R.E.M. is a rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry. Influenced by late 70's Punk and the Gothic folklore surrounding their hometown, R.E.M.'s style merged into a sort of New Wave/Folk sound, unlike anything heard before or since.
Murmur (1983)
Like a siren call from deep within the kudzu covered caverns and clubs of Georgia, Radio Free Europe announced the arrival of a unique sound rooted in Southern Gothic mythology.
Reckoning (1984)
A continuation of the themes laid out in Murmur, with a shot of bourbon: mythology, mysticism, and mystery, exquisitely expressed in So. Central Rain: love and desire, fell victim to the hands of unpredictable weather.
Fables of the Reconstruction (1985)
Delving deeper still into the folklore and poetry created by the missing pieces left by a southern culture reconstructed, deconstructed, and reconstituted. Can't Get There From Here.
Lifes Rich Pageant (1986)
First overt attempt to expand into a political consciousness to envelope the emerging environmental collapse; Fall On Me, in beautiful three-part harmony.
Document (1987)
Officially leaving The South for good, widening their scope to view the whole wide world, sharpening stones and walking on coals, and writing and performing the Finest Work Song the band would likely ever create, It's The End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine).
Green (1988)
A rock band is born. Sold out arenas and Top 10 hits. And incidentally a great album of eclectic and challenging songs; holding tight to the esoteric poetry that got them there, injecting it with a bit of Rock n Roll: Orange Crush.
Out of Time (1991)
Primed and ready for Platinum. Opening eyes with a landmark video for Losing My Religion (a southern expression for losing your temper and/or cursing). Ambitious albeit uneven attempt to make history.
Automatic for the People (1992)
Predictably unpredictable effort to counteract the growing movement toward violent distortion in the music world. Hey kids, nobody tells you where to go, R.E.M. forever changes the face of Emo with Everybody Hurts.
Monster (1994)
Unpredictably jumps two steps back and embraces Grunge with a sexy, fun album of noise and nonsense. What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996)
Semi-live, gear-grinding rock songs that exemplify movement, time, and distance punctuated by a monumental duet with Patti Smith, about the corrosive nature of chemical dependence, E-Bow the Letter.
Up (1998)
First post-Berry album (drummer Bill Berry exited after suffering health problems); and it shows. Derivative of Radiohead. Cold, sterile, and unnecessarily obtuse effort, oddly goosed by a nice little ditty called Daysleeper.
Reveal (2001)
The best album no one talks about when talking about R.E.M.'s best albums. The antithesis of Up, Reveal is sunny, but cynical; bright, but biting; hopeful, but longing. Art is the sincerest form of, the essence of, The Imitation of Life.
Around the Sun (2004)
If Up was previously considered their worst album, partly due to an unhealthy (but understandable) obsession with Radiohead; Around The Sun overtakes Up, due to a much more cancerous influence, Coldplay.
Accelerate (2008)
Celebrate Accelerate; with the opening track, Living Well is the Best Revenge, a statement is made; to the final track; a low concept, un-serious, spirit-rousing fatalist farce entitled I'm Gonna DJ, as in, Death is pretty final, I'm collectin' vinyl, I'm gonna DJ at the end of the world.
One thing is for certain, R.E.M. has consistently enraptured the music world with their depth of range and thier ability to surprise, so there's no reason to doubt R.E.M. will continue to do so in the future.
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