In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 [Import]

R.E.M. | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 28, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B0000CC6QF
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  DVD Audio  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (245 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,821 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #1 in Music > Alternative Rock > Indie & Lo-Fi > Jangle Pop
  • #4 in Music > Alternative Rock > American Alternative > General

Editorial Reviews

CD > POPULAR MUSIC > ROCK

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How can you go wrong?, November 8, 2003

By 

Robert T Edwards (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 (Special Edition) (Audio CD)

I'm tapping this out as the demo version of "The Lifting" plays in the background. This song alone could make this a 5 star album--one of the most beautiful rock song versions I've ever heard. And that's track 11 on the second CD...

Any "best of" type album from a band worthy of putting one out is going to be sniped at for leaving off personal favorites of the reviewer. That is the main criticism levelled here, and although I could do the same, it seems pointless. The first disc, the actual best of, is selected and sequenced brilliantly. The juxtaposition of "Kenneth" with "All The Way to Reno" is just brilliant. Similarly, the closing three songs (Everybody Hurts, At My Most Beautiful, Nightswimming) in sequence sound....perfect. The two new songs (Bad Day and Animal) are both good, though neither measure up to their best. As for the rest, it's hard to argue with the band itself when they say it is a "best of" and not a "greatest hits." Interesting that Peter Buck, in the liner notes, finally says something a lot of people always believe--"Man on the Moon" IS the quintessential REM song. The first disc, as a survey of some of their best work, works terrifically both as a summation of the last 15 years and as an introduction for those who don't know the band, or those who know them only casually.

The second disc is, for me, a bit more hit or miss. Frankly, I think that is to be expected, and anyone who's read the liner notes for "Dead Letter Office" will chuckle at Buck's comment that the album should be like browsing through a junk shop. Highlights for me include the demo version of "The Lifting," as noted above, the acoustic version of "Pop Song 89," the live versions of "Drive," "Turn You Inside Out," "The One I Love," and "Country Feedback." The version of "Star Me Kitten," where William Burroughs does the vocal, can't be explained any better than by Buck's liner notes--he says the idea to have Burroughs do it doesn't just cross the line between genius and insanity, it took a running leap into la-la land. Exactly right, and also exactly why REM remain such a vital and interesting band--they're not afraid to try anything.

That courage to try anything is, perhaps, the best reason to buy this album. Even the "worst" songs here are better than almost ANYTHING coming out today--a very depressing thought, but also very true... All in all, a terrific, even inspired album in spots. Listening to this as an album restores faith in the idea that creativity in popular music is far from dead.

51 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Quite The Best Of REM, July 26, 2005

By 

Michael Schoenborn (London, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 (Audio CD)

Whenever any band (especially a band with the breadth of music and talent that REM possess) releases a "Best Of", it is bound to disappoint fans and casual listeners alike. Generally speaking, it is more likely to disappoint fans when their favourite non-single tracks are passed up for the more mediocre but commercially successful singles. And casual listeners tend to bemoan the inclusion of songs that they have never even heard of.

Moreover, this collection faces the added handicap of not covering some of REM's best work, pre-1988 (that having already been covered by their 1988 Best Of, "eponymous"). So you won't find "End Of The World", "The One I Love", "Driver 8", "Superman" (which didn't make "eponymous" either) or "Radio Free Europe", etc. on this album. (Which is ashame given that people have the option of making their own Best Of albums via downloading).

But even considering these handicaps, this CD still fails in its mission of covering REM's Best of 1988-2003. Why?

1. The missing:
"Bang and Blame", "Shiny Happy People", "Crush with Eyeliner", "Drive", "Bittersweet Me" and anything from their MTV Unplugged (the acoustic "One I Love" is certainly worth a download).

2. The shouldn't be there:
a) New songs ("Animal" and "Bad Day") are simply not REM's best. Unless the only qualification for that honour is being released on a CD called "the Best of REM".
b) The soundtrack songs (especially "All The Right Friends" but also "The Great Beyond") are not up to par with the rest of the CD.

3. Overall:
The album should have focused a bit more on "Out Of Time", "Automatic" and "Monster" and less on the more obscure "Reveal" and "Up". Especially if it was also going to gamble on new songs and soundtrack recordings at the expense of classics.

In the end, I love REM and this is a reasonable attempt at their "Best Of". However, they turned a compilation that could have been on par with U2's "Best of the 80s" into a compilation on par with U2's "Best of the 90s".

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cherry Mash and Tinfoil Tiaras, November 5, 2003

By 

Scott Smith (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 (Audio CD)

Quite a number of interesting selections on this BEST OF (read: NOT Greatest Hits) album. As the band has said, these songs represent their favorites since the release of their previous best of cd, Eponymous. Although I do suspect that their label had something to do with adding 2 previously unreleased tracks. I was most surprised at the addition of Nightswimming, just because it happens to be my favorite REM tune. All the Way to Reno, Sidewinder and Electrolite are also surprises. I like the fact that these are the songs that the composers enjoy. Any fan of this band will be sure to enjoy this album. There's not a bad song in the bunch.