Lifes Rich Pageant [EXTRA TRACKS] [IMPORT]

R.E.M.

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 26, 1993)
• Original Release Date: 1986
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Import
• Label: EMI Int'l
• ASIN: B000005RQF
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #55,181 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Mid-priced reissue of the foreign edition of their 1986 top 30 album with six bonus tracks added, 'Tired Of Singing Trouble', 'Rotary Ten', their cover of Aerosmith's 'Toys In The Attic', 'Just A Touch' (Live In The Studio), their cover of the Everly Brothers hit 'Dream (All I Have To Do Is)' and 'Swan Swan H' (Acoustic). 18 tracks, also including the chart hit 'Fall On Me' and the college radio staples 'Superman' & 'Begin The Begin'. 1993 release.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A career defining highpoint, June 29, 2005

By	hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This 1986 release, the band's fourth full-length LP, may be the very best -- or at least "most REM-like" -- in their catalog. As has been pointed out several times, "Life's Rich Pageant" represented a turning point in REM's sound, pushing both drummer Bill Berry and vocalist Michael Stipe to the front of the mix. The result is a punchier sound that strips away Stipe's mumbling to reveal his impressionistic lyrics. It's not always clear what he's singing about, but at least you don't have to struggle just to decode the words. Though there are moments and songs on "Murmer" and "Reckoning" that may supersede anything heard here, the accessibility of Don Gehman's production, and the catchiness of these songs (including Mike Mills' cover of The Clique's 1969 then-obscure "Superman") make this on of REM's most spinworthy releases.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's All Part Of......., January 23, 2004

By	The Wrong Child (Newcastle, England) - See all my reviews

Michael Stipe referred to this album in Mojo magazine as being the most like REM that REM has ever sounded. And I'm inclined to agree.

For fans like myself this is the ultimate REM experience. For newcomers, an excellent introduction. For those sitting on the fence, it'll knock you clean to the ground on the REM side.

On previous albums, Stipe's vocals remain firmly buried in the mix, the lyrics practically indecipherable in places. This album shows Stipe's astounding vocal ability off to it's best. Heart-felt, passionate, full of emotion. The lyrics are often cryptic and abstract, yet somehow relevant ; as we've come to expect.

The instrumentation is virtually perfect, and not rooted in the 80's which means that the album hasn't aged at all, it's timeless and classic. This could be REM of the 80's, of the 90's, of the 21st century. Layers of delicate sound, blended to make the rich, soul-inspiring melodies which can lift us up or send us down effortlessly.

Stand out tracks include the beautifully simple "What if We Give it Away?", and the heavier yet controlled "Begin the Begin". The folk-esque "Swan Swan H" sticks in your mind with it's melodic guitar and lilting phrasing, and "Superman" is worth listening to for the harmonies alone. Tremendous.

The pivotal importance of this album in the career of the biggest band in the world today cannot be overplayed. This is the very essence of REM. Berry, Buck, Mills and Stipe all at their creative best. Essential.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Without Equal, November 1, 2006

By	Robert Rossi - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Like many, this was the first R.E.M. album I purchased. I had heard of them before, of course, but they were never my cup of tea. I have since bought them all, but this one remains their masterpiece, in my opinion.

There simply are no fillers here. Highlights (and there are many) include "Fall On Me" "I Believe", "Flowers", and "Cuyahoga," but the ones not mentioned here are great, too. If there is anyone on the planet that has never purchased an R.E.M. disc, this is where to start.