This week's earworm is What's The Frequency, Kenneth? by R.E.M complete with some fine and appropriate punctuation and a song which has been rattling round my head for the last few days.
The first single and indeed first track from their 1994 album Monster reaching number 9 in the UK singles chart and number 21 in the Billboard Hot 100.
Like most folk I have a few R.E.M. albums but would not really count myself as a massive fan.
Monster was probably the last one I bought at the time.Automatic For The People was always going to be a hard act to follow but it is a valiant attempt.
As part of my research I gave it a listen for the first time in ages and rather enjoyed the experience.
R.E.M. - What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
R.E.M. - Crush With Eyeliner
For me, 'Monster' was REM's first mis-step, a good LP, but not as great as many of its predecessors. The follow up, 'New Adventures in Hi-Fi', was a fantastic return to form, but after that (& Bill Berry's departure) they were never the same again.
ReplyDeleteMonster is probably R.E.M.'s most underrated album. I'll always have a soft spot for it. I like New Adventures too, Swede, but it's two or three tracks too long for me. I could bore the pants off you on the subject of R.E.M. so I won't go on...
ReplyDeleteWhat's The Frequency, Kenneth is the only REM record I own. That's not going to change.
ReplyDeleteI have avague memory of you purchasing that
DeleteMassive early fan that didn't even make it to the end of the IRS years. Murmur would probably make my all-time top 10. I couldn't have been happier when they hung it up. OK, not completely honest. U2 will make me even more ecstatic.
ReplyDelete