Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 07/09/1998
Run Time: 47:59
R.E.M. abandoned the enigmatic
post-punk experiments of
Murmur for their second album,
Reckoning, returning to their
garage pop origins instead. Opening with the ringing
"Harborcoat," Reckoning runs through a set of ten
jangle pop songs that are different not only in sound but in style from the debut. Where
Murmur was enigmatic in its sound,
Reckoning is clear, which doesn't necessarily mean that the songs themselves are straightforward.
Michael Stipe continues to sing powerful melodies without enunciating, but the band has a propulsive kick that makes the music vital and alive. And, if anything, the songwriting is more direct and memorable than before -- the interweaving melodies of
"Pretty Persuasion" and the country rocker
"(Don't Go Back To) Rockville" are as affecting as the melancholic dirges of
"Camera" and
"Time After Time," while the ringing minor-key arpeggios of
"So. Central Rain," the pulsating riffs of
"7 Chinese Bros.," and the hard-rocking rhythms of
"Little America" make the songs into classics. On the surface,
Reckoning may not be as distinctive as
Murmur, but the record's influence on underground American
rock in the '80s was just as strong. [In 1992, the British division of
IRS reissued all of
R.E.M.'s albums with bonus tracks. Many of these cuts were featured on
Dead Letter Office, but others were rare flexi-discs, fan-club singles, compilation contributions, forgotten B-sides, live tracks, and outtakes.
Reckoning boasted a number of previously unreleased alternate takes and outtakes. There are alternate live-in-the-studio versions of
"Pretty Persuasion," "White Tornado," and
"Wind Out," which features
Jefferson Holt and
Bertis Downs on vocals. There are also two covers:
"Moon River" and a silly version of
Archie Bell's
"Tighten Up," which features
Mitch Easter on keyboards, that was only released as a flexi-disc with the
Bucketful of Brains fanzine. There are no great revelations here, but hardcore fans may want to hunt these reissues down, even if
R.E.M. themselves were reportedly unhappy with the bonus tracks on these reissues. However, keep in mind that many of these bonus tracks -- the ones that weren't originally on
Dead Letter Office -- later appeared on the limited-edition U.S. rarities collection
In the Attic, which means that these imports aren't necessarily worth the search.]
~Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
;)
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