It's The End Of These POLLs As We've Known Them: REM's "Document"

I voted for Lightning Hopkins. Someone had to.

"Exhuming McCarthy" for the bass and "business acumen."

I always loved that 'business acumen' line.

"King of Birds"

Disturbance at the Heron House

"Disturbance at the Heron House". I prefer the MTV unplugged version but this is a great performance too: the riff is direct even if the lyrics aren't. I love how Stipe and Mills' voices fuse in the final chorus (the "head for home") part.

This one is tough for me - this was one of the first REM albums I got to know (one of a trio of tapes bought at a yard sale in the late 90s) and I associate it mainly with doing yardwork listening to it on a Walkman. In that regard, "Finest Worksong" seems kind of perfect, and it is a great little anthem for all its clanging late-80s production oddities. But a lot of these are really good, weird little songs...need to listen to this tonight.

I once said some very embarrassingly poorly expressed things about Side 2 on ILM, can't remember where; but I think side 2 is excellent as a whole. I usually skip "Finest Worksong" and have since the late 80s, unless I program in the Eponymous version which I dig, because the horns resolve some of the tension of the song and thus make it more enjoyable for me.

Worst REM song

the worst REM IRS song is Side 2 of Document.

― Mr. Que, Friday, October 12, 2007 12:05 PM Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

OTM.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Friday, October 12, 2007 12:06 PM Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

That's nuts, side 2 of Document is terrific, "Fireplace" an evil indie hoedown, "King of Birds" hot karaoke for shut-ins, and "Oddfellows Local 151" REM's "When the Levee Breaks".

― Euler, Friday, October 12, 2007 12:10 PM Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

And I don't think it's so poorly-expressed!

I'm going to be along on this one, I feel, but I think I'm voting for King Of Birds.

Followup and cruel zing's to Euler's remarks to be found here: o_O posts . I'll co-sign "evil indie hoedown" though.

Alone, I meant.

I was still learning the language of ILM at the time, forgive me my idiocy. I still dig those songs, though.

voted fer king of birds

while this isn't my favorite REM record, I think it's my favorite Stipe vocal album. On a lot of songs (e.g. "Oddfellows Local 151", "Finest Worksong", "The One I Love") he's singing so loudly that his voice is cracking, which kicks up the tension a lot.

I'm going to be along on this one, I feel, but I think I'm voting for King Of Birds.

Why would you think you're alone? I already said I voted for it!

am also with the birds on this

"The One I Love". But this is the most overrated R.E.M. album IMO. They have never been particularly good when trying to be a "rock" band.

Never bought this one, and looking at the tracklisting, I feel it was a sound decision not to.

I still stand by what I wrote. Meh!

yes seriously. Meh says it all

Sorry, Sundar: Missed your prior post.

cannot decide between "Welcome to the Occupation" and "Disturbance at the Heron House"

..associate it mainly with doing yardwork listening to it on a Walkman. In that regard, "Finest Worksong" seems kind of perfect

OTM! me too, except sub delivering newspapers for yardwork.

Document doesn't suck though. I'll big-up "Disturbance At The Heron House" for badassitude, lyrical silliness, a solo that burns bright and brief, great vocal overdubs, and "Fireplace" for spinning millenial menace from Shaker simplicity.

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Monday, December 5, 2005 6:07 PM (3 years ago)

"Followers of chaos. Out of control"

"King of Birds" for me too. Would also accept tracks 1 thru 4, also "Fireplace". "Strange" is fucking terrible, as I never tire of moaning about. "End of the World" isn't terrible but overplayed to the point where I'd rather listen to its remix "Bad Day". Album = beginning of me stopping being an out and out fanboy, had to increasingly cherry-pick tracks after this.

Oops - looks like this ended behind the veil of downtime. I'm going to let it stand though.