R.E.M. abandoned the enigmatic post-punk experiments of Murmur for their second album, Reckoning, returning to their garage pop origins instead. Opening with the ringing "Harborcoat," Reckoning runs through a set of ten jangle pop songs that are different not only in sound but in style from the debut. Where Murmur was enigmatic in its sound, Reckoning is clear, which doesn't necessarily mean that the songs themselves are straightforward. Michael Stipe continues to sing powerful melodies without enunciating, but the band has a propulsive kick that makes the music vital and alive. And, if anything, the songwriting is more direct and memorable than before -- the interweaving melodies of "Pretty Persuasion" and the country rocker "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville" are as affecting as the melancholic dirges of "Camera" and "Time After Time," while the ringing minor-key arpeggios of "So. Central Rain," the pulsating riffs of "7 Chinese Bros.," and the hard-rocking rhythms of "Little America" make the songs into classics. On the surface, Reckoning may not be as distinctive as Murmur, but the record's influence on underground American ock in the '80s was just as strong.
R.E.M.’s Reckoning album barely needs an introduction, and if you’re reading this chances are you’re pretty familiar with it and don’t need it re-reviewing. For the uninitiated, Reckoning was R.E.M.’s second album originally released on indie label IRS in 1984, following on from the relative...... READ MORE @ www.noizemakesenemies.co.uk (click the title to read on!)
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Thanks again to the ever clever metafilter (for the bajillionth time) for this (go now! ----->)pleasant diversion. I thought and thought and thought about it (and the snow continued to fall) and had to pick an early R.E.M record, Reckoning. And you know what? It holds up. And that means either my music taste hasn't evolved much in 25 years...or R.E.M is awfully good. What's your pick of an endu...
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Michael Stipe would not be amused. Grrr. Today driving home I left my ipod in the back seat and couldn't get at it without causing injury to myself or other motorists, so I turned on the radio to the local "indie-college-urban-folk-rock- publicly-funded" station. And they were playing R.E.M. Yay. One of their new tunes from Accelerate, which I love and have heard round these parts. So after the...
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I know it's late, but all I really want to say is ... is there any better song than this?A rhetorical question, of course ...
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I've been hearing a lot of rumors going around town about some bands FINALLY putting out new material and releasing the older stuff in newer packages. So here's a minipost.Five Eight is rumored to be working on new material as a follow up to their last album. They played a kick ass show to Legion Field on Thursday night, photos up soon.My beloved Television Buzz, how I miss thee. I received a v...
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R.E.M.’s Reckoning album barely needs an introduction, and if you’re reading this chances are you’re pretty familiar with it and don’t need it re-reviewing. For the uninitiated, Reckoning was R.E.M.’s second album originally released on indie label IRS in 1984, following on from the relative...... READ MORE @ www.noizemakesenemies.co.uk (click the title to read on!)
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On the 25th anniversary of its release, Reckoning is getting the deluxe re-release treatment come July 6, 2009. The 2CD release will features the original album remastered plus a bonus disc of a previouslyunreleased concert recorded during the band’s Little America tour atChicago’s Aragon Ballroom on July 7, 1984.
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Harborcoat |
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| 2 7 Chinese Brothers |
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| 3 So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry) |
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| 4 Pretty Persuasion |
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| 5 Time After Time (Annelise) |
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| 6 Second Guessing |
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| 7 Letter Never Sent |
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| 8 Camera |
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| 9 (Don't Go Back To) Rockville |
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| 10 Little America |
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Click to purchase…
© 2006-2009 Mog Inc. All Rights Reserved
 "Reckoning")
