R.E.M. - PART 4

Looking back from here, I'm surprised to find that I'm feeling more affection for MONSTER than for NEW ADVENTURES IN HI-FI. The latter is the "deeper" disc, with a decidedly wider sonic range. But the former is, frankly, more fun.

N.A.I.H.-F. suffers from some clunky and/or generic rockers ("Undertow," "Binky the Doormat," "Low Desert"), a rather bland folk number ("New Test Leper"), and a highly unexceptional ballad ("Be Mine"). Granted, I'm hard-pressed to find anything positive to say about "King of Comedy"; "Strange Currencies" is essentially "Everybody Hurts, Part 2"; and "I Took Your Name" and "Crush With Eyeliner" sound rather lazily alike. But I'm willing to forgive MONSTER its trespasses. (Hell, I'm even quite fond of the orange packaging and the rather adorably dumb 'n' fuzzy bear-head cover. But that's just me....)

R.E.M. on WIKIPEDIA.

From the LP MONSTER, 1994 >>>
[MP3] [VID] "Star 69"
[MP3] "Let Me In"
[MP3] "I Took Your Name"

From the LP NEW ADVENTURES IN HI-FI, 1996 >>>
[MP3] [VID] "E-Bow the Letter" [w/PATTI SMITH]
[MP3] "Leave"
[MP3] [VID] "Electrolite"