elrod-tom
Moderator - Prefers "stereo weirdo" to "audiophile"
I'll say it again, one of the things that I really value about services like Rhapsody is that I get to try out some new music prior to buying it. In theory, that ought to result in fewer music purchases...but that's not how it's working out. Truth is, I buy more now because for every album that I wouldn't buy because I listened first, I find 2-3 that I either wouldn't have known about or would have assumed I wasn't interested.
Such is the case with one of my more recent purchases, REM Live.
I'm a huge REM fan from way back. When I assemble the soundtrack of my college days, REM is central to it. I bought every one of their first albums, all the way up through Monster...and then I gradually became less interested in their subsequent releases. I had pretty much written them off as "DONE" and was content to listen to their older stuff as part of my ever-changing "re-current" rotation.
One evening, I was in my favorite local record store (Dearborn Music...anyone in the greater Detroit area who hasn't been there...go!!), and came accross this album. Out of curiosity, I picked it up...and didn't even KNOW half of the songs on the album. HMMM....I shrugged my shoulders and retured it to the rack. I mean, why buy a live album by a group that you've pretty much written off for their new work when they do few of their tracks that you know and like?
Well, ordinarily, that's where the story ends...but not this time.
About two weeks ago, I'm listening to Rhapsody and see it come up on a list of new releases. I figured I'd download it to my iRiver and give it a quick listen at work the next day. Well, from the first tune ("I Took Your Name"), it takes off with great energy...the kind I remember from a couple of REM concerts that I was fortunate enough to attend back in the day. HMMM...this is promising...
None of this energy was lost with the next tune, "So Fast, So Numb". It slows down a bit for the next few songs, but to great effect. Actually, "Boy in the Well" is one of my favorite tracks...simultaneously moving at a measured and frantic pace (as it seems most of my favorite REM tracks do).
I've noticed something interesting about this album: the lack of a lot of songs that I know well has has the effect of piquing my interest in it even more. Maybe there is something to going into a listening of a new album without raised expectations or preconceived notions of how things ought to be. In fact, it seems that the tunes that I care for least (which is a bit strong, as I generally like the album a lot) are those that I already know. That said, one of the real gems of the album is "Everybody Hurts", which is one of my favorites (the reason is pretty personal, but I will say that it kept someone pretty important in my life going at a time when things were really falling to pieces). I also very much enjoyed their rendition of "Drive"...I've always enjoyed the sort of David Essex meets Lou Reed feel it brings.
Some of my other favorites are "The Ascent of Man", "I Wanted to be Wrong", "Walk Unafraid", and the crowd pleasing closing number, "Man on the Moon" (probably because I love that Mott the Hoople merited a mention
).
The CD also comes with a DVD, which I've yet to give a listen (viewing?)...I'll try to do so sometime soon.
A VERY pleasant surprise...I guess there's still some life in Michael Stipe and Co. I'll certainly look forward to that next studio release moreso than I would have. In the mean time, this is a CD well worth checking out.
Enjoy...
Such is the case with one of my more recent purchases, REM Live.
I'm a huge REM fan from way back. When I assemble the soundtrack of my college days, REM is central to it. I bought every one of their first albums, all the way up through Monster...and then I gradually became less interested in their subsequent releases. I had pretty much written them off as "DONE" and was content to listen to their older stuff as part of my ever-changing "re-current" rotation.
One evening, I was in my favorite local record store (Dearborn Music...anyone in the greater Detroit area who hasn't been there...go!!), and came accross this album. Out of curiosity, I picked it up...and didn't even KNOW half of the songs on the album. HMMM....I shrugged my shoulders and retured it to the rack. I mean, why buy a live album by a group that you've pretty much written off for their new work when they do few of their tracks that you know and like?
Well, ordinarily, that's where the story ends...but not this time.
About two weeks ago, I'm listening to Rhapsody and see it come up on a list of new releases. I figured I'd download it to my iRiver and give it a quick listen at work the next day. Well, from the first tune ("I Took Your Name"), it takes off with great energy...the kind I remember from a couple of REM concerts that I was fortunate enough to attend back in the day. HMMM...this is promising...
None of this energy was lost with the next tune, "So Fast, So Numb". It slows down a bit for the next few songs, but to great effect. Actually, "Boy in the Well" is one of my favorite tracks...simultaneously moving at a measured and frantic pace (as it seems most of my favorite REM tracks do).
I've noticed something interesting about this album: the lack of a lot of songs that I know well has has the effect of piquing my interest in it even more. Maybe there is something to going into a listening of a new album without raised expectations or preconceived notions of how things ought to be. In fact, it seems that the tunes that I care for least (which is a bit strong, as I generally like the album a lot) are those that I already know. That said, one of the real gems of the album is "Everybody Hurts", which is one of my favorites (the reason is pretty personal, but I will say that it kept someone pretty important in my life going at a time when things were really falling to pieces). I also very much enjoyed their rendition of "Drive"...I've always enjoyed the sort of David Essex meets Lou Reed feel it brings.
Some of my other favorites are "The Ascent of Man", "I Wanted to be Wrong", "Walk Unafraid", and the crowd pleasing closing number, "Man on the Moon" (probably because I love that Mott the Hoople merited a mention
The CD also comes with a DVD, which I've yet to give a listen (viewing?)...I'll try to do so sometime soon.
A VERY pleasant surprise...I guess there's still some life in Michael Stipe and Co. I'll certainly look forward to that next studio release moreso than I would have. In the mean time, this is a CD well worth checking out.
Enjoy...
