It's such a good album! My journey with REM has been funny - I actually kind of disliked them in my youth because I only listened to their greatest hits CD on repeat, and it was a collection of just the radio hits that made me think they were kind of shallow. I had a small allowance and no internet, so I thought buying greatest hits CDs was a way to maximize music for my dollar, but this one backfired. The studio albums sound like a totally different band - it was an interesting contrast once I figured out why I had overlooked them before
I'll be revisiting it, I just had a funny first impression of the song for some reason! It's probably one of those that fits the album better than I realize, and after some re-listens it'll blend right in for me. It just caught me a little off balance this time through!
Amazing history, thanks for adding context here. I think my perspective on this album hurt my enjoyment - or rather, my lack of perspective. I'm still getting my head around the trends that were happening in the music world leading up to 1991 and the emergence of Shoegaze, so I think I lost out on some of the nuances you mention as I didn't live through it.
But I can completely understand the counter-reaction to grunge and all the loud, in your face music that was at the top of the rock charts. I wonder if Shoegaze was only appreciated to its fullest extent in hindsight, as people had time to sfit through the noise and see what an interesting offshoot it really was?
I think I'll need to revisit this album with better headphones!
I’m gonna carbon date myself here, but I’d go so far as to say 1991 was the best year ever for music.
I’m also extremely happy to find someone that loves REMs “Out of Time” as much as I do.
It's such a good album! My journey with REM has been funny - I actually kind of disliked them in my youth because I only listened to their greatest hits CD on repeat, and it was a collection of just the radio hits that made me think they were kind of shallow. I had a small allowance and no internet, so I thought buying greatest hits CDs was a way to maximize music for my dollar, but this one backfired. The studio albums sound like a totally different band - it was an interesting contrast once I figured out why I had overlooked them before
Yes! Glad you discussed "Out of Time" although I've always really liked "Radio Song!" It made my Top Ten that year!
I'll be revisiting it, I just had a funny first impression of the song for some reason! It's probably one of those that fits the album better than I realize, and after some re-listens it'll blend right in for me. It just caught me a little off balance this time through!
These are all S Tier selections.
Thank you Chase!
Oh hell yes
1991! Good year!
Some others I'd also add the to the list:
Electronic (Bernard Sumner & Johnny Marr) - Electronic
The Orb - Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld
Slint - Spiderland
The KLF - The White Room
Talk Talk - Laughing Stock
John Tavener - The Protecting Veil (with Steven Isserlis)
Amazing history, thanks for adding context here. I think my perspective on this album hurt my enjoyment - or rather, my lack of perspective. I'm still getting my head around the trends that were happening in the music world leading up to 1991 and the emergence of Shoegaze, so I think I lost out on some of the nuances you mention as I didn't live through it.
But I can completely understand the counter-reaction to grunge and all the loud, in your face music that was at the top of the rock charts. I wonder if Shoegaze was only appreciated to its fullest extent in hindsight, as people had time to sfit through the noise and see what an interesting offshoot it really was?
I think I'll need to revisit this album with better headphones!