Maybe I am missing something, but I don't really 'get' REM. Who is their audience? Not me, I guess. It all seems very competent and polished, but I don't find it at all moving. There's no edge. It trundles along pleasantly throughout.
Probably the last great R.E.M album before the great pop sell out. You snob! Whatever. R.E.M were always at their best as an underground band. Green sees them knocking on the door and being invited into the mainstream. As ever, I've no idea what the subject matter is all about. It sounds like the usual R.E.M mismatch between the personal and the political. Musically, Green sounds like a great band, all knowing their parts, and contributing to the greater good. It's easy to dislike them now. But at the time, they made a statement and were worthy of a listen.