Document/Life's Rich Pageant - REM

Advantages: The One I Love - Live! Loads of Tracks!
Disadvantages: Too many fillers!

A couple of years ago i decided to buy the whole back catalogue of R.E.M. and i ahve heard some amazing songs and some average songs. The problem is there are SO MANY songs, they cant all be great! I can see why some people might rate this as average, especially by R.E.M.s particularly high standards. However personally i think this album has got enough to take it above average. Its not their best but its a great listen. "The One I Love" is an amazing ...
...and this album includes a superb live version AS WELL! Othe rgreat tracks include Fall on Me, Time after Time and Stange. but there are "fillers" on this album. If you arent a particular R.E.M. fan then this might be too weak, but for any R.E.M. fan its certainly worth a listen! ... Read review

Advantages: Intelligent, well crafted songs with a social conscience which haven't really dated
Disadvantages: Natalie Merchant's singing may not be everyone's cup of tea

...The second album from US band 10,000 Maniacs was released in 1987, but still sounds quite fresh today. Dubbed as "college rock", alt-rock or folk rock, the band first came to (moderate) prominence among a wave of other somewhat "alternative" type bands which gained airplay and attention in the wake of the popularity of REM. 10,000 Maniacs, with their richly melodic acoustic/electric blend, intelligent lyrics and memorable tunes, stand out as among the best of such bands. Indeed, Michael Stipe guests on this album (as he does on another, very different album which is also among my favourites, Kristin Hersh's "Hips and Makers"). A little personal history. I first heard this album around 1988/89, taped for me by my then boyfriend on one side of a C90. I listened to it a lot at the time (along with "Lifes Rich Pageant" and "Document... Read review

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