R.E.M. — Reckoning

• Artist: R.E.M.
• Title: Reckoning
• Year: 1984
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy / Mary – Both had copies.
• Acquired: 1984 – Unknown origin.
• Keeper: Yes

Last time I played R.E.M. I made the mistake of playing Judas Priest right before. This time I made sure to play Priest after spinning “Reckoning.” And goodness knows I needed it. I hate to sound like I’m bashing R.E.M. over and over. I almost feel guilty for not liking it more, but I just can’t get into it. This was the last R.E.M. record I ever bought and it was only 1984! I played it three times today and I have to admit that it’s quality music. I’m sure at the time it was refreshing to hear a guitar band that was making essentially “naked” music with intelligent lyrics.

Will I ever play it again? I seriously doubt it, but I will keep it. Mary likes them and we have all their records.

(Tidbit: On the spine of the cover it says “File Under Water.”)

R.E.M. — Murmur

• Artist: R.E.M.
• Title: Murmur
• Year: 1983
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1983 – Guessing here… Tracks in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

Dullsville baby, dullsville! Maybe I made a mistake by playing Judas Priest’s “Point Of Entry” album (Lemme see those horns people!) for a little afternoon pick-me-up. Then, I played R.E.M.’s “Murmur” immediately afterward. I was anticipating an all-out boredom assualt and thought a little heavy metal buffer just made sense. Instead, I think it made R.E.M. sound even more boring. You can’t follow Priest with the jingle jangle, man!

It’s hard for me now to think of myself as getting excited about R.E.M. But there was a time when that was true. I remember seeing them live early on with Dream Syndicate and maybe even when “Chronic what? Town” came out. They sounded new and different, and maybe I was more open-minded as a youngster.

Of course, this is good music. I just don’t want to hear it anymore. So, what’s my problem?

R.E.M. — Chronic Town

• Artist: R.E.M.
• Title: Chronic Town
• Year: 1982
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Mary/Tracy
• Acquired: 1982 – We both had our own copies.
• Keeper: Yes

I was never really into R.E.M., but for some reason I did buy the first few records. Mary, on the other hand, seems to have almost everything they did, including oddball stuff like 7″ 45RPM box sets. I was in high school when this came out and I would buy anything new, not on the radio, that I could get my hands on. Now that I’m a crotchety old geezer I’m not nearly as tolerant. I’m still always on the hunt for “the new”, but I only want what really excites me.