Reviews (page 9 of 14)
Sounds a lot like the tragically hip tbh. Album was good, but nothing legendary. It's the End of the World As We Know It and The One I Love are the only really notable songs from this album.
roger from rent vibes
REM just doesnt quite do it for me. Feels like middle aged man music lol and I just dont enjoy the vocals enough.
It was ok. I recognized It's The End Of The World As We Know It and The One I Love, and even those aren't anything spectacular.
REM is very much a hit or miss kind of band for me, even on an intra-album level. There are some classic songs on here (End of the World, One I Love) and quite a few just nice ones but at least one song has a terrible sax solo and towards the end there is a sort of attempt at funkrock that doesn't work at all. Also, more general, the 80ies drum sound gets on my nerves quite quickly. Nice to have spent some time with it as part of this project but unlikely I will return to it any time soon. Two-and-half stars rounded up.
May be a 4 if it wasn’t as long as it was.
Fun album to listen to
Surprisingly good. I think they somehow got muddled with another band in my head because these songs are great
This music is such a vibe in a sense that it reminds me and melancholic but not sad cloudy day on a spring summer. The guitar riff and tempo are appealing, though a few segments lose their color and slip into monotony
Not bad, though however good the lyrics are the only bit I'll really remember is shouting "Leonard Bernstein"
Fun! Solid 3
...
6.0/10 Some solid tunes but felt it was inconsistent overall.
Enjoyed the lyricism, pretty solid record with some songs that could be written today and the lyrics would still ring very true. 'it's the end of the world as we know it' feels like the anthem of this generation. Look forward to the next REM entry. 3.5/5
3/5 and I mean that in the way a professor says a C or a B is still not bad. It was nice to hear the full album where It’s The End of the World as we Know It (and I feel fine) comes from. I also think a lot of the album is caveman music. It just has a certain unga-bunga to it.
i can play "the one i love" on expert on guitar hero world tour but i'm not very good at "it's the end of the world and we know it (and i feel fine)" on rock band 2 because i didn't have rock band 2 as a kid and the controller felt weird and different so... three stars
There are certainly some jams here, but it all started to blur together after a while. For every song I liked there were 2 that just kinda passed me by. 2.5-3
Allow me to be insufferable about R.E.M. for a moment. In their prime, they were one of the rarest breed of band, where each member was truly in-expendable. The band was run as a democracy, all 4 of them contributed something distinct. All songs were credited to all 4 members. All money was split 4 ways. I think with the vast majority of bands, there’s one or two central figures (usually a vocalist and/or a guitarist) who end up surrounded by a rotating cast of characters. There’s obviously exceptions to that rule (The Beatles are the obvious big one), but R.E.M. is a band with 4 members who straight up cannot be replaced. Michael Stipe is an incredible singer. Bill Berry and Mike Mills, as I said in my Who review, might be my favorite rhythm section of all time. Mills is at the very least my favorite backing vocalist of all time. Peter Buck is not a stellar guitarist but his love of rock music put the band together and we love him for it because passion > proficiency and Buck is a jangle icon. He's the working man's Johnny Marr. When Bill Berry left the band in the mid-90s (he had an on-stage brain hemorrhage and decided to retire from music to become a farmer), they didn’t even try to replace him and spent the last 15 years of their run without an official drummer. They also felt that whole time like they were going through the motions. While there’s some standout tracks, that era is basically consigned to history. I recently read a book about REM that spent 43 chapters on the 16 years that Bill Berry was in the band and 4 chapters on the 15 years after he left. Peak R.E.M. (Murmur - New Adventures in Hi-Fi; the Berry years) , is maybe the most consistently great American rock band of all time. They just flat out did not miss for 10 albums in the span of 16 years. I don't know that I've seen that replicated. All that said, this ranks pretty low in my peak R.E.M. ranking and is definitely my least favorite thing they put out in the 80s. But it has not 1 but 2 bona fide classics, so I get it. Everything else is solid, but the fact that you know exactly which 2 songs I'm talking about is proof enough that those songs are carrying. I think I could nail "It's the End of the World As We Know It" at karaoke if I was drunk enough.
Good album not as good as automatic yet better than most of that years albums.
I have scored the other REM albums pretty highly and i really liked Green. With the exception The One I Love and The End of the World - the album feels like AI generic music in the style of REM with no stand out features that grab me. The two aforementioned tracks are great and up there with REM's best songs but dont lift the album above a 3 for me geoff.
REM is always missing that something extra for me.
5/10 The more I hear of them, the more I feel that R.E.M. fall into that category of bands where I really love some of their songs, but there’s not a single one of their albums that I love from start to finish. I feel like they have actually written 4 or 5 really good albums worth of music, but have spread those albums out over 15 releases and chucked in a load of waffle to fill up the gaps. This album has its moments, and the one two punch of End Of The World and One I Love is brilliant, but on a lot of the other tracks, I am often just begging for a more engaging hook or melody. There are hints of them and lead ups to them, but I often find that things just wander around without ever finding a solid centre to hang the song from, so things feel a little aimless. The vibe in general is great, the production is solid, the drums really punch and they move fairly effortlessly between the more jangly guitar side of their sound and the more heavy, driven elements of some of the songs, and some of the harmonies are lovely. But too many of the tracks feel like vibey fillers rather than engaging songs in their own right. I think I could probably pick an REM song out just from the vocal melody, even if it wasn’t being sung by Michael Stipe. He has a very distinctive melodic writing style, and when he allows himself to settle on something catchy, there’s magic to be found, but when he gets a bit more loose, I find it more of a struggle to maintain an interest. Often I feel like they overwrite some elements while underwriting others, which results in songs that have a fairly boring chord structure repeating for too long while the vocal just wanders around without ever honing in on something memorable or hooky. And even that could work if you built it around a chorus that delivered that musical centre, but that rarely came along. I can appreciate the development of sound and tone that R.E.M. developed, and you can hear bits of it all over the music that would follow in the subsequent decades, but the overall package isn’t one that does enough to stick with me long term. Finest Worksong - The production of this is great straight off the bat. It’s got a solid punch to it, and a real sense of space. There are some really nice moments, particularly in the blend between lead and backing vocals and the odd little flourish of guitar, piano and percussion here and there that add nice moments of nuance and depth. It’s a pretty strong opener. Welcome To The Occupation - And we’ve fallen back into the more dynamically and musically flat end of R.E.M.s work. It’s nice enough, but it kind of does more or less the same thing the whole way through with only minor flourishes of dynamic change. Yes, the chords change between verse and chorus, but the vibe and dynamic remains very one-note. It doesn’t quite deliver on the hooks either, so it all just feels like a bit of a wash of pleasant but unspectacular music. Exhuming McCarthy - There are some nice dynamic and tonal changes in places this song, but it’s also a bit meandering. The guitar strumming pattern seems just a bit sloppy and repetitive. Again, there are some nice moments, especially during the stripped back sections, but it’s very plodding and overly insistent without having the bite and anger that justifies the insistence. Disturbance At The Heron House - This one is a bit better. There’s a bit more variety and range between verse and chorus, and moments where things are allowed a bit more dynamic movement. Things do meander about a bit too much though, and it feels like Michael Stipe is singing along trying to find something that really works, but never quite finds it. Strange - Ah, what a great intro. Michael Stipe adds a bit more drive into his delivery here, and alongside the more chugging nature of the guitars, it gives it a much more interesting edge. I quite like it, but it also never feels like they ever really find the chorus this song is looking for. It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) - A classic. There’s a great pace to this and it has all of the elements that I’m looking for in a song like this. The instrumentation ebbs and flows during the verse, the pulse is great and there are interesting little bits of musical nuance here and there, and then we launch into a brilliant, hooky chorus. It’s got dynamic range, a relentless verse vocal that makes the chorus seem more fluid and smooth by comparison. Solid backing vocals too. The One I Love - Another great song. It develops through different sections really nicely and rarely stands still for long. It has a slightly laid back pace to it, but the drums really give it a bit of drive and attitude that dust some spice into the mix. Michael Stipe has found his melodic hook writing stride by now in the album, and this follows on from the previous track in that vein. A one two punch of quality. Fireplace - This gets a bit darker in tone and it pulses along, but as with some of the earlier tracks, it never really finds its centre. I feel there’s a bit of a clash of styles in that it could have been made to be more brooding, but there’s probably a bit too much energy for that to really work out, and it doesn’t have enough of a melodic focus to latch on to the energy either. I can’t say I’m a massive fan of the sax work either and find it a bit jarring. Lightnin' Hopkins - This has got some great drive and a bit of bite to it. It almost doesn’t sound like R.E.M., so it does stick out a little, and Michael Stipe sings with a bit of a rasp that is quite uncharacteristic. The drums in particular are good here and there are some really solid riffs, but I’m just not quite sure what to make of it. King Of Birds - We’re back to a more classic R.E.M. sound now, but with a rolling military style drum beat. It’s quite drony during those sections, but it does find a bit more of a solid groove through other moments. But there’s nothing particularly melodically satisfying about it. Oddfellows Local 151 - I like the vibe of the verse here, it’s pretty brooding and pulses nicely, with the lead vocal using some nice dynamic range and taking moments to soar above the almost malicious tone of the instrumentation. But then the chorus is just rubbish. It’s more or less the same thing as the verse from the band and MIchael Stipe just Singing the same line about a firehouse again and again. Give this a strong chorus and it would be great, because the verses are great.
Not my favorite REM venture but the hits bring it to 3.5
Vilken start på albumet! Genom hela albumet så är jag på en resa och sitter och diggar med konstant. Vissa låtar känner man ju igen mycket väl. Albumet avslutar lite svagare än starten men mycket trivsamt overall!
Very repetitive. Like to sound.
Good instrumentals and very relevant lyrics. The album as a whole is very cohesive - the songs aren't repetitive but they blend into each other well. It was really ahead of its time - it has a sound that many bands would follow throughout the 90s.
Great REM album. Really liked it, some songs are a bit samey at times
So what I was a little lazy? So what I avoided listening to this in order to extend the carefree nature of my weekend? So what that extended to Monday? Who cares? I do. Deeply. That’s why I’m writing about this. This is my sincere apology to the vast, vast legions of readers that tune in daily for half-baked musical takes littered with typos and ill-informed rhetoric. It eases the pain to know that I haven’t disappeared and I will continue to lazily churn out slop for my hogs (that’s what I call my fans) who need to hear what I spew forth while avoiding emails at work. Document THAT. Finest Worksong - The finest? I’ll be the judge of that. Upon further review, it’s really not the finest one I’ve ever heard. Working Man by Rush rips pretty hard. Anyway. This song is fine. Welcome to the Occupation - Hell yeah. We’re getting all minor keyed here. I am now fully occupied by the spirit of Michael Stipe. I don’t believe he is dead, but here we are. Exhuming McCarthy - Oh no! The members of R.E.M have been arrested on suspicion of grave robbing. They exhumed the wrong McCarthy. Sad. The widow was devastated. Disturbance at the Heron House - Man is Tragically Hip really just the Canadian R.E.M? Trouble at the Hen House? Disturbance at the Heron House? So much turmoil in the fowl lodging communities. An issue that can unite the two vastly different nations. Other than their usual bonding over orally servicing billionaires at the expense of their populations. Strange - Good! It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) - You won’t believe it! Quirked up white boys invent rap. Read as if it’s a click bait article. Memo: remove all instructions to readers from “finished” review. Oh yeah. It’s “finished” alright. Where was I? Fun song. The One I Love - This song has always been cool. The swinging jangle of it all. A classic and for good reason. Fireplace - Somebody had the audacity to call me in the year 2025 and I lost my train of thought. I know I’m kind of liking this record though. Big ups to the R.E.M. Lightnin’ Hopkins - This has nothing to do with that guy, but man this was a fun one too. Erratic twangy, and ultimately, enjoyable. King of Birds - A shabby husk of a man. Aerodynamically thin, covered head to toe in discarded feathers, held on with smeared bird excrement. Scarred with the clawing of his subjects. The king of birds presides over his kingdom. Terrified squawks from the harried rabble meet the verdict of death cast down for their crow brethren. Another feather to the tyrant king, whose thirst for baubles is only exceeded by his lust for power. A naturally loyal species, betrayed by an outsider. Long live the king. Dismayed are the fowl that cross the Avian despot. Oddfellows Local 151 - This song is about Peewee Herman. The word of the day is “jangle.”This is a weird little B-52’s-esque romp to close us off. Short and actually pretty sweet. What a time to be alive. Older R.E.M not only made me type that band name into my fucking phone keyboard like six times (switching tabs for punctuation is a bitch) but it made me enjoy the band. This thing isn’t going to change my world (as I know it) but I certainly feel that it’s fine. And that is how you end a terrible review. Begone. I grow tired of this. 3 HIGHLIGHTS: Welcome to the Occupation, It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine), The One I Love, Lightnin’ Hopkins
Cover 4 Good album. Very listenable.
5.7
I always like an REM album. Not my favorite but still very solid.
I liked it
Pa ima tu par kultnih stvari koje stvarno nisu loše. One thing koji appreciateam kod njih je da od mora takvih bendova oni su jedan u kojem bubnjevi ne zvuče ko da netko lopatom roka po bačvama kiselog domaćeg vina, that's a nice change. Ili barem ne all the time. Imaju isto dosta specifičan zvuk općenito što mi je kul, iako možda ne zvuče uvijek kao meni nešto predobar bend. Still, kao što rekoh, ima par stvari tu koje su mi oduvijek drage. 3/5, 6.5/10
Tämmönen läpisoittohan tää oli. Ei oo ikinä remmi lähtenyt muutamaa superbiisiä lukuunottamatta. Ei mitään vikaa, mutta ei mitään ihmeellistä
Ei nyt kauheesti herättänyt fiilareita suuntaan tai toiseen. Tykkään kyl ihan pändistä ja alkupään levyjä oon kuunnellut asioikseni. Vähän ehkä lattee meno yhellä kuuntelulla, mut ei ärsyttänytkään. Remmii vaan kireemmälle ja menox.
Kyllähän remmin herrasmiesrokki aina maistuu. Ei ehkä bändin parhaita levyjä kokonaisuudessaan, mutta muutama ihan jees kappale, kirkkaimpana tietysti It's the end of the world as we know it. Vähän tasapaksua junttaamista saadakseen korkeampia pisteitä.
Finally an REM album i don't hate, the hits slap and the duds dont piss me off, which is saying something. Good driving album, none of the songs dragged on, and the whole thing had a nice full sound to it.
strange guete produkt
gut, aber rem hat bessere alben
Never really gotten into R.E.M. but this was pretty decent.
Not in my top three REM albums but if losing this album loses The One I Love, I'll protect this album with everything I got.
Not as many hits as Green, but def some recognisable stuff on here. Kind of reminds me of Green Day. Fun enough but not that memorable aside from the hits.
Pleasant but didn't wow me.
I swore I already listened to one, but apparently this is my first R.E.M. album from the list. I'll admit that, for reasons not fully known to me, I've never particularly cared for Michael Stipe. Maybe I saw him acting too self serious in an MTV interview once upon a time or something. With the exception of the unavoidable radio hits (a few of which are featured here), my prejudice has kept me away from the R.E.M. catalog for most of my life. I'm willing to put that to rest and see what I've been missing... but does this list really need four R.E.M. albums? let's find out! I'm obviously jumping into the middle here. This is the band's fifth studio album and I'm coming in with basically no context for the four prior albums. My first impression is that the lyrics are very punk rock, but the overall sound is... not. If punk rock is cheap beer, this feels more akin to a cheap coffee. It's an interesting juxtaposition. "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" bridges the gap a little bit and I appreciate that. For the sake of belaboring a dead horse, we'll say there's whiskey in that particular cup of coffee. There's a thread here that extends forward to "August And Everything After" by Counting Crows (not on the list), which was/is an important touchstone album for me and would be at the top of my personal 'required listening' list. For that influence alone, I probably owe R.E.M. more deference than I've ever given them. R.E.M. deserves to be on this list, but I'm still undecided if I need to do this three more times.
I've never been the biggest fan of R.E.M and their overall sounds and hits. Now that I've listened to a full record, I can say that I respect them. Still not my style though.
Whenever I've tried with R.E.M. in the past, Automatic For The People aside, I've never been that impressed. I just find them mildly boring at best, and quite irritating in some instances. This one began promisingly, but the style of vocals quickly wore thin, and there wasn't an awful amount of variety between tracks aside from a couple of standouts ("Finest Worksong", "Welcome to the Occupation" and "Lightnin' Hopkins"). I know these guys receive a lot of love, but I just don't understand it personally.
I've meant to listen to more of R.E.M.'s albums for years, so this was a treat. Love the jangle pop-ish sound so many of their songs have and this album has two of their greatest hits ("It's the End of the World..." and "The One I Love"). For that reasons, I tried to pick album tracks that weren't those hits to include from the album and that was pretty easy because this is a solid album. Went with "Finest Worksong" and "Strange."
Sounded good, but nothing I remember.
3/5
R.E.M. is fine, and thats about all I am willing to say about them. This album has a few hits I enjoy, End of the World and The One I Love are as famous as they are for a reason. Its a solid album but nothing really eye-opening to me. I'm not sure if I'm just on the wrong side of the Millenial divide on this one or not. It seems like older Millenials rever R.E.M. and their work and to me as a baby millenial/old Gen-Z they're just another radio rock band.
Decent REM, has a couple of hits, but I don't think it's their best. -It's the End of The World -One I love
Second half makes up for the first.
There are some classic tracks in here, but the album as a whole is not that interesting. Without The One I Love this would be a below average album. Finest Worksong and End of the World are also great. Beyond those its hard to see much value in the tracks here.
REM albums run into each other a bit, although the run of albums from Green to New Adventures all had some particularly great tracks. Like all of their first five Document is a good album.
Is it objectively bad music? No. Did I like it? Also no. I liked the hits, especially The One I Love and Lightnin' Hopkins, but all the rest sounded the same. I also find the lead singer's voice kind of irritating. 3 out of 5.
- ei paskempi meno, oma tuntemus remistä on vaan aivan top kuunnelluimmista biiseistä ja tältä levyltä ei aivan suurimpia rem hittejä paria lukuunottamatta löydy - tämmöseen musaan pitäisi melkein olla nostalginen suhde että lähtis kunnolla - yllätyksekseni nautin levyn vähiten spotifyssä kuunnelluista biiseistä paljon - voisin kuunnella uudestaankin
Same as the others. Some really good songs, some forgettable.
A pesar de que aprecio la calidad del trabajo de R.E.M. su originalidad y la particular identitaria de su estilo y sobre todo de la voz principal, nunca logro conectar a un nivel personal con el sonido de la banda. Es una cuestión estrictamente subjetiva, simplemente no me gusta. Dicho esto, estuvo bueno aprender sobre el uso de guitarras jangle, que he escuchado en muchas bandas, pero de lo que no tenía conocimiento hasta ahora. También me aprecio la aplicación de instrumentos como la mandolina, que le dieron un sonido identitario a la banda. Así como considero que la musicalidad y la grabación es buena. Simplemente no conecto con el material.
Not bad, but not anything to write home about.
I liked this album way more than I expected. Their music brings forward feelings of paranoia mixed with a prosperous listlessness that I think really captured this era of American life.
50/50 some songs were unbearable some i liked hidden gem: oddfellows local 151 is the reason to listen to the end
I’d written a bunch of stuff about this record but somehow that draft was lost to the ether. So, here is a shorter albeit accurate account of this record. It is not R.E.M.’s best record. It is not. Murmer is. And it is not close. Next is Fables. R.E.M. probably does not exist without Big Star, the Replacements, the dBs (Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey), Don Dixon and the whole Athens and North Carolina scene. The guitar work on Document is excellent, Peter Buck demonstrates how to expand what would become alternative rock - jangling guitar with a pop sensibility best displayed on the gems from this record: Exhuming McCarthy, Welcome to the Occupation and the Wire cover, Strange. Stipe is singing clearly, the vocals are crisp and the lyrics interesting and wide ranging. The anti-love The One I Love is a solid track as is Finest Worksong, but these become tiresome as the sugar in them is a bit sweet. So with It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine). The last couple of tracks are just not interesting, save for the closer Oddfellows Local 151 which saves the album from falling of the cliff. This really was a transitional record for R.E.M. as evidenced by the dull title: Document. They were documenting the time when they were moving from college rock heroes to commercial rock stars. Really - go listen to Murmur and discover a band crafting a beautiful record that still holds up today.
chill. ok. some bangers. mellow.
It's the end of the world as we know it seems to be the stand out track. The rest is solid rock, but mostly forgettable. Might have been my cup of tea in yesteryear, but kinda feels like a CD I wouldn't miss too much.
Never listened to an REM album before, but this is pretty decent. End of the World is pretty played out but there is some solid stuff on here.
That one song is real catchy the rest is just okay
Enjoyed most of it. Nothing outstanding but overall pretty good.
It's good, but I like what they became after this album more
Decent. Don't care for the vocal melodies or guitars but there is some solid songwriting on here. Favorite songs: Exhuming McCarthy, Welcome To The Occupation.
Nothing wrong with the album, but I just found myself struggling to stay engaged. Favorite Songs: It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine), Oddfellows Local 151
Solid album. Not for me but it was good
Finally an album I have heard before and actually had the cd at one point. Great REM album with the classic jam, It’s the end of the world…
"Document" is a much better album than "Murmur," showcasing R.E.M.'s growth and sound evolution. I enjoyed it.
So this is the album that helped REM blow up and of course It's The End of the World as We Know It and The One I Love are songs that everyone has heard before. And their other best known songs came on albums after. The album is very upbeat and just feels optimistic. Michael Stipe has such a iconic and recognizable voice that it's almost a detriment. It sticks out and there isn't much of a vocal range. It's like a kazoo playing in every song, you can always hear the kazoo and no matter what you do, a kazoo sounds like a kazoo. It's a good album, but a couple run-throughs is enough.
Never my favorite, but still good. Have always disliked End of the World
I see why this was a classic, but to me it’s quite boring college rock. Probably won’t listen to the album again.
A strong 3. Almost a 4. Wish there were half stars
an ok album
Pre: I like rem not crazy about the slightly whiney vocal, don't know any songs on this album so will be cool to hear the non radio hits Post: I was wrong and did know a few songs, solid album but not compelled to go back to it
3.6
Alright. 3
Didn’t get the chance to listen with 100% focus in all honesty
It’s the End of The World and The One I Love are great but the remainder of the album was disappointing. They were to go on to make better albums.
An easy to listen to album with a distinctive sound. Only had heard It's The End Of The World As We Know It before, but the rest of the tracks are pretty consistent too.
Sometimes I enjoy REM, but not today. Kind of a grating winy sound.
Great record. Finest Worksong is a powerful opener, album cuts (esp. King of Birds) satisfy, and it had the hits it needed. End of the World is… ok, then annoying, but The One I Love is REM at their best. FIIIIIRRRRREEEEEEEEE!!!!
I think of my self as someone who likes R.E.M. I never really imprinted strongly on them in their heyday, but they have some great songs. Maybe I even look a little bit like Michael Stipe? This one is fine.
Not quite sure what it is but I can't quite enjoy this one too much, maybe it's his voice. Still a decent album
Not really that exciting.
Classic R.E.M., not bad but after a while it all sounds the same, the last song could've just as well been another song with different lyrics
This was unremarkable to me.
better than murmur, and better for the inclusion of the two big singles, which are undeniable. always liked "end of the world." my favorite thing about them is still peter buck, but michael stipe isn't my least favorite thing on at least those two tracks. something about their sound still goes through me though.
Sadly, I thought this was a guaranteed five great album, but they’re definitely are some stinkers. This band is absolutely phenomenal. Just found a couple songs brought the album down a bit overall great hits and we definitely listen to it again.
It's REM. It's good. Enjoyable. Not the best. Just good enough.
Pretty good! Kind of fall vibes!
Solid, uncomplicated work. It’s always a jumpscare when one of these has a widely known song on it. I wonder if there’s ever a time when a band compose a song and just know that millions are going to hear it, especially if it’s the song that sounds the most different from the others.
Decent, though the song featured in Family Guy when Peter gets a stroke is a bop. 3/5
I was never a big R.E.M. fan. They always felt too vanilla - they SOUND amazing, I'm not denying that - just they always seemed shallow and vapid, like a corporate pop band - but then again, that could also just be me not clicking with Stipes voice, versus the solidly polished band playing behind him. It's a good album, no doubt. I love "It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - but really, that's it for me. They felt like a band that had a few awesome hits, but a lot of "sounds good" output.
How come REM are always so dull?
Between 17 and 20 I was obsessed with R.E.M. But this album is another of many examples on this list of bland albums by bands who produced brilliant work. Reckoning is, for me, their masterpiece. But I'll take Murmur, LIfe's Rich Pageant, and even Fables of the Reconstruction in a heartbeat over Document. Those earlier works were so artistically powerful that they inspired an entire genre. But apparently they should be remembered for their first whack at making radio-friendly pop. Urgh. As my friend Chris Barron said when this was released, "Michael Stipes' lyrics were a lot better when you couldn't understand what he was singing." It ain't just the lyrics. It's like a nightclub when the lights come on at 2:00 a.m. or a photograph of Monet's Water Lily Pond; sometimes clarity obscures the magic. 425 albums in and my sublist of bands who produced brilliant albums but who have mediocre products on this list now includes: R.E.M. ZZ Top, David Bowie, Metallica, U2, Bruce Springsteen, the Cure, the Black Keys, Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth, Paul Simon, Prince, Miles Davis, and the Go-Betweens. Given the GREAT music that those acts are responsible for, It's remarkable how many misses by them this list contains.
3,5
Good change from some other music. A few of the tracks were on guitar hero.
This is middle of the road rock of the time.
I like it more than I love it. The two big singles—“The One I Love” and “It’s the End of the World…”—still hit, but a lot of the rest blurs into similar mid-tempo jangle for me. The sound is sharp and focused (Stipe clearer, Buck taut, Mills/Berry locked), yet the back half can feel samey. Right now it sits in the solid-but-not-ecstatic tier for me.
The singer has such a unique voice. Overall decent though.
It's perfectly fine but I do wonder about albums that have cult followings or helped launch their careers that I'm not blown away by. what was the difference at the time or what am I missing? 3.5*
I really want to "get" this album. I really want to "get" R.E.M. Not that its by any means bad but I just don't love it like I see other people do and I kinda want to. I liked The One I Love and Exhuming McCarthy ... and of course The End of the World As We Know.
This album feels like all REM albums to me, his voice gets old, the music is somewhat nouveau for the time, but doesn't do much to move me.
Jangly guitars! "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" is a certified existential bop. I enjoyed the overall vibe and restless energy, but many of the songs sounded incredibly similar upon first listen. I'd likely add a couple of the heavy hitters to my rotation, but unlikely to listen to full album frequently.
Not as good as Automatic for the People. Really like Oddfellows 151, not heard that before. Otherwise, End Of The World As We Know It, and The One I Love are the famous tracks. Didn't find it nearly as irritating as Green.
Very famous songs on this album. 87 i had no idea. Doing this I have learned about the time periods more. It has been very interesting. The highlights for me were the hits. of course
tbh this was better than "Out Of Time" because the vocal felt more dull on it than on this one.
Another super influential late '80's/'90's alternative group that it seems like everyone loves and I just can't stand. They're just too kitschy and poppy sounding for me. Like, let's have these major chord upbeat sounding songs singing about oppression and some major social injustices. It's just never clicked with me. But, that was the early alternative schtick I suppose.
I guess it’s objectively good but I can’t stand the singer’s voice.
This one is fine. Didn't love it didn't hate it. 3 stars
Не думал, что в этом списке будет что-то кроме automatic for the people или out of time из репертуара R.E.M. и document слаб по сравнению с этими альбомами
I don't get R.E.M. Their music feels consistently mid to me, and I don't really know what am I supposed to like about it. It sounds kinda nice, yeah, but it doesn't do anything special; the music feels formulaic. Most of their songs aren’t really memorable. I don’t hate their output in the slightest, but if I had to choose one artist to listen to on repeat, there would be 200 other ones before R.E.M. (they’d go before 99% of pop rock, though). I don't know. I enjoyed this album fine enough, but It's the End of the World As We Know It and The One I Love were the only songs that stood out to me, because of their fun choruses. This sounds like a R.E.M. album, and that pretty much all I can say. If that's a good thing for you, I guess you would like this, but I feel completely indifferent to their style. 7/10
3/5
If I could give 3.5 stars, that’s what I would give this album but unfortunately I can’t so 3 will have to do Despite a few low moments, there was a ton to like here… -Michael Stripe delivered great vocals on just about every song -A big hit in It’s the End of the World… -A perfect runtime and amount of tracks, which made the listening experience even better There was a few forgettable songs, but the strength of the rest of the album more than made up for it Favorites: None Honorable Mentions: It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine), Lightnin’ Hopkins
No strong feelings. Not bad, not my fav
I personally really like Michael Stipe's voice, but I know it's not for everyone. However, a pretty mid-album with their singles really being the stand out tracks (It's the end of the world... & The one I love)
I’ve always been a solid 3 on REM. I like some of their hits but never really my fav.
A document of a solid rock band
Love his voice
REM pre-Losing my Religion, när de fortfarande kunde kallas alternativa och lät lite råare. The One I Love och The End of the World As We Know It känner man ju till. Resten har jag nog inte hört tidigare. Även Finest Worksong och Stange är bra. Trots det kan man förstå varför det megastora genombrottet skulle vänta ytterligare några år. Stipes sång är absolut där. Men låtarna lite identitetslösa överlag.
Can I be honest? I never got the amount of hype for REM.
Solid. But, the thing I find with REM is that they’re not always great at stringing together a 10/10 record. This is one of those. It’s a solid effort, but it’s not Out of Time or Automatic for the People. It’s not even Orange or Monster. But it’s largely decent. It has a couple of my fave REM songs, and most of the others are solid, but there are a few skippable tracks. 3.5/5
Tam dinlemedim sori
Another R.E.M. album, another pretty good listening experience. I think I am understanding what made them so ahead of their time and influential, even if I’m not totally compelled myself. It’s a sturdy record that doesn’t blow me away but I can respect. Also, in an appreciated change of pace for this band, the engineering sounds great. I forgot how many words “It’s the End of the World as We Know It” has.
Like the sound, but a tad too slow for me.
Only good due to the 2 hits
Great lyrics, iconic sound. I didn't realize how old this album was. The sound doesn't gel with my personal taste, but the lyrics are reminding me to fight the good fight.
Estan cheveritas, pero me suenan igual todas xd perdón
Cool album. Too weird in parts, but generally decent stuff.
Memories of my freshman year of college. Didn't understand the lyrics or appeal then, and 38 years later, the lyrics are mostly as nonsensical now. It's like what I remember college radio being like then, random words and sounds, though the music is more listenable than that was. Too ironic, too cool for me, but some memorable, singalong tunes.
This is a nice album, I had only heard it’s the end of the world and the one I love before and they remain my favorites from this. I was hoping to connect with other songs on here or feel it on a deeper level but it wasn’t happening. This is solidly a 3 for me, good album but nothing I will be coming back to often.
As familiar as I am with REM, I don’t think I’ve ever listened to an album. They’ve always been down the fairway for me — a band people said they liked in high school because it was cool to say so. REM does fine for me with more straightforward rock songs with slower vocals (Finest Worksong). But as soon as we get into attempts to be clever, uptempo, major chord voicing stuff (McCarthy) I find it extremely grating. And End of the World has always been a hated song to me. Sometimes fine, sometimes annoying, sometimes different. Seems like a pretty solid 3 to me.
cool. rock, des titres que j'aime plus que d'autres. parfois chill, parfois plus rapide. contient "the end of the world as we know it"
I will never tire of hearing The One I Love. Top-tier song for me forever.
Dad rock
carino molto movimentato in an English way, perfetto se viaggi in macchina lo consiglio per introdursi ai Rem
Alright album. It's the quirky rock I would expect from r.e.m.
me lo he escuchado hasta la mitad bah
Es ist okay würde ich aber nicht regelmäßig pumpen
Great lyrics on a decent album
Firstly, I think it is important to highlight how diverse this album is. To me, R.E.M. is usually just indie songs with catchy melodic guitar. But there's a nice selection of rock riffs and heavy bass to compliment some of the softer catchier songs. There was even a grungy one on there. Stipe sings with passion and there is a wide range of guitar to compliment his vocals. However, not a lot sticks for me. I ran to the album and it kept me moving, but not inspired to run faster or further. They'll always be a middle of the road band for me. 3 Stars.
This album is like a man in his mid-twenties slowly coming to terms with the fact that life doesn’t always work out how the fairytales suggest it should. He’s an excited young go-getter, working in what he thought was a career defining job. However he has been in this role since he left uni at 22, and his career hasn’t really progressed as quickly as he envisioned. He’s been in and out of relationships, not really finding the right connection with anyone. He’s still filled with hope for life, however there is a thought in the back of his mind that maybe the challenges and difficulties of life are a lot larger than he was told during his younger years. He doesn’t want to give up on his enthusiasm, but he’s beginning to.
The kind of REM album that "proper" fans gravitate towards - as more of a casual fan this is above average US indie fare with some stand out tracks to me, but maybe lacking so much of the identity that I think is stamped on their later, more pop-orientated material. Don't get me wrong, this is still a good album which occasionally wears it's influences on its sleeve while still managing to be it's own thing for the most part.
Not their best. Some great songs on the A side but lots of meandering experiments on the B side
Enjoyable! Shocked at how much I recognized from either guitar hero or the radio. Bumping down a half star because it's not the greatest album ever.
I don't know. I like but don't love REM. Good album 3.5
Might be a hot take, but I think Michael Stipe’s vocals are some of his weakest here; they didn’t bring the emotion or bite I’ve heard from him elsewhere. Favourite Songs: Finest Worksong, It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine), The One I Love. Least Favourite Songs: Strange, Lightnin' Hopkins.
This was an interesting album, as it followed right after Jamiroquai and "Emergency On The Planet". Both albums actually seemed to try and create a vibe but in very different ways. While stylistically, R.E.M.'s attempt was much closer to my personal preference, the nasal tone of the voice did start to take away from the enjoyment about mid-way through the album. As such it will also receive a 3/5 but could have been looking at a score closer to 4, had the voice been different.
Liked the songs I knew already but thought the rest of the album was average and nothing special. 3/5.
REM comes from the weird puberty of the 80s where music had to evolve from the rock legends of the 70s to the rebirth of rock in the 90s. I didn't like it but I was suprised when I heard the hit songs that this album contains. It's just weird to me, the sound, it's hard to pin down what they are going for and if they are nailing it.
A good solid REM album.
I like it. Don’t love it.
Me encanta the end of the world pero lo demás me aburrió un poco.
I don't know that I've listened to this album from beginning to end since the late '80s. It's good, but R.E.M. has at least four albums that are better. This isn't one of their albums that I "must" listen to before I die. Good, but not great.
Love REM's hits but could never really get into the deep cuts.
like this! So much better than Murmur imho. Sounds more modern and a better highlight of Stipe's vocals and writing. TEOTWAWKI and One I Love are the big hits, but the rest is very good! REM was founded in Athens, Georgia, home of the University of Georgia, a school that once had Justin Fields in their QB room, but he transferred to Ohio State after some of the UGA baseball players called him an n-word. Kirby Smart eat shit O-H Brœthers.
--Finest Worksong...Stipe and the guitars sound good here --Welcome to the Occupation...plodding --Exhuming McCarthy...oooh, a bass groove! --Disturbance at the Heron House...interesting guitar solo. Other than that, meh --Strange...they sound like they're having fun here and it's infectious --It's the End of the World...classic --The One I Love...great song. Stipe especially shines here --Fireplace...I appreciate the odd turn with the saxophone, but it kind of derails the song --Lightnin' Hopkins...sounds like it's coming from a different band on a different album but it kicks! --King of Birds...filler --Oddfellows Local 151...not interesting enough to be the longest track on here
I'm not the biggest R.E.M. fan, but they're alright and their hits are a deserved.
Nice! 3.4999, definitely liked it and fun to be reminded of the REM tracks I subconsciously know every word to. Nothing something I’d change if it came on the radio, I’d be pretty happy, but nothing I’m intentionally setting up to play again either.
En ymmärrä tätä
There were a few tracks that challenged this but mostly I found this album to be somewhat monotonous and boring. I'm not sure what it is - something between the vocals and the over produced drum sound create these droning melodies without enough highs and lows to keep you intrigued. The songs that I knew felt overplayed and cliched and the ones I didn't felt like they didn't have any hook to bring me in. At the end of the day, they are clearly a talented group and I am not surprised they have a cult like following, I just don't get that much of the appeal.
Seem to have a mental block with REM. Enjoy their singles quite a bit but their full albums struggle to click, same again with this one. This one definitely has a hit more bite and the hits are massive but still missing something. Top Three Tracks: Welcome to the Occupation, It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine), The One I Love Least Favourite Track: Exhuming McCarthy 6.7
My whole life, I've found R.E.M. hit and miss, and Document bears that out. I can't remember the last time I heard this, but this time around I thought it dragged—though it surprisingly picks up at the very end with "King of Birds" and "Oddfellows Local 151." Obviously "It's the End of the World as We Know It" is a classic of the era, and "Finest Worksong" remains great, so there's plenty to like here (and plenty you can skip too).
jangle butt.
Enjoyed this a lot more than I expected. The 2nd half after the hits was a surprising part of REM I've never heard before.
It was a safe play, nothing horrible about it and just good enough that it was alright in the background 1 - would not listen to again 2 - if some one played it, I'd probably just zone it out 3 - didn't hate it, didn't love it 4 - saved some songs from the album 5 - would buy the album or already own it
Not bad. Most songs felt like background music though, some standouts though.
I thought I would have enjoyed this more. I had their Best of Album on repeat when it came out and years after. I’d probably still play it often if a car CD player was still accessible. The back half starting at “The One I Love” was better for me.
I have never been an REM fan, but the fact that this album comes out in 1987 and has a sound that would dominate alternative music airwaves for the next decade does make one pause. In a sense, REM is a perfect example of alternative music because the scope of their music defies easy classification. The strong baselines, frequent use of ancillary rock instruments like tambourine, banjos, mandolins, saxophones etc. all show that REM was crafting a new sound. Not necessarily rock or even light rock, but something different. It is hard to imagine an early 90s dominated by singles from bands like Hootie and the Blowfish, Spin Doctors, Alanis Morissette, Counting Crows, Blues Travelers, Dave Matthews Band all without REM helping to pave the way. Poppier songs like "Strange" and "Exhuming McCarthy" showcase a sound influenced by the B-52s and pop music in general. Multi-instrumental songs like "Fireplace" defy classification, while songs like "King of Birds" and "Oddfellows Local 151" expose an exploration of folk ballad and grungy guitars respectively. REM is a bit of a chimera in that regard, and if you happen to like the form that chimera takes then this is an album you must certainly enjoy. Regardless of my personal feelings, it is a pretty solid album, but I would not put it on of my own accord.
For some reason, I went through a huge REM phase when I was 9 or 10 years old, which is kind odd, right? Like, what child actually goes HARD for this upbeat and optimistic janglepoppy stuff? But then I realized that it must have to do with its close adjacency to early, proto butt-rock. It's kind of the perfect segue band for a kid with growing musical taste: REM's music feels juuuust polished and melodic enough to catch a kid's ear but still "grown up" enough to feel cool and sophisticated.
Some classics in there.
It's really boring... I'm not an advanced listener and maybe I don't know something that makes this album amazing but it's just fine for me. 3/5
Not a REM fan but this was good for REM
I think there are some hits and catchy songs, but other than that, the album overall is just okay to me. Specifically, I think that most of the tracks were filler. However, I feel that production, instrumentals, and some of the lyricism done by Michael Stipe are actually good components of this album. But like I said, I feel that majority of the songs have no place on an album like this especially when you have a hit single "It's the End of the World As We Know It" on this album. It's crazy though to find out that this is an 80s album, to me, it defiantly has a 90s sound almost grungy or alternative in a way but defiantly didn't sound like something from the 80s. But to end this review, the album is just okay but does have a couple of songs that I did enjoy! Favorite Tracks: Welcome to the Occupation, It's the End of the World As We Know It, Oddfellows Local 151 Rating: 3/5
A solid album. Well produced. Good storytelling. Not particularly memorable for me though.
Nice album, very spirited. Even though I like how this sounds and their vibe, these songs didn't stick out to me too much (note: The One I Love is one of my favorite songs from b.i.t.d.)
A solid album, theres no denying how important Document is to R.E.M. This is the album that got them going. It just wasn’t the kind of album that got me excited as R.E.M. isn’t entirely my thing. Although there were song I enjoyed on this album. Also probably an unpopular opinion I dislike “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It” like a lot. Favorite songs: Finest Worksong, The One I Love
++: Finest Worksong, I't the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) +: Exhuming McCarthy, Disturbance at the Heron House, Strange, The One I Love, Fireplace, King of Birds +-: Lightnin' Hopkins, Oddfellows Local 151 -: Welcome to the Occupation 5,8/10
Being honest, I thought this one would be better. It's not bad by any means, they can certainly write good music, but it feels a bit average, particularly the first half. The run from "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" to "Lightning Hopkins" is by far the best part of the record, but besides that, I found the other tracks a bit bland. Instrumentally, they sound good but it's not my cup of tea, it isn't heavy enough to be rock outright, and isn't soft enough to be post-punk or alt-rock or something else. Maybe jangle pop isn't for me? The best songs here are the biggest hits, both "ITEOTWAWKI(AIFF)" and "The One I Love" are classic and very good tracks, super catchy each in its own way. The two tracks that come after are pretty good too, but don't reach that level. Everything else didn't really catch my attention.
90s. Political
Not for me but I see how it can be a great album for people who love this genre. Surprised there was a song I had heard before on this (End of the World) The One I love was also good. 5/10
Still clicking with REM but it’s always a pretty pleasant listen. Just watched that Looney Tunes movie that used the end of the world song.. made me chuckle. Very Chicken Little of them
The 2 hits were great, the rest was solid rem, enjoyed the harder rock sound
I like the voice and vibe of REM. Reminds me of one of my faves (They Might Be Giants) it's just that fun, nerd punk kinda vibe. I like a lot. I've loved Automatic for the people, so I'm expecting good things from this album. People who don't enjoy REM I think just have no whimsy. All this has shown me is that I like things that are interesting and REM is definitely that. I think I might like Automatic for the people better BUT I still really like this one.
Document is a departure from the Post Punk/New Wave sound of REMs first four studio albums, delivering a more mainstream and poppier sound. Closer to Out of Time and Automatic for the People, whose sound catapulted REM into Global MegaStardom. A solid record with great singles and zero filler!
Already familiar with R.E.M. from their earlier Fables of the Reconstruction album and its hit Driver 8. They had a new sound for the 80s with unique tempo changes we weren’t used to. But we remember Document No. 5 well as we had it on CD in Haverhill and it got a lot of play. All songs are good, lead by Exhuming McCarthy (very political), End of the World (nothing like it at the time), and The One I Love. We’ll be hearing from these guys again. L = (2.8*s) very nostalgic. J = (3.6*s) great selection for the 1001 Must Hear List!
2.5 stars “How does it feel to be in R.E.M.? It feels good!” Almost my entire experience with R.E.M. is filtered through Scott Aukerman and Adam Scott’s hilarious, unhinged music podcast, U Talkin’ U2 To Me? The R.E.M. season (they called it R U Talkin’ R.E.M. RE: ME?) is probably my favourite, because Adam Scott was such a nerdy fan of this band since he was a teen. Because of this show, I’ve listened to all 15 R.E.M. albums, plus some extras. My tl;dr is R.E.M. didn’t know how to edit themselves. Their first EP and full album are pretty great and then they released an album nearly every year. They’re a good singles band, with huge swathes of mediocre filler leading to increasingly diminishing returns. Document is the album that produced their first big hit single, The One I Love. That and the other big hit, The End of the World (which, as Scott & Scott note, Billy Joel ripped off 2 years later with We Didn’t Start the Fire), are not bad, but R.E.M. has better singles. I like the third single from the album, Finest Worksong. The album tracks are kind of blah, but I do like the jangly stomp of Exhuming McCarthy. Adam Scott said he used to walk around his high school hallways putting his Walkman headphones on people and forcing them to listen to this song. Oh to have been one of his classmates. I also thought Trouble at the Heron House was alright. Strange is a cover of a Wire song, but not better than the original. I’ve rounded my rating up to 3 stars because this prompted me to re-listen to the very funny Document episode of R U Talkin’ R.E.M. I’m wondering how many more R.E.M. records are on here… Murmur better be one of them, because I think it’s the only one that holds up as a full album. Re: the podcast, I recommend it, but only if you will enjoy the following things: a) deranged, absurdist improv with gags that last years b) Scott Aukerman faux bullying Adam Scott about his ever more successful acting career (and basically everything) c) many tales of their early lives and careers d) oh also the music… they cover U2, R.E.M., Talking Heads, Chili Peppers, and The Boss I keep hoping they’ll do a Radiohead season. Hopefully they’ll sneak one in between seasons of Severance.
Objectively good, just not my style. The songs you know from REM are on this album.
Overrated with a couple of ok songs. 2.5
Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: It's The End of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine), The One I Love. This album is fine. I have no bad things to say about it. The two most popular songs (above) are excellent and show off the best of what R.E.M. can be.
A good album, but not one of his best.
Favorites: Disturbance at the Heron House, It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine), The One I Love R.E.M. are a decent band, but I don't think their sound has ever impressed me as it has others. While I found Document to be a pleasant listen, there wasn't a lot I latched onto unfortunately.
at least 2 songs were better than the end of the world as we know it.
Tiene muy buenos momentos, King of Birds en mi opinión es la joya del álbum, crea un paisaje sonoro muy bello con el uso del dulcémele. La letra me transmitió el principio de todo lo que sube tiene que caer y la música transmite melancolía pero también reflexión y aceptación, es una gran canción. Destaco el uso de saxofón en Fireplace que quedó muy bien. Es un álbum entretenido sobre todo en su segunda mitad (y Exhuming Mcarthy en la primera que es otra de mis favoritas). Sus letras son más oscuras de lo que puede sonar la música y eso es interesante, me gustaron las letras.
First listen
I'm sorry, I love R.E.M. but do not love this albums. Lightnin' Hopkins, wtf.
Just enough singles you remember to keep you interested but before they got too mainstream.
It was ok
good sorta classic rem
REM are ok. A greatest hits band for me personally.
It's fine. Got bored here and there
Meh
i mean, it’s ok?? a little weird at times but it’s pretty good :D
What can I say. Very REM. nice sound, steady groove and structure. Didn’t particularly grab me, but good enough and Stripe a clear sound throughout. Some slight variations in some songs but general a 4/4, inoffensive trot throughout. Again unsure if the familiar songs are better or just recognisable. Pleasant enough (3.5)
Has its moments but for the most part is background music
Definitely a lot punkier than other REM albums I've listened to
A really solid album but the thing I find with R.E.M is it all sounds the same
Sounds like REM
I want to like this more but it just lacks edge.
I kinda wanted to like this I didnt
It was ok
It's pretty good rock music, but I am not too crazy about it.
Nice good to listen rock
Production missing an edge to hold my interest. Cool vocal harmonies on some tracks. End Of The World is honestly he standout. Honorable mention to King Of Birds.
I really like the guitar work on this record. The back half is better than the front half. Stand outs: The One I Love, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Fireplace, Oddfellows Local 151 (actually an awesome closing track). Is R.E.M. a radio friendly punk band or a punk friendly radio band? Either way, I don’t really care. When it’s on, I don’t dislike it but I never like it enough to go back to it.
This album wasn’t too bad. I actually liked it more than I thought I would. There were some good songs on it and I could see myself listening to this album again.
Gotta be honest, I was expecting more. The best song for me is the opening track “Finest Worksong” while the obvious hits “end of the world” and “the one I love” build up the latter half, the first half is lacking something to keep me interested for long. It’s good but forgettable
Teils interessante Instrumentierung, aber von der Musik her nichts Besonderes.
Good album. Couple of classics but not my fave
Not really my thing sound wise, but the topics covered by the lyrics are interesting.
I know these guys. Do enjoy some of their tracks not sure what albums they are off of. I am really interested to hear what an album of theirs sounds like. Very R.E.M music to me. nothing special or out of the ordinary that I would think an R.E.M album would sound like 4 tracks in.
К этой группе смешанные чувства ...
Première chanson sympa
Pretty nice album, enjoyed having it in the background while I was doing stuff. It has this R.E.M. sound to it, as if I'm listening to Losing my Religion or Everybody Hurts. Overall, nothing too exciting but it was an alright listen.
Ok. Inoffensive. No stinkers, though I don't understand why End Of The World was released as a single because it's easily the worst track on the album. Apart from the track that bangs on about business acumen! Though both are passable. They do lose a point though for their shameless rip-off of the Kiss classic Firehouse... sounds nothing like it ...and they gave it the wrong title! 3½
I like his voice. Some of the songs are great.
Rigtig fint album 3,5/5. Første album der gjorde de gik fra Cult status til bredere publikum.
A real mixed bag of an album, the middle section is incredibly strong with the hits off of this being the highlights, but the second half feels completely aimless and altogether a bit sloppy at times, almost like they were just throwing stuff together and calling it a day.
Well... this album. I think this was the first R.E.M. album I listened to, and then R.E.M. became endemic to my high school experience. I can honestly say this is not my favorite R.E.M. album, despite its impact on me. Automatic for the People? Murmur? One of those two. I want to say Murmur, but if I am being honest, I probably would reach for Automatic for the People first. What I wouldn't reach for is Document. It is super interesting to me that this is their "big" album. Most of the folk I listen to music with don't rave about this album. I feel like the general experience I have amongst my friends is similar to my personal taste. Although I don't think anyone would find this album objectionable. Although it will be interesting to read each others reviews. This R.E.M. album is super R.E.M.y, but it doesn't feel like it comes together like their other albums. This sounds way too vague, but something feels like it is missing from this album. Just a gathering of grunts and greens, the cogs and grunts and hirelings, a meeting of a mean idea to hold.
I like R.E.M. fine enough, they've got some bangers but the band as a whole never really hooked me. This album is doesn't change that; it's pretty solid and an enjoyable listen but didn't really sway me one way or the other. Musically, the band is tight here and Stipe is iconic, but it's not really anything you've never heard before. Standouts are "Finest Worksong" "The One I Love" and "King Of Birds" Overall, pretty standard. Not the best I've heard, not the worst. If you've ever listened to the radio for a day in your life you've probably heard "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" and "The One I Love" so that speaks to the legacy of R.E.M. and I respect the hell out of that, but this is a pretty solid 3, almost a 4 for me.
Alright. It was background music and inoffensive. I get why people like R.E.M, but for my they lack hooks and it all kinda washes past you. Probably why I like Losing My Religion most, it's the one you can most sing along to.
Obviously, It’s the End of the World as We Know It is annoying as, but overall, it’s a solid 80s indie album.
Well... this album. I think this was the first R.E.M. album I listened to, and then R.E.M. became endemic to my high school experience. I can honestly say this is not my favorite R.E.M. album, despite its impact on me. Automatic for the People? Murmur? One of those two. I want to say Murmur, but if I am being honest, I probably would reach for Automatic for the People first. What I wouldn't reach for is Document. It is super interesting to me that this is their "big" album. Most of the folk I listen to music with don't rave about this album. I feel like the general experience I have amongst my friends is similar to my personal taste. Although I don't think anyone would find this album objectionable. Although it will be interesting to read each others reviews. This R.E.M. album is super R.E.M.y, but it doesn't feel like it comes together like their other albums. This sounds way too vague, but something feels like it is missing from this album. Just a gathering of grunts and greens, the cogs and grunts and hirelings, a meeting of a mean idea to hold.
3.5-3.75
It’s all good, but most of it just sounds the same to me. End of the world still hits and unfortunately still very on point even almost 30 years later.
No real gripes, but also doesn’t feel incredible. Of course I knew the song “The One I Love”, but I don’t think it ever hit me quite like during this album listen. That is an all timer song.
A couple of hits on here. Saved two songs. There isn’t a dud but it’s not too memorable.
7.5/10 I enjoyed the first half of the album a lot more than the second half, with exception of King Of Birds but that could just be primary bias - surprised that The One I Love is the single on this album because it's oddly mediocre in comparison to the rest. All together i like the big drum section & the slap bass but there's just something I don't love about it. The End of The World As We Know it just remined me of the big bang theory theme so idk about that one. Song added to playlist: - Finest Worksong - Welcome to the Occupation - King of Birds
Reminds me of high school. I like their earlier stuff more.
Nostalgic, classic REM!
First half is a 5/5 then it tails off in tir second half.
Pretty generic “rock”, with some little flourishes that make it stand out from the crowd a bit. Very thin sound though.
I have listened to this album more times than I can count. While not my favorite REM album I still enjoy it. My old roommate was obsessed with REM and I had gone through their catalog. The band never really latched onto me as it had him, but it reminds me of frantically cleaning our apartment from half empty beer cans, bongs, and cigarette butts when his Mom would make a surprise visit.
ist halt so dad rock. am anfang so hintergrundbeschallung, aber "it's the end of the world as we know it" ist SO EIN BANGER, so, kannte ich halt, aber zurecht war ich am viben. Insgesamt die 2. Hälfte vom Album generell besser als die erste overall kann man das gut machen, is nix weltbewegendes aber yeah. wär so bei 2,5 probably
A couple gems but overall not as captivating as I had hoped.
One of the better REM albums
Decent
was good, but not very many dynamics.
End of the world and One I Love are both bangers, but I didn’t love the rest
Klang für mich wie ein typisches R.E.M. Album :D Nichts besonderes, aber auch nicht kacke und angenehm zum Hören. Mag man ihnen die "Gleichheit" der Songs zur Last legen? :/ 3 Sterne
Second half is meh
I love the political aspects of this album, but it doesn’t speak to me the way other REM albums have. I appreciate that their sound isn’t bogged down in 90s tropes. There is some of that, but really only the loud, jangly, rhythm guitar.
This is the second REM I got here, the first being Automatic For The People. Both great albums. This is an interesting album, what many consider to be the last early period college rock darling album. This is their last independent label album, and is sort of the start of their transition into stardom, which will be at full swing in Out of Time, two albums later. This album already contains two quintessential REM hits - The One I Love and It’s The End Of The World As We Know It, showing the bands ability to write their own brand of its hits. Anyway I don’t know. I like it but it’s not my favorite and assuming Out of Time will also be here I think this is a bit too much REM.
The album gets progressively worse until you hit the middle, where they slapped their hits, and the continues to get worse. I liked “Fireplace”, though. Whole thing was too repetitive, could have benefited from some better arrangement of the tracks. Split up your two big hits, why don’t ya? Oh well, pretty good, even if I’m not R.E.M.s biggest fan. 3/5
Very good but nowhere near Automatic For The People
REM have a vibe all their own. I could always take them or leave them, apart from some beautiful tracks on Automatic for the People. Michael Stipe’s droning vocals don’t inspire much in me. Strictly mid-level for me.
Paar klassiekers, voor de rest beetje zaagplaat
Some really good songs here, and the rest are decent too. Feels a little dated in places, but overall better than I was expecting.
Pretty good! I grew up with a handful of these songs and had some of their albums
I am not sure about this one I feel it gives very hunger game vibes?. I liked a few songs, so overall I’d rate it 3/5. It’s quite nice and I see why people might like it I am just not sure if I will, I can def listen to the songs I like again
Definitely an improvement over the formless mumble of Murmur. I like the jangle pop direction and I think REM pull it off well. 6/10
"The One I Love" is the clearly catchy standout track, as a kind of ominously cryptic, almost callous, view of relationships. "It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" is controlled chaos, a rapid-fire fever dream of cultural references. This is the album where R.E.M. stops just hinting at bigger things and actually starts becoming one of the biggest bands in the world. It’s raw, it’s tight, and it still holds up.
Boring pop-rock. R.E.M. deserves max 1 album if any on this list, and this is not one of them.
62/1001 - Nothing happened but it wasn't awful sounding.
Albeit, still not my favorite artists, this is some nice easy 90's alt rock fare that I don't mind in the background.
Stipe's voice when he's trying to sing "angry" never really does it for me. The slower songs were good, and of course "It's the End of the World As We Know It" is great. 3.5 stars
A couple of highs, but I didn't find it especially inspiring. Some great vocals lines, harmonies and counter melodies though.
This album is where REM jumped the shark for me. It’s arena, rock disguised as jangle pop… Really feel they lost their way as an underground band. I hear so much of Scott Litt in the sound, to the point where it’s in distinguishable from the songs. Were they intentionally going for a popular audience here? Or were they the victims of a studio system that knew they had something with these guys? In either case aside from a few songs that I do enjoy, this is one that never gets played, by a huge REM fan. “ disturbance at the Heron house” “Welcome to the Occupation” and their cover of “Strange” are deserving. But I’d love to hear them produced differently
R.E.M. are the band I most regret not seeing, so it’s always good to have an excuse to listen to them. Document is one of their weaker releases in my opinion, but it’s R.E.M., it is still really good.
7/10 Had to choose between a seven and seven and a half on this one. Obviously has the iconic 'Its the End of the World As we Know It' and some other nice songs - especially 'Fireplace' with it's fantastically jarring sad solos. Unfortunately I just finds the vocal style a bit.. corny? Is that just me? Do I just dislike obviously American vocals? Maybe 🤷
meh kind of annoying and sounds like the old white bands
I liked it enough. The hits were the hits and everything else aside from the closer, Oddfellows didn’t do a whole lot to really pull me in. They’re very consistent with their output though, I rarely hear a song that I think is bad. 3 stars
Just not my style really I liked the instrumentals tho
R.E.M is just fine, never my favourite band, but never anything I've actively disliked. I probably prefer their 80's work over what followed in later decades. My favourite hit of theirs resides on this album, otherwise I don't really have any expectations. I've listened through the album once before but didn't really pay attention. Viewing this as a fresh listen. Finest Worksong Classic alternative rock guitars. Michael Stipe's vocals could be recognized anywhere. Very serious, not very charming. Ends well. Not much to say about the production, the track sounds fine. Isn't spectacular but does nothing wrong. Decent. 3.5/5 Welcome to the Occupation I'm not quite in the mood for this type of writing at the moment of listening. It sounds good, the instrumentation is quite well put together, especially appreciate the drumming. The lyrics are decent I guess, has a good message. Again, very serious to the point of approaching preachiness. I quite like the vocals. Short, which helps as the song is quite slow. Fine. 3/5 Exhuming McCarthy Don't love the mixing. The guitars are a bit loud. It's a bit heavy handed, feels like I'm being lectured to. Critical commentary has it's place in music, but it's a bit exhausting to listen to in this format. Like the background vocals. Fine. 3/5 Disturbance at the Heron House I have no idea as to what the lyrics are referring to. I like the drumming, has a decent energy to it. The guitars are really boring. The bass is boring. The vocal performance is fine. Might be better if I took more time to analyze and pick apart the lyrics, but I'm not doing that on a blind first listen. Average. 2.5/5 Strange A different energy to the song, quicker tempo. Awful chorus. The tambourine is really annoying and loud. A bit pointless. Average. 2.5/5 It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) Very fun to attempt to sing along with. Iconic chorus, hopelessly relatable at times. There's a mashup where they play this song alongside Billy Joel's We Didn't Start the Fire which is really funny. This song is honestly a bit carthartic after feeling a bit on edge about world affairs. The interplay between the main and the background vocals is magnetic. It feels like a very serious song, but I do think the lyrics have some fun bounce to them where the clever writing does something extra to keep me invested. The song has shrunk a bit on me in recent years after covid ended, and at the current moment of listening (12th of March, 2025) I don''t exactly feel "fine" about what feels like yet another "end of the world as we know it". That being said I still think it's pretty great. 4.5/5 The One I Love The other hit on this album. Great guitar riff, decent bassline. A bit repetitive. A bir moody. Decently dramatic. I like it. 4/5 Fireplace The bassline and the ominous background guitar makes for a quite dark atmosphere. Decent rhythm. The saxophone adds a much needed break in instrumental composition for the album. The chorus is a bit abrupt and lacks a kick, feels slightly monotone. A bit of a sonic shift. Decent. 3.5/5 Lightnin' Hopkins Another new sonic direction. The funky bassline and the guitar feeling a bit separate from the rest of the track works surprisingly well. Good drumming again. Too bad the vocals don't work, they're a bit nasally for my taste. The chanting "ooooh"s don't really work either. Inconsistent. 3/5 King of Birds Eastern motifs are unexpected. Dulcimer adds some psychedelia to the track. Really slow, meanders a lot on the verses. Does to much to be calming and hypnotic, but too little to be engaging. Honestly leaves it being quite a boring track. Really goes nowhere. Average. 2.5/5 Oddfellows Local 151 Had to look up the meaning of the song. Comes across as smug and pretentious. The only thing instrumentally that sticks out is the bassline, it adds moodiness to the track which I can appreciate. Fairly standard vocal performance, a few eccentricites at the end sort of sets it apart. All in all pretty laborous and uninteresting. Boring 2/5 It's the end of the album as we know it (And I feel whelmed). There's a lot of quality here, but the album really isn't that engaging to me. Most of it falls into the category "artistically solid yet uninteresting" Instrumentally, vocally, lyrically, in any aspect the album does not make me feel anything that makes me engage with it. The few songs that actually do break the mold do so by either being simple or by having clever writing performed at a high tempo. Current mood might have affected my enthusiasm for the album somewhat, so I'll probably revisit it at some point. It got a bit exhausting by the end, hopefully it grows on me. Low 3/5 Fave track. It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) Least fave track. Oddfellows Local 151
Well made, some real bangers, some real duds though too. I generally like Mike Stipe's voice and the instrument work is super solid. I'd say a 3.5 just because of those duds. Really was not into a bunch of songs toward the end.
3.5
A good album but not the best by R.E.M. A few weak tracks in my opinion.
2.8/5. I thought there were couple good ones in there with the rest sounding pretty much the same. Very distinct vocals and harmonizing. Big fan of King of Birds with its marching drums and Scottish esque vibe. Also big fan of the opening drums in the opening song. Good way to start an album. Overall: not bad R.E.M., you’ve got potential
Brings back fond memories of Guitar Hero
Not sure why there's would be multiple REM albums on this list... One was enough, if it was necessary to have in the first place. I just got some new ear buds, and this was my first time using them. The first song had the volume all the way up. Almost blew out my hearing. How terrible would it be to have the last thing I hear to be R.E.M.? Anyway, enough of the REM hatred. This is a pleasant enough album. Good musicianship, nice production, solid lyrics. It's actually a good album, but I like their next one better. I'm sure it will end up on this list, as well. The hits are favorites, and I liked Disturbance At The Heron House. This gets a 3.
Ohhh R.E.M again. Man, I don't know. I'm just not an R.E.M guy. I like Finest Work Song and End of the World As We Know It but the album for me is just ok.
Just not my thing. Instrumentally I don’t find it particularly interesting, and the lyrics don’t really speak to me, with the exception of some of the classics on this album. End of The World still holds up thematically in 2025.
Absolutely unreal that I got this album the day Cyclone Alfred is due to hit my home. I like to think that End of the World as We Know It is on loop in people's heads as they sell out toilet paper, gotta avoid that cyclone-induced spitty bum. Really not a fan of old mates vocal style. I don't like that weird American country twang. This reminds me a lot of America's (the band) Horse With No Name vocal style, but over a whole album. The instrumentals were great, very fit for the time - but fuck me I cannot get over how annoying this cunts voice was. The relatively short runtime made it tolerable, but if this thing was an hour I'd genuinely struggle. This is my first time listening to R.E.M, and I must say, pretty average album. The hits off this thing stand out like a sore thumb (in a good way), but there's not a whole lot of substance past those.
Psychic warfare to anyone who has ever had a blue collar job with a site radio where the crusty old cunts you work with won’t let you change it off triple M or whatever your equivalent local classic rock bloke radio station is. I won’t say R.E.M are my favourite - not a fan of the vocals personally but I’m not gonna argue that it’s perfectly cromulant music.
Two saved songs. Reading a book about them which gives them a favorable lean. Didn't love the whole album so 3 stars. I may not be punky enough for them to be my shit
Is that 4 or 5 REMs we’ve had? Liked that this one was slightly heavier but I think I’m done and will just skip anymore we get.
3 maybe 4
This got a little dull and repetitive for me.
Fun Rock album, I quite enjoyed
6/10
2.5 but I feel generous so I round up. Alright background music. Not a total utter waste of sound waves.
This is VERY gen x, maybe too much so
Great album for its time. Definitely listen to it again
If you haven’t heard it before, check out Great Big Sea’s cover of End Of The World, it’s Celtic rock awesomeness.
helll yeahhhhhh this fucking sucksssssss