Customer Reviews

In Time: The Best Of R.E.M., 1988-2003 (Bonus Tracks)

5 star:		(102)
4 star:		(81)
3 star:		(38)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

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.

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".

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.

if you're one of the ever growing numbers of people who have had it up to here with brainless top 40 "music"--and you don't already own REM's albums--by all means, buy this record!! nobody makes music the way REM makes music, especially in the current pop culture climate. you will regret not owning this.

a lot of people are getting confused between "greatest hits" and "best of." In Time is NOT a greatest hits album. REM have very few hit singles in their catalogue. certainly, most of the tracks on In Time hardly qualify as hits. this does not mean, however, that they aren't embarassingly great songs. In Time includes a selection of songs that the guys in the band thought best represented the last 15 years of their career. there are a lot of songs on this album that casual listeners have probably not heard. if you tuned in at "shiny happy people" and tuned out at "what's the frequency, kenneth?" then you have a lot to gain by checking out In Time. there is a lot of awesome REM music that has flown under the radar in the last 10 years and most music fans will appreciate the enormous creativity and boldness that REM has shown during this period.

With the remarkable IRS compilation just released, the question has to be presented...could this cd have been as good as that one is?
I am not going to compare this cd to that one, as the IRS cd is heads above this one, but is that because the music of that era simply is better or because the songs on this cd don't cover the period as expertly as the more recent best of does?
And I Feel fine covers a six year period...this one adds a decade to that figure. And yes, REM, but out albums more frequently for IRS than the band did in its current run at Warner Brothers.
But you have five albums plus for the IRS best of, Warners has 7 cds worth of material, which is one of the main problems, the music of R.E.M. changed a great deal throughout that period that the critics who maintain that the music does not all play cohesively together are correct. A much better compliation would be IN TIME the best of R.E.M. 1988-1996, or all the R.E.M. albums that feature the original line up. Seperating the non Berry songs into a future possible best of part III disc would have created more of a central focus on the band in their most univerally popular era of music and a much stronger album overall

The album presented here should have looked something like this:
1. "Man on the Moon" I have no problem with this song being the first on the cd as it is a prime of example of Stipes writing and the bands playing at this time, plus it is from AFTP which is the central album that middle era REM put out.
2. "Great Beyond" released out of the era presented, the song does feature R.E.M. at the top of the later stage game. This song does work well following the prequel song before it and is one of the few times that eras mix well. If I had to break the rules, I would leave this song in. But I also think that it would work well on a "third" best of cd, one where R.E.M is taking a look back at their catalog. In era where they are having movies inspired by songs that they have made. Taking this song out I would replace it with "Country Feedback" a song which does flow nicely following "Man On the Moon" and like "Radio Free Europe" is a signature song after the opening mood setting track.
3. Bad Day, this is a little bit of cheating on their part. It is clearly from the IRS years, which is perhaps why I like it so much. It deserves to be on some kind of best of. Or, they could have saved it and put it on as the opening track of Around the Sun, perhaps setting a better tone for the entire album.
And I Feel fine doesn't need to have any new material on its best of portion and it benifits greatly from it. Take Bad Day out, base an album around it and it wouldn't feel out of place. Perhaps a here would be a good place for a more up tempo Green number such as "Pop Song 89".
4. "What's the Frequency, Kenneth". Fits right here.
5. "All the Way to Reno", not a bad song, but clearly out of place, with its rather lounge vibe. move it to the third best of and put the no exuse for leaving it off "Drive" here.
6. "Losing My Religon" all the better after "Drive" nice one two punch.
7. "E-Bow the Letter" leave it here. Great song.
8. "Orange Crush" Ditto.
9. "Imitation of Life" this song works, one of the few that blends, I think its a great song but for integrity, put
"Bittersweet Me" here instead, one of the many NAIHF songs skipped.
10. "Daysleeper" again good but more later day, why not "World Leader Pretend" for overall mood?
11. "Animal" I am tempted to say this is the worst song here and glaringly proves the point that the two eras don't mix. Take it out and go back to Out of Time for "Near Wild Heaven" yeah, let Mills mix things up a little here, this discs "Rockville"
12. "Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" some are critical of this song (even the band), a little too close to "Shiny" but it is a must moment on this disc. It would be weird without it.
13. "Stand" can't leave this out even if many fans hate it. Call this the required part of the disc.
14. "Electrolite" always a little iffy for me but a popular highlight of New Adventures so it can stay, many love it.
15. "All the Right Friends" belongs on the second disc of And I feel Fine. Here, it feels forced and another carrot thrown out of place by Warner Brothers.
16. "Everybody Hurts" A worthy must.
17. "At My Most Beautiful" love the song, clearly off Up though and representative of the Beach Boys faze that they would fully explore with Reveal. A more fitting song would be "You Are the Everything" an overlooked song from Green.
15 b. "Strange Currencies" sets up the closer very nicely.
18. Nightswiming, a great ending to the album.
So the album that should be without much altering would consist of:
1.Man on the Moon
2.Country Feedback
3.Pop Song 89
4.What's the Frequency, Kenneth
5.Drive
6.Losing My Religon
7.E-Bow the Letter
8.Orange Crush
9.Bittersweet Me
0.World Leader Pretend
1.Near Wild Heaven
2.Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite
3.Stand
4.Electrolite
5.Everybody Hurts
6.You Are the Everything
7.Strange Currencies
8.Nightswimming
So there you have in my opinion the much better mix, Like I Feel Fine, a good mixture of all the cds (you can add more Bang and Blame, Leave and maybe Me In Honey if we can match 21 songs) and still no Shiny Happy People.
You are left with a very worthy, if still slightly inferior sequel to the IRS disc.

I think it is difficult--if not impossible--to argue with the band's own selections for a best-of album. Most of the lukewarm reviews here simply snipe at the selections, and say other songs should have made the list, instead of concentrating on what actually IS here.

And what is on the album is terrific. The selection and sequencing is inspired, and as a result it sounds like a great album--far more so than the typical "best of" or "greatest hits" releases. The juxtaposition of "Kenneth" with "All The Way to Reno" is simply stunningly brilliant, and the closing trilogy (Everybody Hurts, At My Most Beautiful, Nightswimming) is perfect.

The two new songs are both good but not great, with my preference strongly for "Bad Day," as a direct descendent from "It's the end of the world..."

In summary, this is a great selection of their best work, and track for track is better than almost ANYTHING new. As a whole, a terrific collection of songs and a magnificent introduction for people who are either casual fans or those who haven't heard REM before.

Despite a couple of expensive imports, this is the only domestic disc to cover any post-Document material and is a great overview of R.E.M.'s 90s years. The remastering is crisp and superb, and the liner notes are entertaining and informative, written by Peter Buck of the group. This set puts together the big radio hits that everybody knows, with the lesser-known singles, and a few rarities and new songs (the obligatory new songs put on there to get hardcore fans to buy music they already own). So far, the consensus is that 'Drive' should have been included, and I more than agree, since it's my favorite song from 'Automatic For The People', but that's what owning the albums is for as well. Also, despite its uneven quality, their smash album 'Out Of Time' is represented only with 'Losing My Religion', and seems under-represented.

Aside from small complaints about the tracklisting (which is outstanding, but not perfect, if there is such thing as a perfect greatest hits album), this is a wonderful pickup for fans and novices alike (I'm somewhere in-between, owning a few R.E.M. albums, but not any 90s after 'Automatic For The People',). As for the reviews regarding the lack of early hits, there is already a compilation covering that time period called 'Eponymous' and it has the songs you're looking for from their 1982-1987 period.

As usual when it comes to compilations, fans of the band (whose true love for the music could probably be called into question) are gonna gripe about the song selection. For an album-based band like REM who doesn't release that many singles, a truly "representative" collection is impossible. Sure I would like to see more selections from my favorite albums *Monster* and the criminally neglected *New Adventures* but if I feel like complaining about that, I might as well just listen to those albums. Therefore this collection is useful if you're looking for a mix of classic REM tracks in one place, and if you're in the mood for listening to songs from several different albums in one sitting - in fact the seven different albums from the Warner Brothers years plus a few soundtrack items. A fun bonus is the so-called new song "Bad Day" which is actually a new recording of an old song from the mid-80's, which was probably rejected in favor of the very similar "It's the End of the World...". Also, these tracks are not presented in chronological order, which may be confusing for the historically-minded, but I feel that the sequencing allows you to appreciate both the consistency and variety of REM's work over the years. A winning compilation, regardless of the quibbles every single person will have about the song selection. [~doomsdayer520~]

First of all...was that reviewer on acid when they wrote that one-star review, saying the Spice Girls were better and that R.E.M. hadn't paid their dues? I don't even know where to start in on someone like that...but this review is about the album...IN TIME: THE BEST OF R.E.M. 1988-2003

This is a great album for any new R.E.M. fan to start, but I myself have been an avid fan for quite some time. I think that although they were great in the 80s, their music got even better and more diverse in the 90s. It includes songs from all their albums from GREEN to REVEAL, plus two excellent new tracks, "Bad Day" and "Animal." The former is a stunning takeoff on current politics, with the band getting back to a DOCUMENT-style rocker (the song was written around the time of LIFES RICH PAGEANT by the way, the album preceding DOCUMENT), while the latter gets off on a glam-rock sheen the band hasn't displayed in quite a while.

It would have been a crime not to include arguably their best song ever, "Nightswimming," on this disc, and luckily we can heart that and other classics such as "Man On The Moon" and "Orange Crush." Only minor thing: would have liked to have seen more songs from MONSTER ("Bang And Blame" would really give this collection more edge), which is why a double disc set could be easily concievable.

This single disc version is preferable over the limited edition for all but the hardest of hard core fans. That bonus disc contains largely live or alternate versions of well-known songs that sound better in their original state. If you're new to R.E.M., I also suggest picking up AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE (their absolute best album and one of my favorite of all time) and OUT OF TIME for their more poppy material, while MONSTER showcases the band's love of distortion, and listeners looking for a relaxing, warm album would find REVEAL very fitting. I highly recommend every R.E.M. album included on this disc!

Unless you're talking about a band that's clearly singles-based rather than album-oriented, almost any best-of album is bound to disappoint someone. When it's for a band like R.E.M., who have released seven albums and numerous non-album songs in 15 year period covered, it's almost inevitable that some fans would be disappointed. For my own part, I'm surprised at some of what's here and what's not. I wonder why "Automatic For the People" is represented by four songs, when "Out of Time" and "Monster" are limited to one each.

That said, a review should turn on what's there more so than what's not, and what's here is really quite good. Kicking off with their twin Andy Kaufman tributes ("Man on the Moon" and "Great Beyond"), "In Time" maintains a high-level of quality all the way through, making a strong case for R.E.M.'s already secured place in the rock pantheon.

Is it a perfect collection? This reviewer would say, no. This is not just because of missing personal favorites ("Half a World Away" and "World Leader Pretend") but also for the aforementioned lack of balance between how albums are represented here. It's hard to argue that "Up" or even "Automatic for the People" are really that much better than "Monster" or "Out of Time."

Then again, any compilation reflects the bias of its makers, just as a listener's reaction to it reflects theirs. By any objective standard, though, "In Time" is a good attempt to give a feel of what post-IRS Records R.E.M. is about. Plus, it sounds really good with the volume up.