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R.E.M.

Reckoning - IRS SP 70044 - 1984

Tracks: 1. Harborcoat / 2. 7 Chinese Brothers / 3. So. Central Rain / 4. Pretty Persuasion / 5. Time After Time / 6. Second Guessing / 7. Letter Never Sent / 8. Camera / 9. (Don't Go Back To) Rockville / 10. Little America / 11. Wind Out [*] / 12. Pretty Persuasion [Live][#] / 13. White Tornado [Live][#] / 14. Tighten Up [*] /15. Moon River [*]

Comments:

Judged from this second R.E.M. album from 1984 their general style hasn't changed very much over the years. The sound on this early album is not as slick as recent years R.E.M. but Stipe's voice sound almost like it does today.

Their songwriting was quite good from the beginning and some of their strongest early songs can be found on this album. The beatiful melancholy ballad "Camera" along with the droning "Time After Time" are favourites on an album where most tracks are actually quite up-beat.

The album opens with 4 songs fast songs which may appear a little too similar; but "7 Chinese Brothers" and "South Central Rain" soon became other favourites of mine. The shamelessly catchy country-rocker "Rockville" is another song that has to brought forward. Though the production of the song is raw and slightly demo-like, it's the song that most people seem to fall for first. Compared to most albums of today the playing time is quite short; unless of course you find the version with bonus-tracks.

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