Mike Mills' b-vox in "Circus Envy" make the song. Mike Mills' b-vox make a lot of R.E.M. songs.
― Hideous Lump, Tuesday, 2 December 2008 04:11 (fifteen years ago) link
Listening to Circus Envy this morning it struck me what a great little character study it is. Admiration for the cool other ("I hold my breath to what you sing") overlaps immediately into self-loathing ("I messed it, messed it up"). This is projected onto the object of admiration, now seen as being somehow manipulative, while the speaker pretends to now be over it ("I am tired of your dodgeball circus act [...] I forgot to bark on command").
But the resentment keeps leaking outwards, first onto the admir-ee's beau ("The strongman kicked sand into my breakfast cereal bowl") and then with shocking violence onto the admireer him/herself ("When I get loose I'll climb a tree and drop a load on your head").
Or, you can get the whole story in two lines:
If I were you I’d really run from meI’d really really wish that I were you
Really nice.
― Doctor Casino, Tuesday, 2 December 2008 17:57 (fifteen years ago) link
WTFK delivers killer guitar tone and trem
Strange Currencies is beautiful
And Zooropa is fantastic, you ingrates.
― Passenger 57 (rogermexico.), Wednesday, 3 December 2008 05:26 (fifteen years ago) link
Voted "What's The Frequency Kenneth" because, in spite of the horrible production, it is actually a great song.
― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 3 December 2008 09:58 (fifteen years ago) link
Voted for King Of Comedy. Maybe not my absolute favourite, but I love it for being pretty unique in their canon and a far better attempt at ironic electro-rock (horrible term, I know) than anything U2 could muster. Other faves:Circus EnvyTongueLet Me InYouI Don't Sleep I DreamKennethCrush
― Stew, Wednesday, 3 December 2008 11:28 (fifteen years ago) link
Kenneth, but Strange Currencies would be up there.
― Matt DC, Wednesday, 3 December 2008 12:51 (fifteen years ago) link
Bumped to compete with bootleg, indie-label Murmur poll. I'm increasingly thinking I should have voted for "Circus Envy."
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 12 December 2008 05:09 (fifteen years ago) link
you can vote for it now, since a week has passed (yeah yeah cheating etc)
― Euler, Friday, 12 December 2008 15:45 (fifteen years ago) link
Whoever mentioned this album's length should note that New Adventures is much longer, with only two more tracks.
― If Timi Yuro would be still alive, most other singers could shut up, Friday, 12 December 2008 15:55 (fifteen years ago) link
Wait...you can DO that? How did I miss this? I'm going to resist the temptation in any case.
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 12 December 2008 16:00 (fifteen years ago) link
vote twice, I mean, not bring up the length of New Adventures.
― Doctor Casino, Friday, 12 December 2008 16:01 (fifteen years ago) link
wtfk. this is my fav rem.
― rent, Friday, 12 December 2008 16:09 (fifteen years ago) link
i like bang and blame best, closely followed by "you"
― the next grozart, Friday, 12 December 2008 16:09 (fifteen years ago) link
I probably complained about the length of this album, and I would complain more about New Adventures' length. But I won't, because it's pretty dumb of me to complain since I can just program out or skip those songs.
― Euler, Friday, 12 December 2008 16:09 (fifteen years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Sunday, 14 December 2008 00:01 (fifteen years ago) link
I think "I Took Your Name" is the only song so far to get no explicit reference on this thread - I think it's pretty good though! Weird little revenge song. I like "I pushed the button and erased your master taaaape..."
"Bang and Blame" is sounding really great to me right now but I just can never quite love it...there's a kind of exhaustion in it which fits the lyric quite well (and makes the clearest bridge from Automatic to this record) but I feel like it also extends to the creative effort - this is one of Stipe's least interesting lyrics to me. Or maybe I just think "Bang and Blame" is a crappy title...
"Tongue" is still the best-sounding thing on here to me. A little muffled but a great track and a very different sound for them - there's that plinky piano from "Nightswimming," "Electrolite" and "At My Most Beautiful" but it's playing well off the organ, the little trembles of guitar, and Stipe's falsetto...it's a very pretty sound for a pretty dirty song!
― Doctor Casino, Sunday, 14 December 2008 02:10 (fifteen years ago) link
God bless Mike Mills on "Bang and Blame" though! "BANG!"
― Doctor Casino, Sunday, 14 December 2008 02:11 (fifteen years ago) link
...and man, I forgot about the pointless instrumental between "Bang and Blame" and "I Took Your Name." If anything makes the album too long, it's that.
― Doctor Casino, Sunday, 14 December 2008 02:13 (fifteen years ago) link
yeah, that instrumental does kinda suck! "Bang and Blame" has such a tender vocal, and it's reminding me tonight a little of "Let It Bleed", in the bit about "rub on me", "jump on me", "let go on me": "you can come all over me". Both tunes have pretty exhausted vibes.
― Euler, Sunday, 14 December 2008 02:30 (fifteen years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Monday, 15 December 2008 00:01 (fifteen years ago) link
Incredibly RONG on the results, guys.
― ilxor, Monday, 15 December 2008 00:17 (fifteen years ago) link
Yeah, but thanks for participating, everybody! I'm just always glad to see oddball album tracks performing so high. Next poll up shortly.
― Doctor Casino, Monday, 15 December 2008 00:19 (fifteen years ago) link
pretty close to right, i think
― J0rban Sarggest (some dude), Monday, 15 December 2008 00:20 (fifteen years ago) link
"Star 69" got no votes and it's the shortest song!
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Monday, 15 December 2008 00:22 (fifteen years ago) link
Deeply enhanced by the misreading on "Kiss This Guy" way back in the day: "I know RuPaul, I know RuPaul..."
― Doctor Casino, Monday, 15 December 2008 00:25 (fifteen years ago) link
Correct order, best to worst:
Let Me InTongueI Don't Sleep, I DreamYouWhat's The Frequency, Kenneth?Circus EnvyKing of ComedyStrange CurrenciesCrush With EyelinerBang and BlameStar 69I Took Your Name
― ilxor, Monday, 15 December 2008 01:05 (fifteen years ago) link
i disagree but i also just remembered that i do kinda love "I Don't Sleep" and sort of wish i voted for it instead of "Strange Currencies"
― J0rban Sarggest (some dude), Monday, 15 December 2008 01:09 (fifteen years ago) link
Top 2 are right, to my surprise. But I should have voted for the unjustly neglected "Star 69" instead of wasting my vote on Kenneth.
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Monday, 15 December 2008 01:44 (fifteen years ago) link
i never thought i'd give this another listen..
used to love "let me in" but the guitar sounds really bad now to my ears.
i still like "what's the frequency," "i don't sleep," and "circus envy," i can leave the rest though...
― Matt P, Monday, 15 December 2008 02:09 (fifteen years ago) link
http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2019/09/03/rem-monster-reissue-box-set/
― a bevy of supermodels, musicians and Lena Dunham (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 4 September 2019 02:22 (four years ago) link
That is cool news, but I’m not sure about this(?):
on this alternative version the guitars are pulled back and the vocals pushed forward to create a more open sound and showcase often-revealing lyrics
― One more cup of yogurt for the road (morrisp), Wednesday, 4 September 2019 02:27 (four years ago) link
I’ve never listened to that album and thought — “This needs less Buck, more Stipe”
― One more cup of yogurt for the road (morrisp), Wednesday, 4 September 2019 02:28 (four years ago) link
Listened to the remixed “what’s the frequency Kenneth,” why would you take out the tremolo bit in the chorus? clearly someone needs to re-remix it to add even more tremolo.
― JoeStork, Thursday, 5 September 2019 05:24 (four years ago) link
The guitar on this record sounds terrible
― calstars, Thursday, 5 September 2019 05:28 (four years ago) link
The new remaster sounds nice.
The remixed "What's The Frequency, Kenneth", yeah, who was asking for this? What a waste.
― L'assie (Euler), Thursday, 5 September 2019 14:09 (four years ago) link
― calstars, Wednesday, September 4, 2019 10:28 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink
the guitar tone is one of the five best things about this record
― american bradass (BradNelson), Thursday, 5 September 2019 18:43 (four years ago) link
yeah was gonna say
― L'assie (Euler), Thursday, 5 September 2019 18:46 (four years ago) link
I love "Bang and Blame" so much, just rises in my estimation year after year. maybe their only psychosexual drama? plus the chorus just pops, maybe even more than before with the new remaster, or else I just had it on fucking loud
― L'assie (Euler), Thursday, 5 September 2019 18:47 (four years ago) link
listening to "Circus Envy" now, my god the guitars
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 5 September 2019 19:16 (four years ago) link
brad otm about the guitar toneI love how “crush with eyeliner” is just being constantly sliced open by that ultra distorted hard tremelo-d guitar
― brimstead, Thursday, 5 September 2019 20:44 (four years ago) link
I did an A/B listen of the two versions of "WTF,K?" – and while the new one sounds fine, yeah, I don't see the point.
― #YABASIC (morrisp), Thursday, 5 September 2019 21:34 (four years ago) link
It sounds slower somehow
― kinder, Thursday, 5 September 2019 21:51 (four years ago) link
This new anti-canonic Kenneth remix kinda defeats the purpose.
― cpl593H, Thursday, 5 September 2019 21:58 (four years ago) link
R.E.M. were such a tight band.
― cpl593H, Thursday, 5 September 2019 22:01 (four years ago) link
I mean, the Bill Berry R.E.M.
Listened to the remixed “what’s the frequency Kenneth,” why would you take out the tremolo bit in the chorus? clearly someone needs to re-remix it to add even more tremolo.― JoeStork, Thursday, 5 September 2019 07:24 (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink
― JoeStork, Thursday, 5 September 2019 07:24 (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink
― dorsalstop, Thursday, 5 September 2019 22:04 (four years ago) link
The new remixed version is 20s shorter, weird, song has a cold end too so there must be a few bars missing somewhere.
― MaresNest, Thursday, 5 September 2019 22:07 (four years ago) link
Mine is even shorter but it leaves out all the non-essential bits.
― dorsalstop, Thursday, 5 September 2019 22:10 (four years ago) link
Wasn’t there a reissue of Music from Big Pink recently where they included a completely new remix for no apparent reason? What a weird trend for reissues
― “Hakuna Matata,” a nihilist philosophy (One Eye Open), Thursday, 5 September 2019 23:36 (four years ago) link
I’m no rem stan but the guitar tones in their early jangly stuff or mid point like in “one I love” and “orange crush” for example are so much more crisp, exciting, nuanced, treble happy than the midrange middle aged bloat of Wtf, K
― calstars, Friday, 6 September 2019 00:06 (four years ago) link
Can't wait for the Exile on Main Street remix where they boost the vocals and take out all the horns.
― pplains, Friday, 6 September 2019 11:51 (four years ago) link
^the 2010 remaster added some overdubs(?)
― #YABASIC (morrisp), Friday, 6 September 2019 13:19 (four years ago) link
this "Kenneth" remix is like idk okay for the verses, but losing the tremolo is nuts (make it sound like a demo, no call-and-response to the chorus takes away a major hook!). at no point does it sound like an object from 1994. why do that? pretty pointless exercise IMO.
― Good morning, how are you, I'm (Doctor Casino), Friday, 6 September 2019 13:28 (four years ago) link
Oh wow wtf I do not want to hear that. I don't even really know what the point is of doing a digital remix/remaster of an album that was released in the CD era. I love the guitar tones on this album; they are my favourite aspect (certainly more than Stipe's weird scansion). I didn't think of it as an attempt at 'heavy' at all; closer to their take on shoegaze, maybe. Although it's in some ways v different from the early sound, it was a return of sorts in terms of burying the text a little more.
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Friday, 6 September 2019 14:04 (four years ago) link
wow, i love that shoegaze connection. so if anything what would be cool is a remix that tries to make it sound more like loveless... further bury stipe's vocals (turning down the volume and/or adding chorused layers to them), maybe try to muffle the drums... could be amazing
― Good morning, how are you, I'm (Doctor Casino), Friday, 6 September 2019 14:21 (four years ago) link
Can't wait for the Exile on Main Street remix where they boost the vocals and take out all the horns.― pplains, Friday, September 6, 2019 6:51 AM (two hours ago) bookmarkflaglink^the 2010 remaster added some overdubs(?)― #YABASIC (morrisp), Friday, September 6, 2019 8:19 AM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink
― pplains, Friday, September 6, 2019 6:51 AM (two hours ago) bookmarkflaglink
― #YABASIC (morrisp), Friday, September 6, 2019 8:19 AM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink
They only overdubbed the 'new' songs (which they did again on the Some Girls reissue), going so far as to bring in Mick Taylor and Bill Wyman for recording new parts.
Jagger did say he had to resist the urge to remix and clean-up the original album.
― a bevy of supermodels, musicians and Lena Dunham (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 6 September 2019 14:45 (four years ago) link
― Good morning, how are you, I'm (Doctor Casino), Friday, September 6, 2019 10:21 AM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink
in other words, make everything sound like "Let Me In"...yeah, i could dig that (and honestly a lot of the rest of the album is already at least halfway there).
― Evans on Hammond (evol j), Friday, 6 September 2019 15:58 (four years ago) link
wow what a pointless remix
― american bradass (BradNelson), Friday, 6 September 2019 16:05 (four years ago) link
there's like extra stereo separation going on, they've added some kind of dumbass booming reverb to the drums, idgi
i put on the original right after and thought "wow what a fantastic-sounding song"
― american bradass (BradNelson), Friday, 6 September 2019 16:07 (four years ago) link
Accelerate is the sound of a band that no longer gaf what their guitars sounded like.
I don't think so - that's just...AC30 raunch or whatever it is. Not my favorite R.E.M. record sonically, but neither is Monster! If you guys are objecting to "heavy" as the description of what Buck was doing on Monster, OK, I didn't mean Tony Iommi, but he was definitely using a Marshall and playing with louder, overdriven amp sound.
― timellison, Friday, 6 September 2019 16:12 (four years ago) link
i like this album but every song feels too long - i always enjoy the openings but eventually i’m ready for them to end and surprised to see like still 2 minutes to go
― Screamin' Jay Gould (The Yellow Kid), Friday, 6 September 2019 16:13 (four years ago) link
Always and forever will love Monster. Whenever I think about how I’d rank REM albums (seems to be an annual activity), I always surprise myself with the realization that Monster is a personal Top 5, maybe Top 3.
― sctttnnnt (pgwp), Friday, 6 September 2019 16:26 (four years ago) link
morrisp otm re: the 'artificial' sounds, it was them forefronting guitars-as-rock-showbiz, is how I always read it
― “Hakuna Matata,” a nihilist philosophy (One Eye Open), Friday, 6 September 2019 16:29 (four years ago) link
putting stipes vocals upfront doesnt make them any clearer bc its not the mix that makes them difficult to understand, its always his weird cadences and delivery. I get that they need to find/create new content to sell the reissue but that remix is such a strange idea.
― “Hakuna Matata,” a nihilist philosophy (One Eye Open), Friday, 6 September 2019 16:35 (four years ago) link
the flaming lips released a version of clouds taste metallic at one point that was just ronald jones' isolated guitar tracks, they shouldve done something like that
― “Hakuna Matata,” a nihilist philosophy (One Eye Open), Friday, 6 September 2019 16:36 (four years ago) link
putting stipes vocals upfront doesnt make them any clearer bc its not the mix that makes them difficult to understand, its always his weird cadences and delivery.
Yeah, what I was trying to allude to re his weird scansion. I had no idea he was singing "Richard said 'withdrawal in disgust is not the same as apathy'" until I read it, not because of the mix but because the lexical stress was so odd. Similarly, I think he accents the first syllable in "expectations" in the line this poll was named after.
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Friday, 6 September 2019 16:44 (four years ago) link
(Obv, the fact that the lyrics are stuff like "what's the frequency, Kenneth? Is your benzedrine? Uh-huh" doesn't help with ease of comprehension.)
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Friday, 6 September 2019 16:48 (four years ago) link
― sctttnnnt (pgwp), Friday, September 6, 2019 12:26 PM
Not quite that high for me, but, yes, and their sexiest album.
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 6 September 2019 17:28 (four years ago) link
― Screamin' Jay Gould (The Yellow Kid), Friday, September 6, 2019 11:13 AM bookmarkflaglink
This was a fun album to use the "preview" button with.
And the promo video at the link, how many different ways do you think skinny white dudes grabbed the mic stand at the "Michael Stipe" audition?
― pplains, Friday, 6 September 2019 18:26 (four years ago) link
The remix does sound more "contemporary" and less nineties, though. Which may have been what they were looking for with this lame thing they delivered.
― cpl593H, Friday, 6 September 2019 20:55 (four years ago) link
I suppose the remix for "Crush with eyeliner" will be 4 minutes of silence.
― cpl593H, Friday, 6 September 2019 20:56 (four years ago) link
i know it's not but i always heard it as "your Benson dream"
― omar little, Friday, 6 September 2019 20:58 (four years ago) link
their sexiest album
And I think it was the first time they ever sang directly about sex? Some of the results were a little, er, dorky ("I've got my telescope head in the haystack"); but it worked overall.
― #YABASIC (morrisp), Friday, 6 September 2019 21:10 (four years ago) link
"fuck me, kitten" and all that key-lock stuff wasn't about sex?
― dorsalstop, Saturday, 7 September 2019 11:22 (four years ago) link
No. About kittens, duh
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 7 September 2019 11:28 (four years ago) link
I've got my telescope head in the haystackI'm getting tired of your dodgeball circus actPut pepper in my coffee, I forgot to bark on command
I never thought of this as a direct song about sex at all?
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Saturday, 7 September 2019 11:59 (four years ago) link
(Admittedly, I also never knew what most of those words were until now. Always thought of it as a hate/jealousy song, though, and that still mostly seems to work, looking over them.)
― All along there is the sound of feedback (Sund4r), Saturday, 7 September 2019 12:01 (four years ago) link
yeah i'm with sund4r there... "telescope head in the haystack" like being on paranoid lookout, alert to everything, but also sifting through irrelevant info (needle in a haystack), or... something
― Good morning, how are you, I'm (Doctor Casino), Saturday, 7 September 2019 13:15 (four years ago) link
lol, I always thought it was a cringey sex metaphor, but maybe that’s on me(Also, mea culpa on “Star Me Kitten” – forgot about that one)
― #YABASIC (morrisp), Saturday, 7 September 2019 15:05 (four years ago) link