R.E.M. - Automatic for the People (1992)
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 380 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 170 Mb | Scans included
Alternative/Indie Rock, Baroque Pop | Label: Warner Bros. | # 9362-45055-2 | 00:48:53
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 380 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 170 Mb | Scans included
Alternative/Indie Rock, Baroque Pop | Label: Warner Bros. | # 9362-45055-2 | 00:48:53
Turning away from the sweet pop of Out of Time, R.E.M. created a haunting, melancholy masterpiece with Automatic for the People. At its core, the album is a collection of folk songs about aging, death, and loss, but the music has a grand, epic sweep provided by layers of lush strings, interweaving acoustic instruments, and shimmering keyboards. Automatic for the People captures the group at a crossroads, as they moved from cult heroes to elder statesmen, and the album is a graceful transition into their new status. It is a reflective album, with frank discussions on mortality, but it is not a despairing record – "Nightswimming," "Everybody Hurts," and "Sweetness Follows" have a comforting melancholy, while "Find the River" provides a positive sense of closure. R.E.M. have never been as emotionally direct as they are on Automatic for the People, nor have they ever created music quite as rich and timeless, and while the record is not an easy listen, it is the most rewarding record in their oeuvre.