Man, I love Reveal and I’m so sick of seeing it casually dismissed as a piece of trash not worth debating. It’s great. No skips. The Lifting, All the Way to Reno, Imitation of Life - all fantastic.
― sctttnnnt (pgwp), Friday, 22 September 2023 04:28 (seven months ago) link
Sequencing was R.E.M.'s biggest foe for a while there I think - the whole stretch from Monster through Reveal (not sure about Around the Sun, never actually heard the whole thing) falls into the "great album, kind of wants to reshuffle and lose 2-3 songs though" category.
Below is my long-time Up edit; to my surprise, the four songs I've omitted are among the top six in this poll, so it may displease. The singles are frontloaded on side 1, which ends with an epic. Side 2 slows down with each subsequent song til it reaches stasis (I was thinking of Before and After Science as a model).
DaysleeperLotus Suspicion Sad professorYou're in the air
Walk unafraid The apologist Diminished (sans "I'm Not Over You")Parakeet Airportman
― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 22 September 2023 19:05 (seven months ago) link
I mostly like Reveal and what particularly impresses me is the production, it makes me think of heat making the air shimmer
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 22 September 2023 20:29 (seven months ago) link
Below is my long-time Up edit; to my surprise, the four songs I've omitted are among the top six in this poll, so it may displease.The singles are frontloaded on side 1, which ends with an epic. Side 2 slows down with each subsequent song til it reaches stasis (I was thinking of Before and After Science as a model).
Great edit, I think you nailed Side A. I'd start Side B with "Hope" and end with "Falls to Climb".
― EvR, Monday, 25 September 2023 19:56 (seven months ago) link
Not that I would change the final album but I think Why Not Smile would make a great opening song
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Monday, 25 September 2023 20:04 (seven months ago) link