Old Favorite: R.E.M.
I am not exaggerating. R.E.M. was my favorite band from 4th grade to 9th or so. Like many younguns, "Losing My Religion" put them on my radar, and I quickly bought all of their previous releases on cassette from a friend's older brother (before Craigslist or eBay or really THE INTERNET). Then my family moved to Athens, GA, their home base, and I saw Peter Buck at the Five Points Deli my first day in town and I somehow managed to not shit myself.
After such a deep obsession and many mediocre albums, I had to take a break from the familiar old tunes. And then, last year, I remembered that Life's Rich Pageant is still an amazing album and especially good for the summer. Now that the weather's warm, I've been listening to a selection of R.E.M.'s catalogue again, and it's one part notsalgic innocence, one part good music, and one part Michael Stipe hootin' and hollerin.'
If you aren't familiar, or if you are but it's been a while, check out the new Spotify playlist I made of the essentials, from their first album up until Monster, the last one I enjoyed.
And before I go, can we please talk about this photo?? Peter Buck thought this was a boudoir shoot, but props on the bolo; Bill Berry understandably thought he was joining a hairband; Mike Mills (who I crushed on back in the day) looks like your average young lesbian; and Michael Stipe is super emo as he considers how he can be more like Robert Smith. Throw them in front of a painting dropcloth, and you've got a rock band.
