R.E.M. – R.E.M. at the BBC

In today’s hyperspeed musical world, it’s easy to forget how remarkable R.E.M. were....
R.E.M. : R.E.M. at the BBC
8.5 Craft
2018 

R.E.M. : R.E.M. at the BBCIn today’s hyperspeed musical world, it’s easy to forget how remarkable R.E.M. were. These boys from Athens, Georgia became the biggest alternative band in the world without ever dipping in quality (see: U2) or getting high on their own hype (see: Radiohead). They survived the departure of a key member, drummer Bill Berry. They obviously had better and worse periods, but were always there – until they weren’t.

They were also a great live band, something that comes through on the massive, eight-disc (plus DVD) R.E.M. at the BBC, which spans much of their career, and not only lets great songs shine, but also gives a second look at pieces that you might have overlooked.

Particular in that is the band’s turn-of-the-millennium work, after Berry’s departure and before 2008’s Accelerate (QRO review). Not as well regarded as their hallowed eighties independent years or late eighties/early nineties alt-boom era, while some songs are remembered fondly (think “Imitation of Life”), many others are forgotten. R.E.M. at the BBC has live versions of those songs that you can reappraise, such as “Bad Day” (Mark and Lard, 10/15/03), “Daysleeper” (John Peel Session, 10/25/98), and “I Don’t Sleep, I Dream” & “Strange Currencies” (Milton Keynes, 7/30/95).

Purists might complain that the box set leans too heavily in that period, and not on other great eras, with only one disc from the eighties (1984 at Nottingham’s Rock City, where you get to hear singer Michael Stipe say that he’s not proud of his president, like it’s 2004 – or today). But you already knew that time was great, and other live recordings from then have been released (such as the Chicago ’84 WXRT recording in the 2009 deluxe edition of ReckoningQRO review). Plus older songs still slip into the later sets; it’s wonderful to hear the Glastonbury ‘99 crowd cheer classics like “Cuyahoga” and “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” over a decade after they were released. The set also has a variety of locations, from in-studio BBC recordings like the Peel Sessions to massive festival performance like Glastonbury to St. James’ Church, where Stipe asks all the music critics in the audience not to use “Losing My Religion” in their review titles. And even much-heard songs such as that ultra-hit have a fresh take, live.

Over a hundred songs totaling over a hundred hours is obviously overkill (there is a shorter, two-disc Best Of), but in the age of iTunes and Spotify that’s less of a minus, and even a plus, particularly as the band is no longer active (though we can all hope for a reunion…). Just relax and, for the umpteenth time but in a new way, enjoy R.E.M.

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