[DISCUSSION: WEEKLY ALBUM CLUB] REM - Automatic For The People

For me - I got into REM with Document (seeing a few videos late at night on UHF television) and it only grew with Green. I loved Green so much, from the bouncy "Stand" to the beautiful "You Are The Everything" to the pervasive "World Leader Pretend".

I was in high school with Out of Time came out and while "Losing My Religion" was stunning, I balked at the album because of how poppy it felt to me at the time (I was so knee deep in Violent Femmes and other college/alternative bands, Out Of Time sounded like a sellout to me. "Radio Song" with rap and "Shiny Happy People" and whatnot. I shunned REM! Dead to me!

Back then, being a "sell out" was the ultimate sin. Of course later I grew to appreciate OOT for it's lowkey subversiveness and experimentation - even finally understood "Shiny Happy People" (a song about Chinese propaganda). But it wasn't until much much later, maybe after Monster when I finally got into OOT.

So, here I was, broken up with REM and moving on with my life. 1992 I was living on my own in a small little garage apartment, poor and scraping by, just doing my thing when AFTP came out. i heard the acoustic brooding verses with triumphant chorus of "Man On The Moon" and the kind of non-music video of "Drive", a very strangely arranged song, and decided to give REM another chance.

And well, I love the album. I was BACK BABY! They took their pop learnings and made them dark. Even it's most uplifting songs have a dark broodinest to them. The album is crafted like a mixtape, builds, goes big, comes down, instrumental interlude, and ends on possibly one of the finest and beautiful closers ever with a deep message about love and/or the environment.

To me, the album only improved with age and feels timeless, or should I say, out of time.

So I dont have any sort of relationship or connection with R.E.M. I know the popular songs and I know I've listened to at least this album in full before but I probably didn't give it proper attention.

So I listened to it and tried to give it my full attention. I wouldn't say I've been converted to an R.E.M. fan but there are definitely things to like here. Two songs stood out to me the most so I'll highlight a few things I liked from those songs.

My favorite track is the opener of this album, Drive. It's just really great. I really like the darker sound and the non pop song structure. Obviously the Decemberists came after this but it kinda reminded me of them with the accordion. And then when the strings kick in halfway through it just has this epic sound.

The other song that stood out to me was Ignoreland. A bit more upbeat but there's still a hint of darkness in there especially with the politically natured lyrics. The double-time vocal buildup before the chorus into the belted "Ignooooreland!" is my favorite moment.

Those are my thoughts. If you want to convert to a full blown R.E.M. fan let me know what to check out that's similar to Drive.

Great album to kick off the album club!

I have not listened to this album in a very long time, I listened to it several times this week and enjoyed it every time.

I was never a deep R.E.M. fan. I came to them with Out of Time, and album that I love to this day, and because that was my first R.E.M. album all others are kind of secondary to it. (I also love the subversive nature of oot)

So, for aftp, Drive is my favorite track. Such mood and atmosphere to this song. It always draws me in and makes me feel melancholy in a good way. It’s like the capstone to the entire mood and atmosphere of the album.

This album as a whole just sucks me back to the 90s, hanging out with my first girlfriend and her friend listening to cds and just being dumb teenagers.