Mr. Marrone released his response.
If you are still expecting R.E.M. to release flawless A-1 quality work, essential not only within their own catalogue but, by extension, within the rock music canon, you are, my friend, delusional.
No, Discoverer and It Happened Today are not mind-blowing works of pure genious. But they're halfway decent, which gives them a slight edge on George Harrison's highly acclaimed Cloud Nine album, despite the classic first single, I've Got My Mind Set On You, which admittedly, set the world on fire. And that gem of a record came out a mere 25 years after the Beatles first unleashed Please, Please Me unto the world.
And Leonard Cohen released ‘I’m Your Man’ 21 years and The Future, almost 25 years after his first album was released. Bob Dylan’s ‘Love and Theft’ came out almost 40 years after his first album. What is your point?
At what point do you say goodbye and not buy tickets for the tour, the collecting of the singles, the countdown of the album, .etc, a thing of the past, and respect the older work of R.E.M. and move on?
I’ve done the tour thing several times. I have watched Stipe shimmy up onstage but at what point do I have to hang it up? If they tour this time around do I go? At this point, probably not.
You are incorrect if you think that I am expecting a perfect album but at the same time the band itself set some pretty high standards and I am biased, I am not objective. I can take either one of those songs released in the last couple days and immediately compare it to the entire back catalog, pointing out the strengths and weaknesses on display. Most of all I am trying to gain something from it, gain something that makes me want to listen to the song over and over and over again and not just give the band a polite “Golf Clap”.
I question whether this blog will still be relevant in three months; if I shut the entire thing down in respect to the band that I remembered if the album’s not up to snuff.
Although I do promise you that if that day were to happen the title of the last story should be “That’s It’s I’m Shutting Down Remring”.
Comments
It Happened to actually be Quite Good
sonic youth are the only band i can think of that are still releasing worthwhile records after 30ish years.
i really had my doubts about eddie vedder but i have to say i thought he contributed really beautifully to It Happened Today.
overall, it's a bit of a non-song, isnt it (weirdly bad lyrics but i sort of like them, esp the first line)? but musically i think it really has something - it's very THEM and still not quite like anything else by them (Belong is the obvious point of reference but it's all controlled precise bursts - this is fuzzy and dreamy). it's wonderful to hear them take that special sound they always had, and stretch it and get really blissed out.
so i think it's for the best that it got made.
Dave
R.E.M. Collapse
Dear Mr. Zimmermann,
I am following you CiN 'quarrel' with Mr. Marrone with unsuspected interest. It is certainly more satisfactory than skimming through several pages of monosyllabic threads on a certain website that, also, has seen better days.
As a self-diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic, both your and Matty's points of view co-exist in my mind. It is a painful experience, but I am used to it and it keeps me occupied.
If yours were a boxing match and I were a jury I'd say Matty is getting his point across more elegantly, his careful wording being R.E.M.'s best defence. He is burying you effortlessly, but then he is a man of words.
My heart, however, is nearer your sentiments and what you are
spelling out for all and sundry is so blatantly obvious that even both of my conflicting personas have long agreed on it. It is better to burn out than fade away.
Greetings. And you guys keep it up!
~Jack Nance.
Your Cohen and Dylan Reference
Just a clarification -- though I used George Harrison as an example, I was talking about bands. Solo artists are a different story. For some reason they're much more likely to continue producing quality material well into their later years.
Though you have to admit, Bob Dylan (my musical idol) has released more than his fair share of clunkers.
-- Matt
Dylan has
But on the other hand he has released some good stuff too. Any artist is not immune to the clunkers.
However, I want them clunking on taking a chance rather than just releasing R.E.M. 2.0., you know what I mean. Lets hear an electronic album or something crazy like that.
shutting down
Eric: please don't.
Martine