There are a lot albums from “the before times” that make a great case for the album as a medium and a format for artistry. This is one of them. This album was the precursor to REM’s explosion from a small indie band in a far gone pocket of the deep south to a household mega succes that they were about to become. There is good reason for that. This album showcases their range better than anything that came after it.
The reason why I like it as an album is because each song showcases the next by being different from what is about to happen. this particularly true for the transition from “these Days” to “Fall on Me”. REM seems to make a statement with each song as if to say “now we are doing this”
Raucos punkish rock feeds to jangly melodic singer songwriter. And they are very good at each thing.
The thing I love about REM is that everybody gets what they want. They were both a lyrical art band AND a guitar driven southern rock band.
There was noone in the band that said no to the other. Mike got to be lyrical and mysterious. Buck got to add low end guitar work that was satisfying to guitar lovers. Mills got to turn up his bass tone to be punchy and play all kinds of licks that bass nerds got to love. Bill Berry was never slighted weaving a drum part through all of it. IT was like a gift that gave to everybody in all directions.
Lifes Rich Pageant – My thoughts:
Its emblematic of the times we live in that I had a lot of trouble listenning to this album as an album on my phone. I had an uninterruted 2 hours of work to do. but a cavalcade of distractions kept ringing through my phone. Texts from various people, teamed up with annoying ads played at me through my unpaid music streaming platform. Every time I tried to click back into the album, I had to wait for the app to load and find my place again.
It just seemed so of the times. The chopped up cadence of our phone led lives seems completely at odds with the analog happiness of an older time.
Lifes rich pageant speaks of richness and it is that. RICH. Loud, soft. Punky. Rocky. Folky. Mainstream. Indie. Its an everything album. It has the typical early REM style of lavishly overdubbed guitar and heaviness. It’s a rich album but what does it take to experience such richness?
Are we lacking richness in today’s chopped up economy? Is there something about focus and calm that accentuates richness?
how strange that in the midst of these dark thoughts about the times we live in the very subject of the thinking served up these lyrics:
“All the people gather, fly to carry each his burden
We are young despite the years
We are concern, we are hope despite the times
All of a sudden, these days
Happy throngs, take this joy wherever, wherever”
Michael Stipe in 1986 was somehow speaking forward to address my malaise in 2024 – perfectly.
HOW?
REM – “These Days” Lyrics:
Now I’m not feeding off you
I will rearrange your scales if I can, and I can
Marching to the ocean, marching to the sea, I had a hat
I dropped it down and it sunk, reached down
Picked it up, slapped it on my head
All the people gather, fly to carry each his burden
We are young despite the years
We are concern, we are hope despite the times
All of a sudden, these days
Happy throngs, take this joy wherever, wherever
I wish to meet each one of you
And you meet you, if I can, and I can
We have many things in common, name three (three, three, three)
I had a hat and it sunk, reached down
Picked it up, slapped it on my head
All the people gather, fly to carry each his burden
We are young despite the years
We are concern, we are hope despite the times
All of a sudden, these days
Happy throngs, take this joy wherever, wherever you go
Now I’m not feeding off you
I will rearrange your scales if I can, and I can
I wish to meet each one of you, and you meet you
I had a hat and it sunk, reached down
Picked it up, slapped it on my head
All the people gather, fly to carry each his burden
We are young despite the years
We are concern, we are hope despite the times
All of the sudden, these days
Happy throngs, take this joy wherever, wherever you
Carry each his burden, we are young despite the years
We are concern, we are hope despite the times
All of the sudden, these days
Happy throngs, take this joy
(Take away the scattered bones of my meal)
Wherever, wherever you go
