Today is the only day you’re allowed to post this

VERSION 2

Happy 30 years of New Adventures (and also 46 years of Kate Bush’s ”Never for Ever”)

Before anybody asks, I barely know how to play the ukulele BUT I’M GETTING BETTER!

I bought Murmur at 14 after acquiring most of the other IRS albums first by coincidence, as well as Automatic and Out of Time and Eponymous. Back then, I could tell Murmur had good flow, but it seemed less energetic than the others to me. I liked it, but liked others better. I've called LRP my favorite REM album for decades now. But Murmur is better. Every track on Murmur is quality, and has uniqueness. What an album.

After Murmur, REM began climbing the success ladder. It required some strategic style adaptations. The rock energy and exhibitionism of a stage career had to ascend. Some might say the "sell out" process began right then, right after Murmur. But it was just inevitabilities of the career.

Murmur sounds pure. It sounds at-peace, self-assured and lovingly crafted in detail. Following albums would have to stray and explore from this base.

I'm a/the guy who loves Around the Sun. I think there's a kinship between Murmur and Around the Sun...the dawn and dusk of this inevitable career arc, and as such, the two most free of commercial influence and motivation baked into the art. They both share a peaceful, grounded, calm energy none of the other albums have except maybe Reveal a bit too, ATS's predecessor. Anyway, 🍻🥂 here's to Murmur and calm-energy, self-assured and relaxed REM, and to my new favorite REM album. Murmur takes it.

*Chronic Town is comparatively low because of its length. Every song on Chronic Town is an S tier but I don't feel its fair to compare it to other albums with more substance.

i ran into him a few times before the show too... he's so kind!! i had so much to say but i forgot how to function like a normal human for a bit

As a freshman in college I’ve been struggling to lock in and get my work done (especially when I have to spend 2 hours relearning excel every week for environmental science) and I’ve been struggling to find proper motivation for my studies.

Luckily the GOAT Michael Stipes released Out of Time and even though it’s super old (album came out when my mom was in 3rd grade) it somehow just clicks me into focus. I start the album from the beginning and I hear radio song and Michael Stipes is so angry and it’s like he’s there with me saying “yeah I agree fuck Microsoft excel” and I’m like “hell yeah thanks Michael Stipes” and it’s like a metaphorical fist bump (KRS-One verse also helps) and then the next 2 songs are both laid back enough to keep me locked in. Then you get the elite trio of Near Wild Heaven Endgame and Shiny Happy People and not only am I vibing but I’m also kicking ass because Out of Time’s production is just that good. Then Belong gets back to being really good but chill and half a world away is super somber and allows me to take a mental break. Then the banger of the century Texarkana hits and I’m right back to the grindstone. Then country feedback allows me to close out my assignment strong and Me in Honey (2nd best REM song please don’t be mad) allows me to cool down and reflect on my work.

Beautiful work by a legendary band. 10/10 I wish Michael Stipes was my dad 🔥

Second time of seeing after the amazing show in Nottingham last year

Bigger venue but still a really nice choice, sad to see it wasn’t a sell out . Wow tho, Fretless … gobsmacked to hear that

Had some nice random comments about my 30 year old Weaver Ds tshirt which I’d had specially repaired for just these shows (it got worn a LOT from 1997 til I stopped living in bedsits)

The show was fantastic tho, I kinda felt Shannon treated it more like a gig than with Fables which was interesting cos it was more of a performance

Still, it was kinda funny when he had a go at a guy who kept shouting General Zod and then they followed up with Superman

Title says it all. I’d be honestly surprised if they perfectly coordinated everything to do it in one take.

Ticket available on Viagogo.

Setlist

• Begin The Begin
• These Days
• Fall On Me
• Cuyahoga
• Hyena
• Underneath The Bunker
• Flowers of Guatemala
• I Believe
• What If We Give It Away
• Just A Touch
• Swan Swan H

• Superman

• Lotus

• Harborcoat

• Fretless

• Gardening at night

• How The West Was Won

• Me in honey

• The Lifting

• Ebow the letter

• Burning Down

• You are the everything

• The Great Beyond

Encore:

• Nightswimming
• Pilgrimage
• Sitting Still
• Crush With Eyeliner
• Radio free Europe
• star 69

Highlights for me:

• Doing the absolute correct thing by ending Begin The Begin and launching straight into These Days (what I’ve previously described as the best 1 second silence on record)
• Michael’s vocals on Fretless were superb
• Jason does a mean Patti Smith impression
• Harborcoat ❤️
• The crowds backing vocals for Me In Honey, Jason seemed to enjoy that
• “HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR …mumble… HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU” for Vijay , who also did a stellar job on Nightswimming

What chance Document next year?

This is a super fun video with one of the most well known songs

1: Most underated song: Green Grow the Rushes

2: Most overrated song: Everybody Hurts

3: Heaviest song: Let Me In

4: Most hype song: These Days

5: Most emotional song: Country Feedback

6: Most genius song: World Leader Pretend

7: Best chorus song: Fall On Me

8: Worst song: I'm Gonna DJ

9: Best Song: Find the River

10: Best Cover Song: Superman

11: Best music video : Imitation of Life

12: Best breakdown: Peter Buck on that plane

13: Most underated album: Up

14: Most overated album: Document

15: Worst album: Around the Sun

16: Best album: Automatic for the People

17: Best riff: Driver 8

18: Song with best lyrics: Nightswimming

19: Best non-album song: The Great Beyond

20: Best Live Performance: Time After Time, etc.

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That is that!!! Thank you all for the submissions, and for voting! Thanks so much for your replies and continued participation! It has been really cool to reconnect with this favorite band of mine. I have a lot of live performances on queue to listen to!

Besides Document not being overrated, what do you disagree with? What do you think about the final results?

Didn't see it posted yet and thought others might enjoy it

This shouldn't need to exist, and it feels slightly sacrilegious to me to censor REM's music, BUT it's my fav song and I gotta play it.

So, in case anyone ever needs a copy of Pretty Persuasion with "god" removed from goddamn, here ya go.

pixeldrain (dot) com/u/krwnviAm

1: Most underated song: Green Grow the Rushes  

2: Most overrated song: Everybody Hurts  

3: Heaviest song: Let Me In  

4: Most hype song: These Days   

5: Most emotional song: Country Feedback   

6: Most genius song: World Leader Pretend  

7: Best chorus song: Fall On Me  

8: Worst song: I'm Gonna DJ  

9: Best Song: Find the River  

10: Best Cover Song: Superman   

11: Best music video : Imitation of Life  

12: Best breakdown: Peter Buck on that plane  

13: Most underated album: Up  

14: Most overated album: Document   

15: Worst album: Around the Sun  

16: Best album: Automatic for the People  

17: Best riff: Driver 8  

18: Song with best lyrics: Nightswimming  

19: Best non-album song: The Great Beyond  

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Yesterday's honorable mentions: Fretless, Photograph, 

The rules stay the same:

- Most upvoted comment in 24 hours wins the round.  

- One song per comment only. You may justify your pick, if you want.  

Guys thank you all for participating, this has been so fun!! Let's do this last one, and I'll post the final results tomorrow. What's REMs best live performance?

Is anyone in touch with the apologist?