Another visit to Missing Records, another R.E.M. CD on the IRS label for a pound.
This time round it was Fables of the Reconstruction their 3rd album from 1985. By my Reckoning (did you see what I did there?) that leaves only one of the five, namely their debut Murmur, to acquire.
There are also still a couple of their albums from the 2000's to get but these don't really count as they are not essential.
Produced by Joe Boyd, whose previous productions include Fairport Convention and Nick Drake among others, apparently it is a concept album with Southern Gothic themes and characters.
Given 8.4/10 and their 5th best by The Robster who mentions that it is the band's least favourite record.As an aside it is interesting, but probably not surprising, to note that The Robster has the 5 IRS albums as his top 5 R.E.M. albums
I haven't had a chance to give it a proper listen yet for reasons that will become clearer shortly so I have opted for the three singles from the album, the first two of which I am more familiar with as they also appear on the Eponymous compilation album
I think that this was one which I had on cassette which long ago ended up as landfill.
I appreciate the Robster's views on the albums of R.E.M. more than R.E,M.'s. Yep, top five. Good find, CC. When you do find Murmur, ask the cashier if you can have the name of the person who gave up the album because he/she needs help.
ReplyDeleteFor some strange reason, I never quite took to Fables... when I was first introduced to R.E.M. in the last 1980s. That's changed considerably since and The Robster's fabulous singles series at The Vinyl Villain made me appreciate all of the albums (well, most) even more. Great post and selections, CC
ReplyDelete"The Robster has the 5 IRS albums as his top 5 R.E.M. albums"
ReplyDeleteer, not quite, from the link he has Reckoning down at number 11.
All the early stuff is worth listening to.