I can remember a time, in the mid-1990s, when R.E.M. was the biggest band in the world. They had just signed a $40 million contract with Warner Bros. Records which was, at the time, the biggest record contract ever awarded. They had been blessed with hit after hit -- “Stand,” “Man on the Moon,” “Everybody Hurts,” “Drive” -- and the band was sitting pretty. Their concerts were sold out. They could do no wrong.
Since then, R.E.M. has changed. Their albums have become less accessible, especially after the departure of drummer Bill Berry. Their concerts have become grander and louder than ever. Peter Buck has left for side projects with The Minus 5 and Robyn Hitchcock. And Michael Stipe, bald and proud, has left his mark on the political and social scene. It seems, at least in the past few years, that R.E.M. has forgotten about what made their fans come back to them.
Fortunately, I.R.S. has just released a greatest hits compilation that should remind everyone who has ever loved R.E.M. why we loved R.E.M. Coming on the heels of last year's Warner Bros. greatest hits album, which contained every radio-friendly single they ever wrote (and then some), this new compilation is a warm reminder of what made R.E.M. such a wonderful band in the early and mid-1980s. Before he started taking up other instruments, Mike Mills was a fantastic bass player. Before he started gyrating on stage like Morrissey, Michael Stipe was a unique and gifted frontman. And before he started drinking on airplanes, Peter Buck channeled the ghosts of Jim McGuinn and George Harrison through his 12-string guitar.
This set is separated into two discs. The first contains all the songs on R.E.M.'s earlier “Eponymous” album, and then some. My former college roommate, Curtis, would no doubt appreciate the appearances of “Cuyahoga” and “Feeling Gravity's Pull.” I appreciate “Chinese Bros.” and “Welcome to the Occupation.” Mixed amongst some of R.E.M.'s better-known early tracks, these unforgettable tunes paint a picture of a band who had more foresight than most.
The second disc, which contains a number of demos and outtakes, completes the picture. R.E.M. was trying hard to pin down their sound in the early days, as is clear from demo versions of “Gardening at Night” and “Hyena” and live versions of “We Walk” and “Life and How to Live It.” Although this disc is necessary for completists more so than for the average listener, it does collect some wonderful, lost tracks in a tidy package.
Although I would have preferred an R.E.M. box set, “The Best of the I.R.S. Years” does the job quite well. It reminds us that, before they became a supergroup, R.E.M. was, quite simply, one of the finest pre-alternative rock bands around. Judging from Peter Buck's recent work on Robyn Hitchcock's “Oye Tarantula” album, there's still life in these old dogs yet. Let's hope that future releases see them returning to the sound that made them famous – and the sound with which we fell in love. |