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

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• R.e.m. - In Time - The Best Of Brazil Import

Free Music Notes for In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003

Free Music Review: A great and unique greatest hits CD!
Hit: 5 Stars

Track 1 is stated by guitarist Peter Buck in the booklet as "the quintesential R.E.M. song." How right he is. "Man On The Moon" shows you not only the precise acoustics that made Automatic For The People so special, it sports a spectacularly catchy chorus that lets the listener know straight away just how talented these guys are.

Track 2, "The Great Beyond" is a controversial inclusion but I have nothing against it because I feel it is unlike any other track on this CD, and so gives you even more idea of R.E.M.'s musical range. Michael Stipe croons some of his most delicate lyrics over a guitar tune that, while slow, impacts just as heavily as any other R.E.M. song.

Track 3 snaps the listener out of the trance brought on by the subtle beauty of "The Great Beyond" with a jolt. It is "Bad Day", one of two new R.E.M. songs on this album. Michael Stipe is calmly furious as he sings of the world being jerked around by a "free Teflon wire washed presidency." Backed by a glorious guitar riff and catchy backing vocals by Mike Mills, "Bad Day" is right at home with the numerous other R.E.M. gems on this album.

But they are not letting you rest just yet. "What's The Frequency, Kenneth?" is next; the only track included from R.E.M.'s mixed-review 1994 album, "Monster." A great head-banger of a song, the lyric of which follows an old man trying to come to terms with the youth of today.

Track 5 will give you a chance to recover from the ferocity of 3 and 4. "All The Way To Reno (You're Gonna Be A Star)" is off the bands 2001 album "Reveal." A nicely hypnotic peace, this track shows that R.E.M. were able to let their music age as they did, while still maintaining the subtle focus of lyric that always made them such a good unit.

The speed is back in next. Track 6, the masterpiece "Losing My Religion," will knock you right back off your feet again. The only inclusion from the 1991 album "Out Of Time," "Losing My Religion" sports a great fusion of Buck's unique mandolin chords (that's right, a mandolin) with Stipe's anxious and nerve-wracked lyrics.

"E-Bow The Letter" is Track 7. A soothing yet undeniably haunting song featuring guest vocals of Patti Smith, and R.E.M.'s most successful single in Britain ever. A gorgeous piece, called "some of my best lyrics to date" by Michael Stipe.

Then you are taken right back, with the mighty "Orange Crush" off the 1988 album, "Green," taking the Track 8 spot. A brilliant song, with a brilliant chorus, and a brilliant drum beat. Add lyrics that paint a subtle reference to Agent Orange, and you have choice intelligent R.E.M. at some of it's best.

The other "Reveal" song on this collection is next. "Imitation Of Life" is placed perfectly next, letting listeners know that in the 13 years between Tracks 8 & 9, R.E.M. have lost none of their ability to produce magnificent songs with magnificent lyrics. "C'mon, c'mon, no-one can see you cry" Stipe calls out, in one of the most infectious choruses in music history.

Track 10 is another fairly recent one. The mellow song "Daysleeper," from the 1998 album, "Up," represents some of Stipe's best metaphorically poetic lyrics in all R.E.M. history. Stipe wails of his work conditions wrecking his sleep patterns while Buck and Mills reaffirm with gorgeous acoustic guitar and other assorted instruments backing.

"Animal", the other new song, comes in next at track 11. While not as instantly appealing as "Bad Day," "Animal" still represents an entirely new field of music for R.E.M. and is exciting because of it. Don't write it off too soon; the chorus will grow on you.

Track 12 is another Automatic song, "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite." Instantly addictive, with a crazily upbeat and indecipherable chorus, this song will have you in the same mood as the great "Man On The Moon" chorus did.

The next song, "Stand," is another "Green" song. While fairly annoying, this is an accurate portrayal of the satirical-pop song phase that R.E.M. were in at the time. However, it does not shine as brightly as some of the others on that album did.

"Electrolite", originally the last track on "New Adventures in Hi-Fi," is next. While just as soothing as "E-Bow The Letter," it isn't quite an accurate representation of the fast and dark tunes that "New Adventures" was all about. Still a great song, with nice piano and banjo.

"All The Right Friends" is next, but probably didn't deserve to be included alongside the classics, despite being mildly catchy.

Track 16, "Everybody Hurts," is R.E.M.'s most widely known and respected song. A beautiful melody which carries Stipe's voice to even greater levels as he sympathises with anyone with worries and intones them not to give up.

Next, the other "Up" track, "At My Most Beautiful" continues in the R.E.M. tradition of finishing slow. Stipe's voice almost becomes an instrument in the mist of this unhurried love ballad.

Lastly, an obvious Automatic song, the auto-biographical piano ballad "Nightswimming" rounds off a great collection with a gorgeous melody about late night trips to swimming holes in the band's early days.

"In Time" is a wonderful compilation of all of R.E.M.'s finest from their seven stunning Warner albums. Oh, if only you could fit 50 songs on a CD. For now though, see that you get a copy of this collection. It is well worth it.

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