Forum Album Club #5 REM - "UP"

[capt. scotty]

I think the record is 3 songs to long.  Get rid of The Apologist, You're In The Air, and Why Not Smile and it's a pure masterpiece. ....I love those songs but I think they slow down the momentum of the record a bit.   

Listened to this yesterday and just gave it another listen now. Interesting you say this, because before reading it, something I was going to post was with this album, just as I felt I was getting into it, I get hit with a song that I didnt like, and that happened with all 3 of those songs as well as with At My Most Beautiful.

That said, I actually did like how Why Not Smile picked up towards the end, and my favorite stretch of the album was the end of that song thru the end of the record.

As someone who has only liked a few singles from REM that Ive heard, generally their more rock oriented songs, this album wasnt what I expected and I liked it more than I thought I would. I was expecting more songs similar to Lotus than what the rest of the album put on the table. Is this album similar to most of their albums? I would have guessed most of their albums in general would be more upbeat and straightforward pop-rock, but Im not familiar enough with them to know. Up isnt a concept album in the classic sense perse, but it kind of felt like that to me so thats why Im wondering.

Favorite songs: Suspicion, Walk Unafraid, Falls to Climb, Sad Professor

[sweatboard]

I don't really think any other REM albums are as close to a concept record as this one.  I'm no REM expert though. 

[bartel]

this is one of my least fav REM albums (and im a huge fan)... never gotten into it... in saying this airportman and sad professor are amazing... obviously at my most beautlful is one of their best songs ever.