REM "Life´s Rich Pageant"
My favorite album of the group, though little recognized, as the group's fans tend to prefer his early work records or after it. Relegating this album which laid the foundation stone of a slow path that will lead to commercial success, or even a mere about to drive her back immediately, "Document" as the basis of this more expansive sound that would mark his Working with producer Scott Litt, but losing the intangible qualities by the way, in my opinion. The sound of the album is a reaction to the dim and hazy sound of his previous work, "Fables of the reconstruction", with the legendary Joe Boyd (Pink Floyd, Fairport Convention, Richard Thompson and above all, the discoverer, producer and supporter of the late Max Nick Drake). Stipe himself described the album as "dark, damp and paranoid." So for your next job decided to find a rock producer, Don Gehman, known for his productions of John Mellecamp. Gehman gave them a more muscular, rhythmic sound, more concise and more clear. But at the same time, able to preserve and evolve the most typical feature of his early work with Mitch Easter and Don Dixon, these arrangements seem accidental anomalous but are carefully thought out. Gehman able to advance the group's sound, helped Mills, multi-instrumentalist of all to develop their capacity as arranger, ask him for his role as Buck guitarist Don made me question why he played at certain times. We wanted to be more direct "(Buck), here is away part of the arpeggio McGuinn and is the most direct and Berry helped to reconcile with the sound of your instrument. "In the past I always tried to get away from the rumbling sound of the drums. But it ended was weak and lacking in luster. Don gave us a strong drum sound but natural. " This new way, in part, to establish their sound, spurring your creativity. Of note is the effectiveness of organ and piano arrangements of Mills, which sounds throughout the album except for "Swan Swan. H. "You have to remember, to properly contextualize this work on this new sound that weighs the cul de sac away from the previous album. Also at that time that was recently published the highly influential "Candy Apple Grey by Husker Dü. Surprise, the structural quality of their songs, the influences wisely updated and decontextualized or immediacy aspects have always been secondary to the true essence of the REM sound, that indefinable ability to seize and subjugate the listener. In the first place, the group's music may seem homogenous, monotonous, slightly flashy. But it casts a shadow intrigue in the listener's consciousness, creating a strange addictiveness that gradually increased in subsequent listen. Only then reveals its potential. That sense of mystery quartet from Athens, combined with a more immediate, making this album, in my opinion, the most enjoyable of his discography. The beginning of the disc, with two of his most rock songs to date, is a spectacular example of this new sound, muscular and artistic at once. Surprisingly the front paper input assumed Stipe, is clearly understood, imposes his voice trailing songs, when it stood before indecipherable lyrics and the way they put the word out to the instruments in the mix, not above. Although these two songs may seem to approach the NRA (New American Rock), the group's resources are far superior to the rest of Yankee rock guitar, bringing them closer, more substantive in form, the sound of a Smiths detail. Marr, English guitarist, was able to simulate with interlocking guitar, the complex arrangement of a Motown song. REM has a musician so proud. Understand the limitations of each element as a musician, are part of the sound. But they know they can overcome their shortages with imagination. This will serve as its vast musical culture and talent that allows them to carefully articulate sounds and resources typical pop 60 (Byrds, Beach Boys, Big Star, Velvet Underground), with other more contemporary (Gang of Tour, Wire, Television, Patti Smith). Imagination are overwhelmed just these two songs: the tribal percussion (such marking and accompanying guttural rhythmic changes!), The wise guidance of the energy that takes place in the instrumental bridge, from guitars to organ, a phenomenon that seems electrical conductivity, Stipe's growling, the court put a phrase like rhythmic break before returning to the load, etc ... In contrast, "Fall on me," the third song, is that more easily fit in "Murmur" its debut. Here is the simple rhythmic legacy of Moe Tucker of the Velvet and funds from various speakers playing the same chords. Interestingly, the most successful and popular song of the album. Take note people to hear his debut, thinking that these guys had no sales potential. The rest of the album, is filled with similar details. Give a general overview of them: cash nostalgic riff on opener "Cuyahoga", its arpeggios to McGuinn, treatment frenetic perfect melody of "Hyena", the great piano work of Mills in that song, "Underneath bunker "is an experiment, a pseudo Latin instrumental with imitating Stipe animal voices and singing through a megaphone police, in the best style Waits. "The flowers of Guatemala" are priced vocal counterpoint between Stipe and Mills, a fund of last guitarrarero feedback and a simple backward Buck only on a "cushion" to organ and a drum that looks like a field recording of a string mount (a bit like "Cabinessence" by Brian Wilson). "I Believe" begins with a banjo intro, reflecting the status of Southerners Quartet for this upbeat and lively song, with accordion and a mixture of pristine guitar to strum Television with garajeros. "What if We Give it Away" has a Gothic choir at first, as in his first album and a harpsichord buried in acoustic guitars. "Just a touch" is a song from chaotic punk and new wave (it has a tap dance to the Gang of Four). And finally, the first version that the group included in an album and not a B-side single, "Superman", the success of a shadowy group of 60 garajero called Clique, where Mills takes the lead vocals. NOTE: The CD reissue has six bonus tracks, including live in studio versions recorded on two tracks, one instrumental to the Joe Meek with a touch Byrds on guitar ("Rotary Ten") and versions of Aerosmith and Everly Brothers
