8/10
Best song: Fall on Me
1986 I.R.S.
It’s always difficult for a band to bring out major changes in their sound or style, because doing so can alienate an old fanbase or cause friction within the band. And the means by which groups go through this change is always different: some build up gradually to a certain point (Metallica, Sonic Youth), some radically transform their sound with almost every new record (Radiohead, Frank Zappa), and some avoid change entirely (AC/DC). For R.E.M., bringing about change just meant cranking up their amps, but even that wasn’t easy. Their jangly-folk rock had been perfected early on classics like Murmur and Reckoning, but by their third album, the band needed to make a bold move. After all, you can’t be deep and mysterious all the time. So the band hired John Mellencamp’s producer Don Gehman, put some much-needed edge into Peter Buck’s guitar riffs, brought Bill Berry’s drums into the forefront, and turned Michael Stipe’s mystifying murmurs into powerful, daring vocals where you could *gasp* actually understand the lyrics. In the end, the band not only took a big step towards commercial success, but created an album that rocks, dude.
On “Begin the Begin”, the first song off of Lifes Rich Pageant, it’s inherently obvious that we’re dealing with a different band than the four boys who gave us Murmur just three years before. The opening guitar riff not only packs a feedback-laden punch, but has a crunchy and almost funky side to it that, until now, was completely alien to R.E.M. And Michael Stipe’s newfound confidence matches the upfront political lyrics: his exclamation of “Silence means security, silence means approval” in the verse is probably the song’s biggest hook. The band continues the rock vibe with great cuts like “These Days”, which fits a rocking guitar riff onto some great Stipe/Millis vocal harmonies, “Just a Touch”, which brings punk sensibilities and killer hooks together, and “Hyena”, which mixes typical garage rock action with some pumping piano.
Oddly enough, though, what makes this record stand out is not the bold rock numbers but the sensitive, endearing ballads. Let’s face it, R.E.M. were never a “rock and roll band” in the strictest sense: although they definitely influenced bands like Nirvana and the Replacements, the band generally preferred to make softer music with more emphasis on melodies. So it’s only fitting that the new production values and direct approach brings two brilliant ballads to the forefront. The first, “Fall on Me”, starts pretty innocuously, but as soon as Michael sings out that soaring chorus you know you’re dealing with something special. It’s one of those songs that you can remember forever after hearing it only once. “Cuyahoga” comes right after, and although it doesn’t match up to “Fall on Me”, it still offers a wonderfully melodic bass line and a cool vocal harmony. And those who dislike the band’s more upfront tunes will love “Swan Swan H”, a dark ballad with an acoustic guitar lick that wouldn’t be at all out of place on 1992’s Automatic for the People.
Unfortunately, a few things prevent Lifes Rich Pageant from being on the same level as that album. R.E.M. were running low on material when this record rolled around, which resulted in them recording obscure covers like “Superman”, filler cuts like “The Flowers of Guatemala”, and out-of-place experiments like “Underneath the Bunker” While there are no truly bad songs here, and occasionally even the weaker tunes can be entertaining (I particularly like Mike Millis’ lead vocal on “Superman”), the record always feels like it could have used a few more good songs. And since the record is relatively short (just under 40 minutes), it’s hard not to feel that with a bit more time and effort, Lifes Rich Pageant could have been much more than what it is now.
But consistency issues aside, this is one of the best albums in the R.E.M. catalogue, and one of the most criminally underrated. Although it’s a big fan favorite, Lifes Rich Pageant seems to be insignificant as far as radio airplay and the music press are concerned. And that’s a shame, because this is truly an album that sounds better every time you listen to it. “Begin the Begin” might not sound that great at first, but after a little while the guitar groove and vocal melodies become infectious. The environmentalist lyrics of “Fall on Me” and “Cuyahoga” help make the songs become even more memorable. Songs like “I Believe” and “What If We Give It Away?” start to stand out bit by bit. And even “Superman” can become a little guilty pleasure of sorts. It might not be the first record I’d recommend to someone just getting into R.E.M., but for the devoted fans, Lifes Rich Pageant is a minor masterpiece.
Track listing:
1. Begin the Begin
2. These Days
3. Fall on Me
4. Cuyahoga
5. Hyena
6. Underneath the Bunker
7. The Flowers of Guatemala
8. I Believe
9. What If We Give It Away?
10. Just a Touch
11. Swan Swan H
12. Superman
