REM Live 2005

[Mitch]

I must admit I like Fables of the Reconstruction, it being the first REM album I came across, but I agree I'd probably not recommend it as a starting point to a recent convert. In this respect I'd have to go with my esteemed colleagues that "Automatic for the People" and "Green" would be the studio albums to start with, but for a true novice I'd go with two compilations:

1. "In View- The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003" (covers the Warner years)

2. For the EMI years there is little to choose between the two compilations "The Best of REM" or "Eponymous", the differences being (IMO) not the better tracks.


The good news is that the albums are all really cheap on Amazon!

http://www.amazon.co.UK/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000CC6QF/quid=1122217628/Sr=2-1/ref=Sr_2_11_1/026-8778146-4042043
http://www.amazon.co.UK/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000073AK/quid=1122217212/Sr=1-5/ref=Sr_1_11_5/026-8778146-4042043
http://www.amazon.co.UK/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000002UVY/quid=1122217397/Sr=1-20/ref=Sr_1_2_20/026-8778146-4042043

[Randlepmcmurphy]

esteemed colleagues

Thats a first!!!

[Jim]

myself ,i think green is far and away their finest moment,followed by document and lifes rich pageant
i started to lose interest about the time of monster and each subsequent cd  has done nowt to rekindle my admiration of them
not that all their lps dont have the odd redeeming song

[Mitch]

I pretty much agree, and feel much the same way about U2 - I've not bought their last studio albums, but both bands are still worth going to see live, and the next compilations from both will probably be worth getting as well for a collection of the "odd redeeming song(s)".