Classic Album: R.E.M. – Automatic For The People
Back a dozen or more posts, I did a Top Nine and The Rest of the List of my favorite albums. In reviewing the top 25, I noticed an album that should have been on the list: R.E.M.’s “Automatic For The People”
Released in 1992, R.E.M.’s 8th album exceeded all expectations of what an album should sound like. It was less pop-sounding than their previous effort, “Out Of Time” but still managed to spawn six singles: “Drive,” “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite,” “Everybody Hurts,” “Nightswimming,” “Find the River,” and “Man on the Moon”, a tribute to the late comedian Andy Kaufman.
This album stands as my favorite R.E.M. record to date, even surpassing such great releases like “Document” and “Life’s Rich Pageant.” It’s an album that I can listen to from start to finish and enjoy each and every song. But admittedly, I do have a couple of favorites that I go to every once in a while. “Find The River” is the final song on the album and it brings out an emotional side of me, with it’s melodic flow and inspirational lyrics that take me to a quiet place of reflection.
And “Sweetness Follows”, a song that Michael Stipe refers to as his “diatribe against organized religion” Lyrical content aside, the guitar work is flawless and adds another dimension of sound to this incredible record.
Regardless of my favorites, I most certainly think the popular tracks from this album were some of R.E.M.’s best. “Man on the Moon” was played to death on mainstream radio, so I got tried of hearing it when it was first released, but when it gets played now, I enjoy each and every note. And of course “Drive”, which opens the album, it a surreal tune that starts off with a wonderful acoustic strumming and moves into a wall of sound that finishes the song.
While I think this album does belong in my Top 25 list, I’d be hard pressed to make the call on which album it would replace. But if I had to make such a decision, I would replace Sex Pistols “Nevermind The Bullocks” with this album. It’s strong enough an album that I don’t feel apologetic to Johnny Rotten and Steve Jones for removing that release from my top 25 favorites.
If you’ve not heard this album in a while, put it on the iPod and press play and listen to twelve tracks of pure enjoyment.
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I love Drive, yet I’m showing my fluffy girlie side by saying that Everybody Hurts is my favorite. That song can totally make me cry.
winter – my wife’s favorite is “Everybody Hurts”, too. It brings out the emotional side. Being the visual guy I am, I really liked the video they did for it, where everyone is getting out of their cars on the freeway.
“Man in the Moon” was also played to death around the time of the turn of the millenium, when that Jim Carrey movie was out.
Drive had *such* a cool video, did you see it? Michael Stipe crowd-surfing was a classic touch. I loved this album to death when it came out. It was my fave album of theirs until they came out with Monster. I kind of lost touch with them after that. I know they’ve done quite a few albums since then. Do you have them? Any good?
dmarks – Oh yes, that’s true about the song making a popular come back when the movie was released.
kevin – I think I remember the video. Wasn’t the video flashing back and forth, with mostly black and white production? As for other R.E.M. albums, I have most of them since AFTP was released. “Monster” was good. “New Adventures in Hi-Fi” wasn’t too bad. Then Bill Berry left the band and they continued as a trio. Of all of their albums since then, only “Around The Sun” and their latest “Accelerate” are pretty decent. Both “Up” and “Reveal” seemed to be missing something, and it wasn’t just Bill Berry’s drumming. It was almost as if they had to find themselves again as a band.
While I love Automatic, there will always be a special place in my heart for Green. Dunno why, just do.
kapgar – “Green” was their first album on Warner Bros. I remember they came to Utah on tour that year, and the local radio station had a contest called “The Greening of the Wasatch Front” and they gave away backstage passes for planting trees and other green projects. I didn’t win and ended up missing the concert for some reason. But the music on the album always was great. “Orange Crush” was a great single.
Just had to stop and say that this was recently one of the ‘cheap’ albums on iTunes and even though I own it on CD I purchasd it again (mostly because my CDs are unaccessible in the back on the garage).
I had forgotten how much I loved this album. My favourites? Star Me Kitten and, or course, Nightswimming, but, for me, there isn’t a track in there that doesn’t grab your heart in some way.
The song Everybody Hurts doesn’t make me cry (I think it’s quite a positive song), but the video – every single time. It’s the bit right at the end when the newscopter girl says, “They just got out and walked” – that’s the point when I start blubbing – no idea why.
bec – I agree that each and every track on this album does grab your heart.
Nightswimming is such a rich and full song. Star Me Kitten’s deep tone and mellow approach is great.
I can see why the end of the video would grab you. It’s a well done build up of a story and the final statement is so strong.