Album: Fables of Reconstruction
Artist: R.E.M.
Submitted by: B.C.
Year: 1985 (3rd studio album)
US Billboard Peak: 28th (35th in UK)R.E.M. is a band I've known about for years. One of my good friends growing up worships this band and when I ask him for his 3 favorite albums, I will be shocked if there is less then 2 R.E.M. albums on it.
What I personally know of R.E.M. is mostly through my good friend, but it is that Monster was their big commercial album just short of when they performed with the muppets of Sesame Street singing Shiny Happy Monsters.
The first time I listened to the album I found the monotonous tone of Michael Stipe to carry on with little inflection and tone. From track to track the lyrics seemed muddled and over whelmed by heavy guitar riffs and crashing drum cymbals. I trudged through it, feeling as if I heard the same song again and again with little change. The song Wendell Gee was a breath of fresh air until I found out it was the last on the list. I felt robbed. Not only of the value of the album, but of the huge pedestal my friends have put R.E.M. on. Even after my second consecutive listening, I saw no real difference in my thoughts.
I took a step back and waited a few days to give it a third listening. After being rested and clear minded I gave it a 3rd listening and focused on the lyrics. Listening to and then later reading through the lyrics, you find the theme of lethargic anguish of the individual and of the stories of their travel. The lyrics paint a tapestry of the individuals our traveler has observed.
The feeling and images I see as I listen keep pointing towards a train (many references to engineers, trains, engines on various songs). The beats give me a visual as a country side passing as the traveler writes the lyrics of his travels. The music, which I found sounded quite contemporary for a 1985 album, keeps the momentum going and only eleganty changes pace. This too reminded me of the movement of rail travel.
I don't know if I truly fully embraced this album, but I do believe that the more R.E.M. I hear, I will look to this album as a reference point to when the band diversified their sound. Though this album didn't 'knock my socks' off as being great during the first few listenings, I enjoyed and look forward to hearing more of this band.
