R.E.M. hater listens to the R.E.M. discography 15/?
[Murmur: 41, Reckoning: 29, Fables: 83, LRP: 59, Document: 78, Green: 84, OOT: 72, AftP: 22, Monster: 82, Hi-Fi: 25, Up: 46, Reveal: 23, ATS: 7, Accelerate: 15]
Welp, that’s it. It wasn’t their “final” album in the traditional sense, there was no announcement beforehand, only after, but this was them throwing in the towel. And they REALLY need to. They hadn’t made a real great album since Monster… and that ... read more
R.E.M. hater listens to the R.E.M. discography 14/?
[Murmur: 41, Reckoning: 29, Fables: 83, LRP: 59, Document: 78, Green: 84, OOT: 72, AftP: 22, Monster: 82, Hi-Fi: 25, Up: 46, Reveal: 23, ATS: 7]
It’s hard to really describe the fall from grace this band had. Obviously I never liked these guys, thus the series, but I really grew to have an appreciation for them. While I still do stand by the fact their middle discography (Fables to Monster) was a damn good one. Everything after was just ... read more
R.E.M. hater listens to the R.E.M. discography 13/?
[Murmur: 41, Reckoning: 29, Fables: 83, LRP: 59, Document: 78, Green: 84, OOT: 72, AftP: 22, Monster: 82, Hi-Fi: 25, Up: 46, Reveal: 23]
And here we are. Universally cited as the worst R.E.M. album and by a large margin. It’s scary the band didn’t just give up after the mess that was Reveal years prior. And like… this is a really rough album. User scores asides… u have to be really bad for Allmusic to give a 2/5 lol. ... read more
R.E.M. hater listens to the R.E.M. discography 12/?
[Murmur: 41, Reckoning: 29, Fables: 83, LRP: 59, Document: 78, Green: 84, OOT: 72, AftP: 22, Monster: 82, Hi-Fi: 25, Up: 46]
Continuing in their least successful period, R.E.M. attempt a rebound by waiting a few years since their unsuccessful Up. That album is widely regarded as a mess. But this? It’s downright bad.
“The Lifting” has some cool treble and drive effects on the guitarline but overall is just alright. ... read more
Yeah, this is a classic. One of the problems with truly great jazz music is just really having nothing to say. This is one of those times. Classic album.
R.E.M. hater listens to the R.E.M. discography 11/?
[Murmur: 41, Reckoning: 29, Fables: 83, LRP: 59, Document: 78, Green: 84, OOT: 72, AftP: 22, Monster: 82, Hi-Fi: 25]
Following their flunk Hi-Fi, and the departure of their original drummer, R.E.M. was arguably dead. That once youthful DIY energy had faded. Just the drive in general did too. From what I’ve seen, this is the last even remotely “good” R.E.M. album left.
The album opens up with “Airportman”… ... read more
R.E.M. hater listens to the R.E.M. discography 10/?
[Murmur: 41, Reckoning: 29, Fables: 83, LRP: 59, Document: 78, Green: 84, OOT: 72, AftP: 22, Monster: 82]
If this group were to have an experimental album… it would be this one. New Adventures in Hi-Fi takes the band in alt-country vibe.
“How The West Was Won and Where It Got Us” was not the greatest but the really bittersweet keys were very nice. I actually think the keys on this album were great. They were kind of the ... read more
Yeah, I don't get it. The abrasiveness is cool but after that gimmick has worn off it's just a gimmick. Some tracks are so plastic too.
R.E.M. hater listens to the R.E.M. discography 9/?
[Murmur: 41, Reckoning: 29, Fables: 83, LRP: 59, Document: 78, Green: 84, OOT: 72, AftP: 22]
To many fans of the band... this was the end of the peak era. Starting with Monster, the band would go onto a more "experimental" yet less acclaimed and less successful period. This is also the point where I'd get worried in a discography listen... because I have like half the discography of a band I already don't like very much. This album ... read more
Downright apocalyptic emo music. Disorienting as the cover. Good cross between typical emo vocals, an Unwound type of sound, and flavored with post-rock production.
R.E.M. hater listens to the R.E.M. discography 8/?
[Murmur: 41, Reckoning: 29, Fables: 83, LRP: 59, Document: 78, Green: 84, OOT: 72]
Annnnnd here we’ve reached the end of R.E.M’s peak sound. I always took issue with all of their discography, but on this discog listen, I’ve gained quite an appreciation for their Fables-OOT run. Not a bad album there… and quite a few good ones. I still stand by the fact they started rough, and BY THIS POINT, they become the band I know ... read more
R.E.M. hater listens to the R.E.M. discography 7/?
[Murmur: 41, Reckoning: 29, Fables: 83, LRP: 59, Document: 78, Green: 84]
Following the acclaim from Document and Green, the band took a 3 years break from studio albums until they came back with their most pop-oriented album yet.
“Radio Song” plays it pretty safe but is a great showcase in how INCREDIBLE the production is. My biggest criticism with the album is that, while I never liked how R.E.M. talked about politics (even if I ... read more
I’ve always had Ken Carson and Opium artists as a kind of guilty pleasure of mine, but yeah I can see why this was “lost” lol. Have to cut it slack cause it’s just a bunch of demos but none are particularly that interesting.
I ACTUALLY LIKED AN ASIAN GLOW SONG LFG. I… *strongly disliked* everything I heard before from them but this is actually very good.
R.E.M. hater listens to the R.E.M. discography 6/?
[Murmur: 41, Reckoning: 29, Fables: 83, LRP: 59, Document: 78]
In 1987, the group would release what is generally considered their magnum opus, “Document”. It would be this run from “Document” to “Automatic for the People” which was their most critically acclaimed period. The underdog album out of these, which is still included in this period, is the album “Green”.
“Pop Song 89” ... read more
This album is pretty good, I just wish it was shortened because some parts really drag. Sometimes it tends to just kinda drag on and on and it’s like… alright. I will say, for how acclaimed Art Blakey’s drum solo on “Hank’s Symphony” is, words cannot describe how visceral and incredible that solo is. I remember when I first got into jazz drumming, that solo was recommended to me a lot as a kind of basis for exploring texture and dynamic within a solo. ... read more
WHAT A VOICE. Incredible. I only know Odetta from her Bob Dylan covers album (which was equally incredible), but this pushes me to check her out more. She is so talented and Jesus is the sound amazing. This’ll sound weird so bear with me, but this music has a kind of angst and aggression to it which screamed rock/punk. I would not be shocked if early pioneers of those genres were influenced by Odetta’s pretty aggressive sound, and we already know for a fact Bob Dylan was (she was ... read more
Overhated. I was not looking forward to the album due to the “pop punk” label but it really isn’t that. I would even argue it’s more so metalcore than it is pop punk. I’d just imagine it as a kind of cheesy maybe too blatant Sunny Day Real Estate tribute, that’s just what it struck me as.
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Recent Review Comments
On Bonny2saucy's review of PARTYNEXTDOOR - $ome $exy $ongs 4 U
"Greedy is a really good song tho check that one out"
On maryfreegirl's review of Arcturus - Aspera Hiems Symfonia
"Honestly, fair. It should be a must hear."
On Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
"in this era. Not specifically blues rock bands like Led Zeppelin, but more folk/progressive classic bands of the era.
4. The Led Zeppelin III review was extremely harsh but that’s always been an album I hated. Even when I was young. It was just always so bizarre.
5. So in conclusion, a lot of the contradictions and moments of over-hating in this review were really just a consequence of me being younger and being new to this site. I am able to articulate my opinion way better now. But I am very thankful and flattered that you would revisit each one of my reviews now. I don’t think I could I feel like it would be pretty embarrassing lol. [done]"
On Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
"3. So you aren’t aware of my series. And that’s fine. I’m not a celebrity lol. This was the first “hate listen” I did on this site. I did “hate listens” for Led Zeppelin, R.E.M, AC/DC, and am now doing one for Dream Theater. My goals with all of these series was to hopefully get over my hatred of these bands. R.E.M. i exited actually liking. AC/DC i exited still disliking but realizing that not ALL of their stuff is bad. I’m not done with Dream Theater, but they had good earlier albums, and were a better band when they were more atmospheric, sparring, and less corny. As Led Zeppelin was the first series, and also I was just younger, I was a lot more uncharitable. But my intention was always to have them grow on me. I love plenty of bands 3/"
On Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
"other white artists took that as inspiration. i still stand by what i said even if i haven’t listened to it in a while. when led zeppelin took more soul/reggae sounds, it often flat out didn’t work. also, not to play this card, but like, i am polish. i’m not saying i can’t have opinions prejudiced against whites, but questioning a band which already has a controversial modern reputation for taking from black art, i don’t think is really that. they just try to do sounds that black artist do but don’t have the soul to do so really. just feels like a mcdonald’s burger versus a burger from a local bbq diner in the deep south. big difference. 2/?"
On Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
"@LemmyDjonsson
alright so a lot to un pack here.
1. kashmir is the band’s most overrated, not whole lotta love. i’ll cover why there’s that confusion. more in 5
2. regarding d’yer mak’er, my point still kind of stands. i’m not saying white people can’t make reggae, but reggae is an art form that comes from black areas. it comes from jamaica and the caribbean. led zeppelin made this in the early 1970s, before the internet was a thing. because of this, i was kinda worried how they treated the reggae sound. because it’s a lot easier to be aware of the history and to listen to smaller jamaican and jamaican diaspora artists nowadays, but at the time, let’s face it, a lot of white artists took black art, succeeded commercially, and then 1/?"
On Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin
"@LemmyDjonsson lol i agree. this was also a few years back. i feel like i still hold the same view but i could phrase it a lot more eloquently today. cool you like it tho!!"
On Svg's review of Dream Theater - Octavarium
"@Svg that’s okay lol. what made you come around to the album"
On Bill Evans - Everybody Digs Bill Evans
"@dandelionpillow that is a fantastic point. thank you"
On DoubleZ's review of Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority
"the lebron james of this website was gone just like that💔"
On R.E.M. - New Adventures in Hi-Fi
"@BikerSK it’s okay lol. sorry my comment was kinda harsh too. i just get that complaint a lot and always get annoyed because people omit context but maybe i should just provide more context so soon i’ll probably add a disclaimer to all those reviews. i do like monster a lot! again, i came out of this series kind of liking r.e.m. even tho they have some stinkers."
On R.E.M. - New Adventures in Hi-Fi
"@BikerSK such a weird comment lol. you have no clue what you’re talking about so i’m not that shocked. i have a series on aoty where i “hate listen” to discographies, but it’s all done with the concept of an open mind. the first band i listened to was led zeppelin, who i came out still not liking. the second band was r.e.m, who ironically i actually ended up liking. one of my favorite songs of all time is airportman, which is on one of their weirder later albums. the third band was ac/dc who i also ended not liking. this is NOT to just pile on music, but instead a brutally honest effort to evaluate why i might not like the band. so if you don’t know what you’re talking about don’t comment. i’m not gonna tolerate your drivel."
On AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
"@BennyBob autocorrect i think 😭😭😭"
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