Reviews (page 9 of 13)
Perfect album!
It was a good listen. I heard some songs that I haven't listened to in 10+ years. Overall, I'd definitely give album another listen.
R.E.M. seem to be in that weird realm of uniqueness where they’re easily distinguishable from other acts, but not actually different enough to stand out properly. It’s probably Stipe’s distinct voice or the jangle of the instrumentation - but they’ve seemed to keep their sound fairly robust over the few albums I’ve listened to. As for Green, despite its misleading title/cover matchup, its soundscape is certainly lush and (maybe) upbeat. I don’t really want to throw this away as ‘background listening’, but that’s the sense I’m getting. There’s not a grand artistic statement or experimentation. It’s a great performance of tried and tested alt rock. And it works. And it’s just fine.
It’s yellow. Orange maybe, but not green. They have an original sound. Uniquely them. Unique vocals, instrumentation, writing, production. It’s good. I enjoy it, but an album from them has always been daunting and a bit much by the end. Perhaps because my eighth grade math teacher played them nonstop. Not sure. I enjoyed every song individually, though. 4/5
i never really paid any attention to R.E.M but now i wish i had sooner. great album
Þetta er R.E.M. platan sem ég hef aldrei hlustað á, fyrir utan Stand og Orange Crush, sem bæði eru mjög fín. Restin er barasta ansi solid. Held ég hendi tæpum fjarka á þessa.
The only song I know from REM is losing my religion (that's them right?) Stand in the place where you.... where do inknow that from? It sounds like something from Parks & Rec. Idk. I don't think I like the lead singers voice.
The start of REM's downfall. This one was definitely phoned in. Orange Crush is great, and World Leader Pretend is one of my favorite REM songs. But mostly disappointing because they had set such a high bar for us fans earlier on in their catalog. Even the worst REM is still enjoyable, though. Mike Mills, Peter Buck and Bill Berry always sound great. And Michael Stipe is nothing if not entertaining and usually poetic. You can feel a self-consciousness about the change of direction I think, and that brings it down.
My opinion changed so much throughout this album. The first two or three songs I could not only see the influence but how it’s different from other stuff. But as time went on, I shortly realized that his voice was slightly intolerable. I’m going back and forth between a 2 and 3. I think because I was able to see such a defining difference between other music, I respect it for that.
At the time of this release I wasn't much of an REM fan and truly and sincerely hated their poppy songs from this period - feels like they were trying to simplify from their previously-cool mysterious/dark/imperceptible period. Or perhaps I was a bit limited being that I was listening to a lot of "real" music at the time (read: screaming guitars, spandex, lasers. Obviously.). Hmm. Interesting to revisit this a few decades and taste-revolutions later and ... I don't mind the pop songs so much anymore. But it's the major key clarity in their songs overall that still loses me from truly connecting with much of it. Maybe I'm just anti-mandolin? Songs that are mandolin-heavy here are my least-favourites. Fave: "Turn You Inside-Out" - a rare rock/distorted guitar REM song that really works for me - something about that simple pre-chorus. Least-fave: "The Wrong Child" - terrible. Competing vocals sounds more than sloppy. Overall it's better than I was expecting, although at 41 minutes I was ready to jump ship so I appreciate the short runtime. It's a fuller-sounding record than I'd been expecting - sounds great in headphones - and very different from their early/first-4-albums period that I've grown to love. Anyways - no chills but mostly a fine rock listen. 5/10 3 stars
sorry hannah, i enjoyed it, but it wasn’t my absolute favorite
Ausgezeichnet Album mit REM in reinform. „Stand“, „Orange Crush“ und mein Geheimtipp „World Leader“ zeigen das volle Potential der Band mit einprägsamen Stimmen und tollen Texten - Mega- 😀👍
2.5 but lovingly, a lot of songs almosttttttt did it for me but there always was something missing
tercer álbum de rem que me sale YA NO PUEDO MÁS
Not an R.E.M fan but this was alright. 3*
Fairly generic rock. Nothing stood out.
So boring
One of the things I've felt for years is that I really need to dig into the earlier side of R.E.M.'s discography, mainly because I wanna see what they did with the jangle pop sound and their singles from that era are pretty neat. This album was good but not really consistent, it feels in this weird crossroad of trying to be more alternative rock but also trying to still retain some of the folky/jangly aspects of their old music, so it can oscillate between amazing alt rock songs like "Orange Crush" to huge misses like "The Wrong Child" whose instrumentals and Mike's voice just do NOT mix well. I enjoyed my time with this album but it just felt like I have heard R.E.M. could do better and more consistent things than this.
"Green" is the sixth studio album by American rock band R.E.M. The album was produced by Scott Litt and R.E.M. and was their major label debut on Warner Bros. which allowed a wider distribution allowing it to be their European breakthrough. The music was a departure of their jangly pop and college rock into what the band called big dumb bubblegum songs and the use of different instruments including the mandolin, accordion and percussion. Actually, only partly true. The songs explore political and environmental themes. Commercially, it hit #27 in the UK and #12 in the US and critically was well-received. The first or Air Side opens with "Pop Song 89." A typical R.E.M sounding start with Peter Buck's melodic guitar chorus which continues throughout the song. Sort of a pop-sounding and was their attempt of a cynical parody of pop. Nature sounds and a melancholy mandolin begin "You Are the the Everything." Piano keys. Great backing vocals by Mike Mills. A great deeper cut song. "Stand" was meant as a tongue-in-cheek attempt at 1960's-esque bumgum pop. Well, it worked. Lead singer Michael Stipe said it was about making decisions and not letting life happen to you. A synth intro, bass and tumbling percussion start "World Leader Pretend." A personal song lyrically as Stipe is doubting himself and his decisions. One of the best songs on the album. Their first single "Orange Crush" opens the second or Metal Side. Fast drums and a hard rock guitar. Hey, this is sort of danceable. They take a shot at government's use of agent orange in the Vietnam War. Musically, "Turn You Inside-Out" is an inversion of "Document's "Finest Work Song." It's more of that hard rock guitar that was heard in "Get Up." A great job yelling the song title by Mike Mills. A song about the environment. They keep that pro-environmental theme and the harder, darker rock guitar in "I Remember California." A heavier bass and drums too. This might be the closest song R.E.M. comes to heavy metal. I have to admit I was surprised by its inclusion in this challenge over other R.E.M. albums but then again it was their breakthrough in Europe and, you know what, it sounded really good today and maybe I have always under estimated it. It probably has been my least-played out of their first ten albums. The use of the mandolin, organ, accordion and strings lays the baroque pop foundation that they would take to another level in "Automatic For The People." There are beautiful melodies throughout and there is a good job of mixing the political with the personal. I use to find the strength of this album in the deeper cuts like "Wotld Leader Pretend," "The Wrong Child," and "Untitled." But, this is a solid album throughout and stands strong in their remarkable first-ten album run.
Nah
I do like R.E.M. but this album didn’t especially stand out to me. Like I listened to it on Friday and reviewing it now on Monday and I barely remember it other than it was pleasant.
Fully realized alternative album. It’s great.
8/10
Although I prefer Murmur, this is still a great album.
Very good album. With hits like Stand and Orange Crush, I feel like the band was just beginning to hit their creative stride.
I think I've earned myself a three. This album was pretty damn good. I've listened to Orange Crush probably about 10 times today. Nonetheless, the rest of the album was pretty mediocre. Some funky beats but nothing too special. An easy listen for a day that I really needed it. (Drinking Orange Crush while listening to Orange Crush is a 5/5 experience would do again)
I love R.E.M.! Stand is a banger.
Geweldig R.E.M. album! Orange Crush is toch wel één van de vetste schijven van R.E.M, die ook wel eens een reunie zouden mogen houden. 4.2
A pretty decent album - Orange Crush and Stand get a lot of radio play, Inside Out is a GTA IV classic. Nice folk stuff but also some snoozers. All round enjoyable 3.5/5
I’m sure this inspired lots and seems ahead of its time. However found myself so bored throughout. Just scraped a 3 but so forgettable I won’t be going back
"I can swing my megaphone." Good Lord. 36 years. Seems like only yesterday that I tried a modest little album by a obscure band from Athens Ga. And what an album. With an ability that matched their confidence, Green was the REM album that really announced that they were The Deal. It still holds up as a fantastic album, and "World Leader Pretend" is an underappreciated classic. Excellent stuff.
I like but don’t love REM. This album was fine.
I should probably review this album higher but REM have so many albums and even though this one is really good, it’s not one of their tops for me.
Bueno
I don't know if it's a 5 musically, but I felt very connected in a way. Needed this, I guess.
This could be easily a 4 but Michael Stipe's vocals have always made it difficult for me to truly enjoy R.E.M.
Beautiful alternative album
That's me listening to the album, losing my interest.
REM is a band that I want to like more. They got plenty of radio play, but that was the majority of what I heard from them. The deeper cuts here are good, the hits are like I remember. Their importance along with this record being their first major label release puts this in the forefront of their discography. Cannot deny the influence this record has had.
I always forget how much I like REM!
Favourite song - orange crush
Not my favourite album of REM, but some great singles and a good auld listen regardless.
R.E.M. has a subtle bit of shape-shifting to it. Much like the Beatles, they have a respect for the art, and an ability to make a really good pop song sound authentic, smart, and also entertaining.
it's fine
2 stars from me. It’s a bit depressing.
I was never the biggest fan of R.E.M. Their music is for me solid rock and pop stuff that can go on in the background for hours, but it doesn't move me even though the lyrics are written for big emotions. The singing style is also not the best on the delivery side I find. Still, it's solid.
The first classic R.E.M. album - it's not bad overall, but contains too much filler. 3/5
Of 4? Idk?
Blast from the past
Unsure as to whether this is for me. i enjoy the traditional hits of REM but find the voice and vibe irritating? and commercial/ too happy. Maybe cause i grew up with the songs constantly in media e.g. ads or films... world leader pretend i dont mind. its a bit more janggly guitar and smithsesque vocals enjoying much more from this song onwards like the guitars in i remember california more moody? 6/10 dont think i would actively listen to again
Got my orange crush
Moody and great.
R.E.M has just always been there, but I've never dug into them and listened to full albums. Now that I'm 2 of 4 in from this project, I regret that. Stipe's vocals are so distinctive and R.E.M. always sounds like R.E.M. and nobody else. Yet there's enough musicality that it doesn't sound like the same song or album over and over; you aren't going to mistake one for another. That can't be said for so many of the albums I've listened to for this project (this is #208).
I think this my favorite REM album. I do like Michael Stipes vocals and on some songs it really cuts through - with You are the Everything the stand out track and best example of this.
Ups and downs, but overall a good listen. A handful of great songs and a couple of duds. I'd rate this just below 4 stars if I could, but it's still worth listening to.
This was the first REM Album I ever bought/listened to and I’d forgotten just how bloody good it is! Wow, superb and brings back a lot of memories. I like Stripes “whiney” voice and the “pretentious” mandolins so there!!
Good stuff.
R.E.M. finally starts to make some real greenbacks with "Green". This album moved the band from college radio sweethearts, to mainstream radio sweethearts.
I’ll be real with you, REM deep cuts all sound the same on every album. There’s always those one or two bright spots and then literally the same song over and over
This is the R.E.M. album I grew up with. I already love every song. The only true timeless classic on it is Orange Crush, but I still cannot skip a single second.
Meh. About what I expected from R.E.M. I've never been a fan. Not bad music, though. Just not something I enjoy.
есть песни и получше
this is where rem really started to take off, and subsequently where my interest in them starts to drop off still that lovely sound on quite a few of these songs best song: world leader pretend worst song: n/a
I am a pretty big fan of REM. Document was huge when it came out. It is what made me initially interested in the band. I went back and got their previous albums which I enjoyed. Very "college radio", but there is a lot of good stuff. Starting with Green I guess they were evolving their sound. I did not care for a lot of it at the time and did not like post-Document REM as much as pre-Document. Also, like post-Joshua Tree U2, it seemed that they started taking themselves a bit too seriously. I'm not sure I have ever actually listened to this entire album, but I have heard a lot of it. It is better than I remember. I still feel pre-Document is better REM, but this is a good album and REM is definitely a great band.
Ihan ok. Mikään kappale ei oikein erottunut päälimmäiseksi, mutta ihan fiilasin tätä kuuntelukokemusta.
This is the second R.E.M. album on my journey after Document, and I admittedly enjoyed this more. The song compositions are tighter with more hooks popping off. From the get-go on songs like "Pop Song 89", "Get Up" and "Stand" there is an immediate energy that resonates in how they parody pop song tropes. Complimenting that is Michael Stipe's abstract lyricism which captures the tone of the given song while coming off as self-reflective. Even the attempts at political commentary are better here than on Document because the few times they have a crack at it, they used particular imagery and lines to express their perspective on the given event. They reflect on the Vietnam War in "Orange Crush" with a focus on the Agent Orange chemical, the line "to serve your conscience overseas" to imply American political influence in combating the perceived threat of communism in Asia, and the commentary and soldier march in the interlude to evoke the wartime scenery. "Turn You Inside-Out" takes a simpler but striking approach to highlight the influence and culpability of major corporations and the protestors' involvement with what they have in choice, heart, tool, etc. to exercise their protest of said corporations. That said, there are a few songs on this album that aren't as strong as the rest. "The Wrong Child" and "Hairshirt" are slower and lighter-fare songs that for me aren't as compositionally or lyrically tight as the rest of the album. Not bad, but they could have been better. Green marked quite the improvement from Document for R.E.M. and as such it comes with a high recommendation.
It didn't wow me, but I enjoyed it.
This is so mid compared to other stuff released by R.E.M. I didn't enjoy it that much. It wasn't bad but mostly boring.
If it weren't for orange crush, i'd give this a 2. Stand -- always brilliant. just never been a big REM fan.
Some very familiar songs, but I prefer Automatic for the People
not my favorite REM but it certainly has some bangers on it 3.5
I have trouble staying interested in this album but there are some good songs on here. 3 stars or C for me.
A horrible listen while studying for exams
some cool songs that are familiar bc growing up w my dad, pop song 89, stand and orange crush. pop song 89 has like that cool bridge riff thing not part of the main chorus that i like. and thats it!
not a huge REM gal but enjoyed the listen. probably won't be seeking it out again any time soon
Kinda nostalgic - some songs I recognized and some I did not. REM sounds too much like a specific time and place and its not really my jam :shrug:
I remember getting this album in the Columbia House CD racket (that my parents ended up paying for dearly) and finding it a little hard to grasp as a 12 year old. It's an ok album but not an REM stand-out for me.
enjoyed this
Got confused with the year it said it was from then realised it was a reissue 🤦🏻♀️ Enjoyable enough.
Pretty basic 80's rock. Orange Crush is the obvious standout. Probably won't relisten.
good one. добрый альбом
Stand is an all-time favorite. Orange Crush feels so early 90s but also timeless. Good album.
Another classic, well deserved spot on this list.
1001 Albums #20 pretty good, nothing absolutely show-stopping though
Fun fact: Despite its name, Green isn’t green—the album cover features bright orange text against a green background. R.E.M. will forever hold a special place in my heart. They were the first real band I saw live, and their music soundtracked my dramatic first teenage heartbreak. Green, their first album under Warner Bros., marked their leap from indie heroes to mainstream icons. It’s an album of bold experimentation, where the band expanded their sound without losing their signature jangly guitars and Stipe's cryptic charm. Green offers everything you need from R.E.M.: playful pop-rock like "Pop Song 89," with its bouncy guitars and wry humour, and the infectious and quirky sing-along of "Stand". There’s the political bite of "Orange Crush"—arguably their finest track—and the introspection of "World Leader Pretend." The pastoral beauty of "You Are the Everything" and "Hairshirt" contrasts with the driving energy of alt-rock anthems "Turn You Inside-Out" and "Get Up." While not as cohesive as Automatic for the People or as groundbreaking as Murmur. 'Green' bridged REM's indie roots with global superstardom, paving the way for their dominance in the '90s and solidifying their place among the greatest bands to ever do it. Crucially, it is packed with great songs. Did/Do I own this release? No Does this release belong on the list? Yes Would this release make my personal list? Hard to pick just 3 R.E.M. albums, let alone 1, but Green holds a special place for me too. Will I be listening to it again? Weekly.
Indie meats Punk in a good way. Too bad these songs are not as well known as the two REM hits. Very spiritual sounding instruments, and the usual voice harmonics for REM.
It's time to dust off a CD on the shelf. Green and R.E.M are a great way to start a Tuesday! Green, when compared to other absolute classics, seems like a lesser work by the band, but on the contrary, Green is a great work by R.E.M that proves that simple but well done is wonderful!
8.0 Só não gostei muito de 3 músicas, acredito, mas com o tempo isso muda.
OK, after reading and being influenced by some other reviews, I am going to rate this higher than i originally thought. As I listened I thought this is a pretty good pop album, but did not think it was extraordinary. But, am I glad I heard it? Yes. Did I like it overall? So, it is worth a 4 and maybe another listen down the road...
Damn, this takes me back. This was right when REM made the jump from college radio to MTV. So much of this record was on the radio. How do I still know all the words to Pop Song 89? Pop really is right word to describe this record. Stand is classic, easy bubblegum, complete with dance instructions. And you can hear how Orange Crush so clearly inspired Kurt Cobain’s style. There’s a lot of great stuff here. It’s not my favorite, but it’s still very good. 3/5
Orange Crush is clearly the best thing on here, although there are some other nice jangly guitar moments. And I do like a jangly guitar and have been known to enjoy an REM album from time to time. Not my favourite but there’s a chance I might listen again.
I love orange crush. The rest his voice is a little too whiny for me.
Pretty solid
it’s fine. rem is fine.
Pop song, stand, orange crush all classics
4.25
While I have heard R.E.M plenty of times I dont think I have ever heard any song from this album. Their sound is the same as what I have heard before though. Catchy songs that contain a messages about the time when they were written.
“Well, that bored the piss out of me.”
It's the juxtaposition of it all. Fav song Stand
Transitory album between their college radio indie pop darlings to ruling the alternative radio waves. Ultimately, Green ends up somewhere between and doesn’t do it for me.
I know I should love them more because of the Georgia connection- but it’s just eh. These 90s albums don’t hit for me.
Fav: Orange Crush Least Fav: Get Up Felt more orange than green
Never got what people see in REM. Just not my thing I guess.
Another case of the hits being good, but not much else. Way too much slow, sad filler
also a strong 4. i don’t know why this isn’t a 5 because objectively i think it could be, im just not sure if it aligns with my personal taste in the way it would take for me to give this a 5
Pre-listening thoughts: been literally less than a week since we got Automatic for the People lol. I don’t think I’ll like this one quite as much but I still like R.E.M. so I bet it’ll be good. Post/during listening thoughts: this is literally just R.E.M. like idk what else to say about it. It’s just good idk 8/10 I love R.E.M. they’re like dad rock but emotional and cool with it DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: Pop Song 89, Get Up, Stand, Orange Crush, Turn You Inside Out Least fav tracks: none
Good baselines and beats, but too many fadeouts for this era/type of music. Wasn't a fan of the voice and lyrics, and overall it seemed pretty generic and not a great listen as a whole.
I haven’t hit 70 albums yet and I’ve gotten my third R.E.M. album. Not that I’m complaining, they have been consistently good up to this point. And Green is no exception. Actually, this might even be my favorite from them so far. I don’t know if that’s a hot take or not. But this is a really good mixture of some bubblegum pop with some serious asides. I’ve read that the pop was supposed to be ironic and satirical, but the band just ended up making some good pop themselves. Funny how that works. Though songs like Orange Crush and World Leader Pretend add a nice contrast away from the pop. Honestly, this feels like the send-off for R.E.M. as an outliner from the mainstream. This was the last album before Out of Time, which would make the band no longer a cult band. While I think Document is the last pure essence of R.E.M. as who they originally were, Green feels like the swan song to those days. And to me, they went out with a bang. Favorite track: Stand Other hits: Orange Crush, Pop Song 89, Get Up, Turn You Inside-Out, World Leader Pretend
3.5
Overall: 6/10 R.E.M. is a band that's always just kind of been in my life in some form. I've never had much of an opinion on them either way beyond liking a few of their singles. This album doesn't really sway my opinion in either direction and I feel like they'll always be one of those bands that just exists. I really like the different instrumentation on some tracks though and Orange Crush is one of my favourite R.E.M. songs. Fav Song: Orange Crush Least Fav Song: The Wrong Child
One of their best!
Great album just got a little boting
I saw them on the tour for this. It was so good I lost my shoes.
I didnt use to like them back in the day, but compared to the crap these days, it was ok
3.5/5
Some hits, some misses, but the stuff I liked I REALLY liked.
Ah, R.E.M., my twin sister's nemesis. I'm contractually obligated to not enjoy R.E.M., and as such I cannot give them higher than a 2. Regardless, I'm not a fan of R.E.M. I sure do not enjoy Michael Stipe's vocals. Musically, R.E.M. is OK. Though I would dispute what makes this album experimental (because this album sounds like classic R.E.M.), the use of the mandolin was cool--I always enjoy artists exploring past their usual bounds. I learned a bit more about R.E.M. and their style, discovered I knew "Orange Crush" without knowing the title, and toughed out another album. "And how can it not be longer?!"
Wikipedia deems this to be "experimental rock". While I can agree with that, it's still pretty approachable for something that's experimental. This is definitely borderline 90s alternative rock at this point. I can't place too much that sounds like R.E.M. and this album is included in that. They occupy a niche that is uniquely them. Some of this album hit pretty hard for me, but as it went on, I felt like it lost steam. All said and done, a decent album, though.
Classic songs
So many great memories of listening to REM in HS. Culminating in Green, when I was finally able to see them in concert. Went with my sister, her BF, & my hs crush Francine. I probably should have kissed her that night when I walked her to her door. Le sigh. Anyway. I loved REM, I loved this album, and I loved the concert. I had the Turn You Inside Out t-shirt which had the artwork printed on the inside of the shirt so you wore it inside out. How fucking clever is that?
Pre-Losing My Religion REM is a bit of a mystery to me. I know some of the albums, some of the hits, but I am not quite sure how it hangs together and what the story is. Looking forward to exploring it though; hoping this project will help in that respect. This is the one just before the big breakthrough and I get the impression it is the band at their most rock. Which I like. I was familiar with songs like Pop Song 89 and Stand and Orange Crush and I always really liked that side of REM. The album as a whole is a bit of a mixed bag. Not everything has stood the test of time but I liked exploring it. Especially enjoyed discovering You Are The Everything. Very much sounding like an early attempt at Losing My Religion with that mandolin. But that same mandolin on the Wrong Child is a bit dreary. Hearing World Leader Pretend makes me understand why the band gets compared to the Smiths. Four stars feels a bit generous but three is too mean.
They have some good songs but I really don't get REM
This album wasn’t filled with a ton of hits, but was a lovely listen.
Solid 4.5 from me. Forgotten how consistent this album was and I knew most of the words to most of the songs. Playful in parts, brooding in parts. A fine rediscovery of young adulthood!
Quite liked how melodic this was, I'll give it a 3.
Rather ok rock
Hadn’t heard this one before! Except for Stand and Orange Crush. Man, what a good band. Maybe my familiarity with some of their other work affects this. If I’m looking at just REM albums this might be a 3/5; if I’m considering all albums everywhere ever, probably a 5/5. For this project, I’m kinda feeing a 4.
Favorite tracks: Pop Song 89, You Are The Everything, Stand, The Wrong Child, Hairshirt, Untitled. Lyrically stunning, musically right up my alley. Michael Stipe's voice just does something to me. 4 1/2 stars.
Finally get to dig into the REM catalog. I enjoyed this but will probably need multiple listens to fully appreciate it.
R.E.M. forge a new direction, slightly gentler in its instrumentation if not its lyrics. World Leader Pretend feels especially prescient.
I like this but I think it's something that would require multiple listens. No songs really stood out but the overall vibe was nice.
I liked this more than I expected.
3,27 average
classic album of this genre, college folk rock. Definitely captures this era.
80% Best: Pop Song 89; Stand; Orange Crush; Turn You Inside-Out; I Remember California; Must-Hear? Solid, but no
decently average but enjoyable with maybe some unique sound for its time. i hereby declare them mostly-a-singles-band until the site gives me Automatic For The People
I didn't enjoy this as much as Murmur but it was ok. Orange Crush and Stand are head and shoulders above the rest of the songs on this album.
Not my thing.
Really good. An R.E.M album that actually rocks. So much better than automatic.
R.E.M., nice. One of the pleasant outcomes of doing this here: before I'd only known the REM that was played on the radio or MTV. Always quite liked those songs but I find that I'm often frugal about my music listening habits - or, there is always SO much else to listen to - and so had never taken a deeper dive into their work. Loved "Document" (#76), I do like this. However, stylistically, it really points towards "Automatic..", which I thought to be rather beige. It's good, though.
For all the jokes about Stipe mumbling I find his voice clear and concise. The music is solid and not over the top or imbalanced. It’s almost wrong to label R.E.M. as an Alternative Rock band because they’re much too good for that. A thoroughly enjoyable album.
I was pretty ambivalent about this at first, though it grew on me as it went on. 3.5 rounded up
This ones just alright. I really liked the political themes they were trying to touch on through this record, but not all of them landed where I think they were aiming. I liked Stand and Turn You Inside-Out
After listening to this album I revisited Murmur which I had generated last year. This album is not nearly as good as Murmur, but it is still enjoyable. The second half of this album is especially good. Yesterday I had the College Dropout by Kanye West. Jesus Walks from that album uses the same sample as Orange Crush and I think that’s neat. Favorite songs were Stand, Orange Crush, Turn You Inside Out, and I Remember California.
Heard before. Own it.
A defining album with REM on top of their game
***An ok album
Favorites were "Stand" and "Orange Crush"
The album has probably my favorite two R.E.M. songs on it. But it's _STILL_ R.E.M., who I never overly liked. Maybe it was how "Losing My Religion" just got overplayed, but Stipe is so... whiney. It's downplayed a _LOT_ in this one, except for one or two songs (looking at you, "The Wrong Child"). "Hairshirt" is still pretty much.... what? But even with those negatives to it, this is still a pretty solid album. The "Untitled" song is also replayable, which says a lot about hidden tracks. Usually, they are throwaways for me, like skits on albums. So yeah, this is really good. I may even consider re-listening to it, even though it is R.E.M. Maybe. Top tracks: "Orange Crush," "Stand," "I Remember California," "Pop Song 89"
I've disclosed before my bias for REM, or at least some of their albums. This album is part of their peak songwriting period - and it's probably this album when they really started to take off - so I'm not giving it anything less than a 4. I've never listened to any of it beyond its singles but I really enjoyed it. I like their incorporation of a wider set of instruments, especially the mando. And I like that they still kept their biting sarcasm or commentary on politics and life. Favorite rockers were Pop Song 89, Get Up, Stand, Orange Crush, Turn You Inside-Out, and Untitled. Favorite softer songs were World Leader Pretend, and Hairshirt. That's a lot of favorite songs so my 4 feels validated.
November 2, 2024 HL: “Stand”, “Orange Crush”, “Pop Song 89”, “You Are the Everything” The mandolin here is less “Losing My Religion” and more “Battle of Evermore”. Track 6, “The Wrong Child”, definitely has that dance-round-the-maypole energy. “Hairshirt” is a bit odd, I kept expecting it to build to a stronger finish- not sure why, though. None of the other acoustic tracks had drums or anythin’ “I Remember California” just sounds menacing “Stand” is the 1st REM song I was aware of; it’s silly and not really representative of their best work but I love it. Is having both Green and Document on this list redundant? I couldn’t say, but there is a wackier energy in this one that isn’t immediately noticeable in the other 3 REMs. Paired this with Reckoning (1984), which further makes me wonder if they ever made a bad record
No real comment. I've never listened to R.E.M. outside of hearing singles on the radio - and while I enjoy a few of those (and I quite enjoy Michael Stipe's voice), there's nothing here that makes me want to re-listen.
I love REM. This album didn't really have a weak link.
It's ok
I am frankly not particularly an rem enjoyer
Expected to only like the singles but REM has definitely grown on me
REM is objectively fine and I don’t have any major qualms with them - I don’t mind listening, but I probably won’t be back aside from the songs I already knew. Soft 3, hard 2
Outside of Stand and Orange Crush, I didn’t really know much of the other songs but I could see where it was building from here with the mandolin that eventually leads to Losing My Religion that I love
wasn't bad but there was nothing drawing me to listen again.
Lovande början -> meh -> ok näst sista låt.
I've been liking all the REM albums I've gotten. This one was good too
The review that said this album walks a delicate line between an uplifting and heartbreaking hit the nail on the head. I was familiar with R.E.M.'s popular songs, but other than that never really listened to them. "You're in the backseat laying down, the windows wrap around To sound of the travel and the engine All you hear is time stand still in travel And feel such peace and absolute The stillness still that doesn't end But slowly drifts into sleep The stars are the greatest thing you've ever seen And they're there for you For you alone, you are the everything" I mean, come on, that is 5 star song writing. Absolutely beautiful.
I remember this one when it came out. Pop Song, Stand, Orange Crush. I forgot about You Are the Everything and World Leader Pretend. A few skipping songs.
Not bad.
Truly ground-breaking album that was able to rise above the din of the pantheon of already existing legendary albums that were flooding the earholes of Gen X. It forced us to think about music differently. It was kind, it was gentle, it was compassionate. And we liked it. Still do.
High school goodness before I discovered the darkness. Orange Crush still slaps, but listening to Stand today sounded asinine.
R.E.M. is terrific. I once again find myself wishing I had listened to them more when I was younger, but grunge was consuming all of rock music’s attention during my musical awakening and as a result I only listened to R.E.M. on the periphery. But “Green” again reminds me that I should revisit them more. Often Michael Stipe’s voice sounds like it should work, but it fits perfectly with the band and sound, and that level of perfect synergy is rare.
My favorite R.E.M. album as whole. You can hear the shift in sound after Document and while "You are Everything" gives a hint to what comes next on Automatic for the People, there are fewer of these slower tracks. Perfectly balanced for me.
Amongst the seas of metal whammy bars that had been gyrated too much and synthesizer tracks that should have been store with blocks of years aged cheese in a cave somewhere, I can see how this stood out. The first four songs are the strongest for sure. Stand sounds great once, maybe twice, but it’s just chorus, chorus, chorus, key change, chorus, chorus, key change, chorus. You get the point. It gets a bit old. In general, songs that start with the chorus are already sus. When the second chorus shows up at 0:45, the songs crutches have buckled and a wheelchair is necessary. I’m being harsh but the analogy works and I wanted to use it. The album is pleasant enough to listen to. You Are The Everything was my favorite track.
Not my favorite REM record but still very good.
For me, this album was ok. It’s good, but not anything I would seek out on repeat. There is some nostalgia to it as Stand and Orange Crush were popular in my teen years, but even then this was not music that really spoke to me. That remains true today. Nothing turns me off about it, but nothing really draws me in either.
rem hasn't ever been my favorite 90s alt outfit but they might climb higher on my list after listening to some of the deep cuts. definitely gave the college rock playlist vibes. 1.) the wrong child 2.) world leader pretend 3.) you are the everything
Green is very good indeed, typical quality for REM. But this belongs to the second tier of their records (along with, say, Monster [this is better] and Life’s Rich Pageant [which is better than this]). It's a good bit below their best (Murmur, Document, Automatic, Reckoning). Even with several excellent songs (“You Are the Everything,” “World Leader Pretend,” “Orange Crush,” “Hairshirt”) overall it feels less varied, groundbreaking and magic than other outings. Thus, it could be easily replaced in this list by Reckoning, Out of Time or Hi-Fi. But even replacement-level R.E.M.is a worthwhile and substanitve listen and quite a high bar. One gets the title's symbolism/milestone for the first major-label release (which editors don't seem to, emphasizing the environmental concerns, which they're certainly not wrong about). One also remembers well the Rolling Stone cover that suggested they were the best rock band in the world and as a Georgia person who grew up with their music, quite enjoyed lording that endorsement over friends skeptical of REM or newer to the bandwagon.
Lots of feeling and excellent lyrics
Was alright - I did end up with "Stand" really stuck in my head though
REM really ushered in the 90s. I'm always a little surprised to be reminded that they were doing this in the late 80s because it seems so ahead of the time. Stipe's trademark "whininess" gets to me after a while, but - still - great band. Good album.
orange crush is a banger on a banger album
I like R.E.M.'s sound but I'm not a fan of their lyricism is a bit rough at points in the album.
REM is great, not my favorite album
The bangers are bangers. But not every song is a banger
Entertaining and enjoyable
I actually enjoyed this, but I can’t listen to it all the time especially when seasonal depression is ruining my life 😀 3.5/5
I prefer the older REM, such as this album, to the more famous’90s albums. I really like Stipe’s vocals. Really good!
This one was hard to choose between 3 or 4, id give it a 3.5 if I could. I find Stipes vocals to be very hit or miss. Some songs I really enjoyed but others did nothing for me. The guitar and drums are average for the genre and time period.
painfully generic. very plain rock
Great album Standout songs You are everything World leader pretend Orange crush
I don't approve of REM switching to major key pop songs, but none of these are bad. I like Orange Crush.
I like REM just fine, but they never reeeeeally do it for me. No exception here. A good album, some standout songs (like Stand!). But nothing I’m terribly likely to go back to.
I always thought of myself as a mediocre REM fan, and like their early raw sound a bit more. Orange Crush has a great sound and is a standout. When you're such a great band I think it's easy to be critical of their work and want everything to be great. To me REM always did what they wanted to and even though they went mainstream, I don't feel like they ever did anything everyone else wanted them to do, or did it on purpose. Kudos to them. They wrote meaningful songs and have their place in history as a one of a kind band.
R.E.M. when they were magical. Green has pop perfection, hard rock with driving guitars, in your face folk tunes, and a couple of ballads for good measure. Their voice was extremely important to those of us who saw issues in the world and needed the political rhetoric to remind us we can speak out and fight for change and succeed.
Its REM so I certainly enjoyed it. It didn't push above some of their other high bars though
Not bad but nothing that stick except for the underated song turn you inside out (might have been featured in a game and be the reason i like it a bit extra, haha)
Ok this was very good!! Might need Luke to be my REM recommendation guide!! My fav song was The Wrong Child, and I really liked Hairchild too, really appreciated hearing Michael Stipe do some soulful and emotional singing.
This has always felt like one of the darkest and most off kilter REM records. Has some of my all-time favourite songs of theirs like Untitled and Hairshirt along with song of their most accessible bangers like Stand and Orange Crush. Weirdly, I feel like the album takes on a strange foreboding feeling when listened to in completion. Maybe in spite of the more straightforward pop singles or maybe because of them? Good record! Love these boys!
Yea its undeniable
Green is the first R.E.M. album i've actually listened to in full before and I'm quite surprised with how much I enjoyed it. I wasn't in a great headspace when I decided to listen to the album (I kinda just wanted to put on my favourites playlist and revisit Green another day). However, straight out the gate I found myself unable to walk away. And yeah, I agree, it's not a perfect and isn't even the best R.E.M. record, but overall it's an engaging and enjoyable album that's worth a listen. 74/100 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ah, this one is filled with nostalgia for me! I think of this album as the midway point between R.E.M being an indy band and getting huge. The one album that could keep everyone happy. Document was always my favorite, but this one has a lot of hits. Always makes me appreciate the band and want to go through the back catalog. 4⭐️
Ok
This was great, better than I thought it was back when I was doing my R.E.M. binge earlier this spring. You can really tell it comes between Document and Out of Time; it splits the difference between those albums' sounds perfectly. It's in the upper half of R.E.M. records, I think, really good stuff.
альтернатива. мне не особо заходит альтернатива, я уже говорил. ну эти ребята вроде неплохи. правда сморило в сон под них чутка) норм)
It's kind of amazing to me this came out in 1988
A good listen, def has some replay value
a lot of the pace was the same, enjoyed some but not much
Alt rock
Oh no another REM album!!!
I love REM even though I typically don’t seek them out. This album has two of my favourite songs of theirs: Stand and Orange Crush. Gonna keep this on my phone and start actually listening to REM more.
3 / 5 Some stand out tunes: Stand, World Pretend Leader, Orange Crush, Hairshirt Overall good album But some songs did blur into one. Some weaker REM songs, not saying much and repeating lines
An album of contrasts from mournful dirges to sprightly pop. It's to me not as cohesive and rather transitional, but a weaker REM is still better then most shit out there.
Green REM’s sixth LP kicks off with the sarcastic and almost snarky “Pop Song 89”, a clear shot at the modern alt-rock of the day. Catchy chorus but not particularly substantive, I guess on purpose. The folky “You Are the Everything” has a particularly unique timbre amongst REM’s body of work, and may be their second best song to make use of the mandolin. “Stand” is a logical choice as a single from the album, Michael Stipe’s clever lyricism is used in full force, almost to a silly degree. “World Leader Pretend” is a great example of the baritone end of Stipe’s vocal range. It lies somewhere between a depressing ballad and a protest song, but it’s hard to dislike such excellent use of a slide guitar. “Orange Crush” stands out, in my opinion, as the greatest song REM ever recorded. The biting political commentary, the brutal wordplay, and the beautiful chorus makes for a song that I’ve spent genuine hours listening to on repeat. “Turn You Inside-Out” is a song I believe could have been successfully released as a single, the minor key grunge drips from the power chords, the shouty background vocals fill space without being overbearing. Good song. “I remember California” is a hauntingly beautiful showcase of not just Stipe’s lyricism, but his arrangement abilities as well. This song creeps into my head occasionally and I’ve never been mad about it. The untitled track to finish the album, in my opinion, captures the helplessness and despair of being far from the one you love. A love song of deep sadness, but hope as well. If not for orange crush, it would be incredibly difficult to pick a favourite song from this record, as just about every track is tied for second place. I would say this is arguably REM’s greatest work. 5 stars.
Geggjað. Hress og mjög heildstæð plata. Stand og Orange Crush stærstu hittararnir en restin er ekki fillers, heldur mjög áhugaverð og góð lög. Mikið var ég búinn að sakna Stipe, alveg kominn tími á smá REM. 4.5
Þetta var algjör himnasending. Frábær plata, sem oft gleymist í umræðunni um plötur REM. Algjörlega með sitt sánd, sem eldist alveg ótrúlega vel.
I liked this album more as it went on. There are some interesting decisions with the instrumentation and heavy use of a mandolin which I appreciate. The lyrics vary from evocative - "I Remember California" stands out especially - to cryptic but retain a certain charm throughout. "Stand" and "Orange Crush" are the notable singles from this album and they hold up 36 years later. Tangentially, once it's pointed out to you that Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip and Michael Stipe kinda sound like each other, you can't unhear it. 7.5/10
4th album of REM from the list for me. This one speaks a bit more for me. Especially the first half of the album. The simple melodies feel very accessible. They have a unique spark in them.
American Stadium Rock 101. No thanks.
The finest Alt-Rock band, but much more. Prolific, political, ridiculously talented. I saw them live a couple of times and they never disappointed.
REM made the whole mainstream music industry pay attention with this release. Only a few years later and the while mainstream was trying to be REM.
Michael Stipe’s yodeling sound drives this album forward. He really lays it on thick in the last song, which I loved. The single “Stand” is fun but doesn’t do too much for me. It’s a really cool sound for 1988.
Another R.E.M. album, another album I enjoyed but aren’t enthused about! Some songs I really like, but it just doesn’t get “pushed over the edge” for me. They’re just a band I respect, not love. 3.5
3.5
Great album. I've got nothing more to elaborate. R.E.M. was a great band and they put out a lot of great stuff.
I listened to a few songs, but just wasn't feeling it, so I quit.
Decent listen. R.E.M. definitely had their sound on lock fairly early on. I’m more partial to their later works but it was find to see the beginning. Stand Out Track: Orange Crush
I think I still like Document and Automatic for the People more but this one is probably more inspired and sonically eclectic.
Listened a few times, it was great.
One of my favorites bands' favorite band. I've never dived too deep into R.E.M. but have always thought they were cool, and people I thought were cool loved them. Pioneers of alternative rock for the win. Perhaps I've been concerned about their huge back catalog and where to start, so I'm overjoyed that 1001 put them on the list. I want more R.E.M.
I liked it way more than expected, given that I'm not someone who listens to REM very often. They definitely have their style.
Not my taste in music was okay
Unoffensively okay.
Mostly forgettable, but nothing too bad
I mean R.E.M. is one of my favorite bands so of course I would adore this
I didn't think this would be as shit as it actually is. Really not for me at all
Jaah noh...Jäi albuniradiolle asti soimaan... Missä albuni oheedio kokonaispakkaus räjähde unohtunu panoksesta..
Still quite enjoyable
Not my cup of tee
Quite bland, not something for me at all. I see the charm, but I was relieved when it was done. My head finally had peace.
Im sure this is a great album! 3 or 4. Fun listen, not especially memorable
Never been a fan of their style. Listened to this album and it's all pretty meh. I would say they are a pretty middle of the road band.
Pretty bland. Some great songwriting. Great melodies. Just a bit samey
R.E.M slaps, no matter how pretentious Michael Stipe is.
Not bad. Very REM.
Mike Mills' harmony is one of the great gifts of rock
Хороший альбом, клёвый стиль у группы
One of their best.
ass
Not again. I regret every day not giving the other REM album a 1. I think about it. If it wasn’t for man on the moon, that puppy was dead. Now. This one is earlier and may have some vitality that wasn’t wrung out by corporate rock radio. Not holding out hope. Well maybe a little. Is that… life??? Is that an alive Michael Stipe not buried in an inky, glimmering shit pile? This song is nice. It’s not great, but it’s something and that really is something compared to the 1992 one. Get up is whatever. It kind of floats by. This is too ballad-y. Gets a little medieval. The theme song to the greatest anti-sitcom ever produced. Simple and decent but it’s forever associated with Get a Life. Which is the best. Man the pseudo country stuff sucks for this. But the vocal melody is excellent in places and the piano is nice. Nah man. Don’t say happy game to play. This sucks. Kingdom Come Deliverance background music with one of the players of the game singing. No man. Stop. This is fucking embarrassing. Uwu I’m just a wittle boy, I have no fwiends. This is the worst. Lowlight alert. I hate that I like the vocal thing at the end, but otherwise this was an immolated garbage barge. Product placement time. I always liked this song when I was younger. It’s fine. This sounds like Bon Jovi and u2 doing a medley track. How does that sound to you? Imagine it. I think it sounds like a benefit concert for Wall Street bankers who had to pay taxes this year. Hard pass. Guys. Come on here. STOP. What was this song????? I wish I could forget California. Although I really like the sombre riff here. This is pre-Nirvana. Very good riff but insufferable whining vocally. Ok. This song sucks. This bad boy is coming into the station. A once proud locomotive has lost all steam, spray painted with tags from disappointed locals from the towns it trudged through. Where I could’ve seen myself giving this album a higher score earlier. It just ensured that I hated it. It tried to get me to hate it. It succeeded. Minimal highlights. Overrated junk. 1-1.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Stand, I Remember California
Many classics. High 3, could'Ve been 4 but oh well.
Good driving jams. Solid 3.
"Green" is not my favorite album by R.E.M., but it's so good. It's just comfort listening for me, at this point. It's solid all the way through, entertaining, and calming to me. I'd probably give it 4 stars in a more "objective" state, 4.5 with a personal bend, but I think 5 stars is where I have to land on this scale for how much I personally love it even over the greatness of the album and the impact of it, even to this day, where it has proven it will stand the test of time and is relatively timeless.
Has its moments.
Green album by R.E.M. released on 1988 start with a punchy rocky song. The album is pleasant and goes from a very dynamic sound to a more slow and relaxing through the 40minutes of the album.
I’d say R.E.M. feel like a very underrated band cause anytime I listen to them, I wonder why I don’t listen to them more. I think you can tell this is an earlier record of theirs but I had no complaints throughout this spin
THATS ENOUGH REM PLEASE
Couple hits in here. That’s about all I want to hear from this band.
There were only one or two songs I really like, but I generally enjoyed the whole album. The sound is cool, but not terribly unique to me. Stand was the stand out (hehe). Favs: Stand, World Leader Pretend
Press play!
Ikke min stil overhoved
Det er ikke fordi jeg er en dedikeret REM hater men jeg har allerede glemt alle de her numre og jeg har lige hørt albummet
Fin plade men ikke noget særligt, manglede nogen numre der stod ud. Tror sgu der er for meget R.E.M. på listen hvis den her kom med.
A bit of mandolin, a lot of boring.
Green Despite listening to it all, I'm not as familiar with the full REM back catalogue as I really should be, so I’m not quite sure where Green quite sits in their overall story. Listening yesterday and today, and despite having some very well known songs, it feels like this might be a bit of a transitional album? I can hear echoes of both their more alternative sound and their massive commercial 90s sound, but perhaps without enough of the consistently great songs that make up their ‘big’ albums. Pop Song 89 is a great bit of catchy pop, and sounded particularly good after Sepultura yesterday. Great melody and hook. Get Up is ok, the ‘rock’ guitar sounds a little unconvincing but the harmonies are nice. You Are Everything is excellent, one of those very affecting REM mandolin songs, and the accordion adds some lovely touches of colour and tone. Stand, of course, is a brilliant song. It has that great REM thing of a slightly unusual vocal rhythm whilst being insanely catchy. Great stuff. World Leader Pretend is fantastic, feels like a bit of a lost classic, I love the piano line and the snare drum. The Wrong Child doesn’t quite work for me, nowhere near as strong as You Are Everything, which shares a similar sound. Orange crush - I have always loved the riff (so catchy!) and bass on this, one of my favourite REM songs. I really like the swampier sound and bass groove on Turn You Inside Out, the slightly rougher edge and less overtly pop melody is a nice counterpoint. Hairshirt is fine, the keyboard in the back of the mix is great though. I Remember California has really grown on me, even I’m not quite convinced by it for some reason. I like the vocal melody and lyrics, but musically I’m not sure about it, particularly the bass and drums. And Untitled is very nice, the organ is great and it has a very pleasant atmosphere of amiable wistfulness. Not sure what I’m scoring this against, their whole career or as an album in its own right. Probably a bit of both. As a standalone album there are some absolute bangers, but mixed in with some fine, if forgettable tracks. And in the context of what followed it doesn't quite have the majesty or weight of say Automatic for the People or New Adventures in Hi-Fi. I think that adds up to a 4 - still a great album but not in the top bracket ✅✅✅✅ Playlist submission: Orange Crush
Probably about 3.5, a few good songs but overall not really my cup of tea
I really enjoyed that. I'm always on the brink of being an R.E.M. fan. Hopefully this is the kick I need to really listen to Stipe and the guys.
-this is the THIRD REM album ive gotten and it’s been less than 100 days, idk how many there are in here… this one’s decent but markedly less enjoyable than Document and AFTP. none of the tracks really gripped me as much but it held together pretty well -Favorites are Pop Song 89 and World Leader Pretend
Green is the beginning of what R.E.M would perfect later. A lot of haunting beauty on this record. It’s also a bit all over the place. You Are The Everything a severely underrated masterpiece but Pop Song 89 mocks pop than 3 songs later, there is Stand 7.7/10
Previous REM has really surprised me, I expected it to be whiney and a bit poppy and just a bit annoying (mainly due to only exposure was everybody hurts) and I've actually really enjoyed it. This however, is whiney, a bit poppy and kinda annoying
It’s still hard to believe, even after the second REM album on this list, that this band was one of the most popular in the world. It’s just passable pastiche
Very interesting album. I had of course heard of REM but never really listened to them beyond their most popular songs and had never listened to a full album by them. There's a lot to like on this one; I found their sound to be impressively sophisticated. They have a great feel for melody and the singer matches the instrumentation very well, though I haven't decided if I actually like his voice. Highlights: Pop Song 89, Orange Crush, I Remember California, and World Leader Pretend were all excellent. If I had to pick one best song it's probably Orange Crush. There were a couple of songs I didn't enjoy so this can't be a 5 star album. Stand in particular I found annoying. I know they have multiple albums on this list so I hope there is at least one where everything comes together to create a masterpiece, because the pieces of the puzzle are definitely there.
Was just very R.E.M and I'm not new to them
Great stuff.
Intricate jangly guitars chiming away under dense cryptic lyrics, all with a kind of country tinge to it. Some of it sounds like the logical culmination of the 80s new wave sound, other parts like an experimental folk act, sometimes like an Americana Smiths, at best they're sweeping and epic like War-era U2. I've tried many times but really can't connect with 80s REM beyond the singles, there's something weirdly inaccessible or uninteresting about so many tracks on these albums, so I never got why they were such a big fixture of the alt/college rock scene. I just like them better as 90s major label sell outs and in radio dominating greatest hits mode I guess... Favorites: World leader pretend, orange crush, I remember California
Came out almost exactly a year after I was born but somehow still sounds like "college radio" to me. I guess that speaks to its staying power of their music. For me personally, it's good but nothing special and a lot of the songs run together kind of sounding the same.
Not bad
Old favourite. Still stands up. Their glory days.
Saw R.E.M. early, in a bar, seats away & was hooked for life. Throughout their career there were a few missteps but this album wasn’t one of them. I’m a sucker for a band that includes at least one song an album accompanied by a mandolin. Songs on this album, all polished and unmistakably R.E.M.
I would say I enjoyed this album
MICHAEL STIPE PISSES ME OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what the hell is up with this guy. he makes "monster" (1994), one of the best albums ever of all time which SHOULD be on this list but isn't—my conspiracy theory is that nobody likes that record because it's too faggy BUT IT'S LITERALLY THEIR BEST ONE. and nothing else in their discography sounds like it. anyway. we aren't talking about "monster" here, unfortunately. we're talking about "green," which is in fact the only other R.E.M. album that i will classify as good. this record has some beautiful lyricism and hints of the sound that would later define monster (i.e. "orange crush"). "you are the everything" and "hairshirt" are both fantastic in terms of the lyrical imagery and dynamism of the music imo. the back half of the album is really very good overall and stipe mostly manages to avoid the stipiest elements of his voice. however this record is ruined by the inclusion of "stand" which is actually one of the worst songs ever committed to tape. i hate that song more than words can possibly say. i couldn't get to my phone fast enough while listening to skip it entirely and i accidentally heard like one millisecond of it, and that was one millisecond too many. i find it humiliating to listen to. so minus five billion stars for "stand," 3.5 stars for everything else. i fucking guess. fav tracks: orange crush; you are the everything; hairshirt; i remember california
That was fine but not that special for me. I don’t think there was even one song I saved or wanted to add to a playlist but it wasn’t like actively bad.
thumbs down
I enjoyed this. Oddly I’ve heard a few songs from this album but I didn’t realize the songs were so old.
Never been a fan of R.E.M. and listening to this album is not going to change it. This is just standard decent rock music, so not super exiting. The one exception is maybe I Remember California. Didn't know that song, I like the melancholic atmosphere.
I really enjoyed the album; I've been listening to it on repeat ;-)
It's fine, I enjoy some songs but I wouldn't return to the album
REM was one of the college bands that were fun to see live - they had their sound and stuck with it. OK for nostalgia, but even the hits on this album are not my fave REM tracks.
Was pretty good
It was an ok album to listen to. Not too impressed but can see it’s relevance
I bought this cassette around 1987. I would have to say, IMHO, that this is one of the best REM albums that has held up over time. Definitely includes a few hits, but a solid album overall. A great example of the band in their prime.
Sorry for the wordplay, but I was really sleeping on R.E.M. before this, looking forward to diving deeper into their discography after this!
4.5/5
Okay I feel a little bad rating it so low but HEY this is subjective right. Once again not a bad album by any means, and instantly every song felt familiar to me. I grew up listening to alt rock and pop punk and arguably this is the band that brought it into the mainstream. I just think it didn’t hit because my music taste has expanded quite a bit since the olden days. I can recognize that this album is the foundation that led to the music I listened to growing up, so thanks for that REM. Should we talk about the government now?
What do you get if you mix Orange Crush (REM) with Lemon Crush (Prince)? Answers on a postcard.
So effing Good REM rules
They have a smashing greatest hits.
Nada interesante, parece el inicio del sonido del rock noventoso pero musicalmente no me pareció interesante, tal vez hay algo en las letras pero no sé... no es para mi
I’ll be honest, I don’t listen to much REM. I like them a lot, and whenever I hear them it’s enjoyable, but it’s not something I seek out or want to listen to very often. This album is great. No question there. I found “You Are The Everything” to be absolutely beautiful and moving. And while this won’t be on heavy rotation for me, it’s still stunning and brilliant.
it's fine
Ok REM.
I really like this. Made me feel more than I expected. How was I not an REM fan before?
I love Orange Crush. What an great album.
the album cover isn’t even green
what 3/5 maybe 3.5/5