but their full albums just never measured up. I remember one of my cousins getting their CD at Christmas one year, I think it was Automatic For The People...and thinking, wow, they must be great if he likes them. They're just very hit or miss for me. Songs like Losing My Religion, Everybody Hurts...and off this album, Orange Crush is pretty great. And Turn You Inside-Out, I've never heard before and it slaps...but then Hairshirt is next and I just couldn't wait for it to be over. It's not that I think they're bad musicians....they're great musicians. Stipe has a nice voice, instantly recognizable even if I've never heard the song before. It's just not for me, as much as I'd like it to be.

nice to have on in the background !

Natuke nagu The Smiths, aga rohkemate ja kõrgemate vokaalidega ning ameerika aktsendiga.

It’s a nice day when you don’t even have to listen to the record because you know it so well. R.E.M. was the first band I really fell in love with, which was lucky, as they had a near perfect ten album run and I was in there just before it went off the rails. Then, as the nice day went on, I had the creeping realisation that I didn’t want to listen to Green. I didn’t want to grapple with that imagined perfect run. Lifes Rich Pagent, I’ve come to realise, has a pretty weak back half and I always knew that Reckoning had a lot of chaff. If Green is on this list, then I’m confident that my feelings on Out of Time will have to be disclosed in good order. Much easier to file Green under easy listening, the major label leap, the bid for superstardom. Pop Song 89 could be no clearer statement of intent. And, honestly, I don’t like it very much. Hollow, unimaginative, blatant. But, it sounded surprisingly good in my headphones today. As did Get Up and Stand. Yet, while the basic reading of Green, as a stadium record with chart intentions, holds true, the seeds of rejection of same are there already. It’s obvious. It’s embarrassing now to pretend otherwise. The Green tour would be so big and so successful that the band would choose not to tour the follow-up, to create an intimate, interior studio-bound record instead. That withdrawal is usually attributed to Peter Buck’s mandolin turn on Out of Time, but the mandolin is already all over Green. the exquisite dirge of You are the Everything; the mawkish dirge of The Wrong Child; and the unnecessary dirge of Hairshirt. These songs aren’t experiments so much as rehearsals. Certainly, he will perfect his mandolin skills on the coming record and, in so doing, snap up the smash hit single that Green doesn’t produce, but the future of R.E.M. is already apparent. The band dynamic is already shifting. Bill Berry plays bass on You Are the Everything. Buck plays drums on Untitled, like Paul on Back in the USSR. Roles loosen. The band becomes a studio unit rather than a touring organism. This is the real pivot. Green marks the moment when R.E.M. begin to prioritise recording over performance, the document over the event. Like the Beatles retreating from the stage, they start to imagine records as self-contained spaces rather than things to be reproduced live. The seeds of Out of Time aren’t aesthetic so much as practical. Out of Time doesn’t perfect this shift - it hasn’t aged well enough to deserve that claim - but it does resolve a tension that Green leaves unresolved. Green wants to be both a stadium record and an inward one, and it can’t reconcile those impulses. Two albums later, R.E.M. will learn how to separate them properly. World Leader Pretend already points the way. 3 How nice and slightly unexpected to see Green pop up on the list. Green is a good album that I’ve never really thought about too much. R.E.M have so many good albums I don’t think I would have this in their top 5. That’s not to say it doesn’t offer plenty worth celebrating - You Are the Everything and Hairshirt are two of their very best, for my money. Good set of singles, although almost cynical in their catchiness and I find Stand almost unbearably goofy. I like the whole album, although I wouldn’t miss I Remember California if it had been those 5 minutes shorter. 3/5

I like REM, but I actually didn't think these particular songs were fantastic. Maybe a harsh rating...

6/10 boring pop song 89 12/17/25

3.5

This was okay. Some bangers lowkey