 |
| vinyl cover |
release date: Apr. 27, 1987
format: cd (1993 - The I.R.S. Years Vintage 1987)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,86]
producer: Mitch Easter, Don Dixon, Joe Boyd, Don Gehman, R.E.M
label: I.R.S. Records - nationality: USA
Track highlights: 2. "There She Goes Again" - 2. "Burning Down" - 6. "White Tornado" - 8. "Windout" (live) - 9. "Ages of You" - 10. "Pale Blue Eyes" - 12. "Bandwagon" (4 / 5) - 14. "Walters Theme" (live)
Bonus tracks on 1993 extended edition: 16. "Wolves, Lower" - 17. "Gardening at Night" (4 / 5) - 18. "Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)" - 19. "1,000,000" - 20. "Stumble"
1st compilation album by R.E.M. released on I.R.S. records is not a best of compilation but a collection of singles, B-sides and rare material. Several tracks are the band's cover-versions of some of their favorites, which include track #1. "Crazy", originally performed by the Athens' band Pylon, three tracks written by Lou Reed, originally performed by The Velvet Underground: track #2. "There She Goes Again", track #10. "Pale Blue Eyes", and track #13. "Femme Fatale"; track #7. "Toys in the Attic" by Aerosmith, and track #15. "King of the Road" (classic) by Roger Miller. The remainders of the original issue's 15 tracks are all written by R.E.M., and they are almost entirely B-sides found on their single releases. I used to own a copy of the vinyl issue but resold it after purchasing the '93 cd issue which comes with 7 bonus tracks, and these basically constitute the addition of the debut 5-track ep Chronic Town (1982), and two early takes. The whole album is as such more of a collector's choice but for a fan it's a fine gem.
 |
| 1993 bonus track reissue |
