This was the follow up to Out Of Time, and it is so vastly superior to that album that it's almost unfair to compare the two. Obviously, "Everybody Hurts" was an extremely popular song, but there was so much other good stuff on this album. It kicks off with "Drive", a very slow and plodding song. As bad ass as the album version is, the live version is a little better. It's faster, more driving, more urgent. Both versions are great though. "Try Not To Breathe" is a pretty song, very lovely, except that the lyrics are about an elderly person trying to end their life. "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" is one of the best true pop songs R.E.M. has ever recorded. The lyrics are absolute nonsense, but the music is great, and it actually sounds like they are having fun recording it. Great song. "Everybody Hurts" is next, and while it is indeed a good song, much like "Losing My Religion" I think it's a bit overrated. It's not the masterpiece everyone claims it is, and it's not even the best song on this album, to be quite honest. Still good, though, and the video is one of my favorites, but it's just not an "all time great" song. "New Orleans Instrumental No. 1" is, as the title implies, an instrumental. Quick little pretty song. "Sweetness Follows" is an absolutely amazing song. Just amazing. "Monty Got a Raw Deal" is pretty good. I kind of go through phases with this one on liking it and hating it. No real reason why, it just happens. "Ignoreland" is decent but I can't listen to it after a while. Again, no real reason why, just starts to get on my nerves. "Star Me Kitten" was originally supposed to be called "Fuck Me Kitten", but Warner Bros. told the band that they couldn't put the f-bomb on the cover, so it would just read "**** Me Kitten". So, they just changed it from "Fuck" to "Star". True story. Good song. "Man On the Moon" is an exceptional song. Because of its success, R.E.M. did the entire soundtrack to the film of the same name. Both are about Andy Kaufman, obviously, and both are great, I think. This is one of Michael Stipe's best vocal performances, and probably would be the best if it weren't for the horrid attempts at Elvis impersonations. Ill conceived, there. "Nightswimming" is a gorgeous song, Mostly piano and strings, with a little oboe thrown in for good measure. Th lyrics are a tad repetitive, but if that's the only weakness in the song, so be it. "Find the River" closes out this awesome album. It's a nice relaxing song, and brings a bit of hope at the end of what is undoubtedly R.E.M.'s most depressing album. Great ending to a great album.
5 Best Songs:
5. "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite"
4. "Try Not To Breathe"
3. "Nightswimming"
2. "Man On the Moon"
1. "Sweetness Follows"
73. Stop Making Sense by Talking Heads (1984)
Classic live album, one of the most widely heralded out there. The set list is a bit out of order from what it was at the actual show, and as it is in the movie version, but for the most part it's extremely well done, if a little over produced. It starts off with "Psycho Killer", one of the greatest Talking Heads songs ever. Outstanding live, too, as it's just David Byrne with an acoustic guitar and a recorded rhythm section. Kicks ass. "Swamp" is next, and this is really the only weak spot on the album. Just a boring song. "Slippery People" is a pretty decent song, one that I kind of forget how good it is until I hear it again. From this point on, the album just gets epic. "Burning Down the House" is awesome here, probably the best version I've ever heard. "Girlfriend Is Better" is classic, awesome keyboards, awesome vocals, great song. "Once In a Lifetime" is also amazing here. Again, best version of this song I've heard, as well. "What a Day That Was" is stellar, absolutely perfect version of a really cool song. "Life During Wartime" became my favorite Talking Heads song for a while after I got this album. Love love love love love it. "Take Me To the River" closes out the album, a very good song to end on, bringing it to a smooth close. Overall, this album is a classic. It definitely deserves all the praise it gets. Now, I just have to get the double album version that came out a couple years ago that has the full concert in order on it. It will be mine. Oh, yes. It will be mine.
5 Best Songs:
5. "Girlfriend Is Better"
4. "Burning Down the House"
3. "Life During Wartime"
2. "Once In a Lifetime"
1. "Psycho Killer"
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