You mean this opera involves handcuffs?
Continuing my trip across the output of Athens' finest...
New Adventures In Hi-Fi (1996)
I think this is probably the most undeservedly ignored and under-appreciated R.E.M. album - they scared a lot of people off with Monster but I think even those that weren't scared off didn't quite know what they were listening to. It's not a perfect album (and I recall it has a lot of tracks on it) but it has imho some of R.E.M.'s finest moments on it - and I think you know that's not an idle boast. To be fair, I do count a LOT of moments as their finest moments.
Side one – "Hi Side"
1. How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us
It's not an immediate opener but it's nicely broody - although you do think it could have done with more of an ending than it got. It goes on for ages and goes absolutely nowhere.
2. The Wake-Up Bomb
I like this one - it has a fine beat to it and some nicely confident lyrics ("I had to knock a few buildings over - I made an ugly mess"). It's not hanging around, I can tell you.
3, New Test Leper
Another one with fine lyrics - ""Judge not lest ye be judged" - what a beautiful refrain". In true classic R.E.M. style, I've no idea what they're on about but it feels like it means a lot. It does somewhat outstay it's welcome though.
4. Undertow
This is OK - nothing wrong with it, but it's competing with some quality tracks on this side.
5. E-Bow the Letter
This is a quiet contemplative track and Michael's voice works really well with Patti Smith's.
6. Leave
I think this is probably my favourite track off the album - a nice, understated intro which pootles along for the first minute. And then, WHAM! It all works really well VERY, VERY LOUD!
Side two – "Fi Side"
1. Departure
This is another ones that barrels along nicely - it also references early REM work for me and could quite easily have been Reckoning or Green.
2. Bittersweet Me
They have some really nice intros and decent choruses on this album - it just feels that they, unlike Monster, really sat down to write these songs.
3. Be Mine
Awwww - Michael gets all soppy on this one ("I wanna be your Easter bunny, I wanna be your Christmas tree"). It's fine - not the best track on the album but the guitars on it are how I think Monster should have sounded.
4. Binky the Doormat
Well, I'm looking forward to Wikipedia explaining to me who Binky the doormat is, I can tell you! Those guitars are back here - it manages to be similar to the previous track whilst being very different.
5. Zither
A weird instrumental - I always wonder why they bothered with them.
6. So Fast, So Numb
I've no idea what he's on about here, but he's very passionate about it all.
7. Low Desert
A change of pace here - they're getting tired by now!
8. Electrolite
Another one which has some nice piano on it (reminiscent of "Nightswimming" off AFTP), but there's a reason I rarely make it this far through the album.
Yeah, that's a good album. And it's tricky to pick the playlist tracks - I think "The Wake-up Bomb" and "Leave" are the only definites for me, but "How The West Was Won...", "New Test Leper", "E-Bow The Letter", "Bittersweet Me", "Binky The Doormat" and "So Fast, So Numb" are all in with a shout to join them. I think we have to go for "E-Bow The Letter" for the change of pace and I feel I'm going to make it a five-track album with "Bittersweet Me" and "So Fast, So Numb". I like the album cover too.
Wikipedia tells me it's an album of lasts. It's the last one with Bill Berry in the group, the last one produced by Scott Litt and the last one where they were managed by Jefferson Holt - and for a lot of people, their last great album. And (spoiler alert) you won't find me arguing with them on that matter - there are still some great tracks to come, but there are also a lot of not so great tracks as well.
The good news is that its creation was a happy process - after the turmoil of Monster, they were all in a much better place for this. A lot of the songs were played live before they'd been fully finished and the band recorded these performances and then used these live recordings in the studio to create the album tracks. The critics were generally very nice about it and Thom Yorke declared it to be his favourite album of theirs. Despite Monster scaring off a load of people, it actually got to #1 in a load of European countries including here - but only made #2 in the US.
So after a massive blog entry for Monster, it's a much smaller one for this album which I much prefer, even after the critical re-evaluation the former album received. But there's been no critical re-evaluation going on here - I liked it beforehand and I still very much like it now and I'd say this is safely top five for me. If you were scared off by Monster, then check this out - it's an interesting album with some great tracks on there and a good amount of variety.
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