R.E.M. changed producers again for their fourth studio album, having been frustrated by the gloominess that pervaded the recording and songs of Fables of the Reconstruction. They turned to Don Gehman, who had recently had significant chart success with John Mellencamp, and brought a group of faster, more energetic songs to the studio. The band may not have really been ready to record again; they were so short of material that they had to dig into their archives, the outtake reel, and their repertoire of covers to amass 12 tracks that don’t even break the 40 minute barrier. The songs they did have were so strong, however, and Gehman’s fresh approach so helpful, that Lifes Rich Pageant ranks as my favorite album from the group’s IRS years.
The opening track, the appropriately named “Begin the Begin,” clearly sets forth the album’s agenda with louder electric guitars from Peter Buck, enthusiastic drums from Bill Berry and clearer, more distinct vocals from Michael Stipe. (Clearer in the sense that you can figure out what words he’s singing. What those words might mean, on the other hand . . . not necessarily.) “These Days” has a very similar feel to it, while “I Believe” adds a banjo intro and Hyena has some nice piano work in the background to play off the guitars. “Just a Touch,” one of the band’s earliest songs, doesn’t sound out of place here; comparing the album version with a performance I’ve heard on a bootleg recording from the early 80s helps show Gehman’s influence as well as the growth in the group’s proficiency. All of these songs have a ‘can-do’ energy and confidence about them that’s reflected in the music and the lyrics, from “I Believe”‘s title to “These Days'” “We are hope despite the times” and “Begin the Begin”‘s “I looked for it and I found it, Miles Standish proud.”
It’s not all up-tempo all the time. “Fall on Me,” a song that started off as being a warning against acid rain and turned into a general plea against overwhelming pressure, and “Cuyahoga,” about the famed polluted river in Ohio, play up Mike Mills’ bass with a more somber pace. Both songs reflect the somewhat oblique political tone of Stipe’s work on this album, as does the beautifully sad “The Flowers of Guatemala.” Whatever Stipe is trying to get across with “Swan Swan H,” I never quite get it – but I get and enjoy its brooding atmosphere just fine.
The album closes out with “Superman,” a cover of an obscure 60s song by the Clique that features lead vocals by Mills. The cover’s actually gained a fair amount of notoriety over the years, and it’s a fun way to end the album. Both “Superman” and “Underneath the Bunker,” the brief outtake that closes the album’s first side, were added to the album so late that they were not listed on the album cover – which also does not list the other 10 tracks in the order they appear.
Lifes Rich Pageant boasts a lot of strong material. The songs do have a lot of similarities to each other; the band seems to be focusing on variations on themes here, rather than explore a lot of different directions on one album. For me, the approach works – the songs flow together very well and make listening to the full album a very enjoyable experience. The short running time probably works in its favor here; 60 minutes of such variations might get tiresome, but 40 feel just right.
After R.E.M. achieved international success with Warner Bros., IRS Records re-released the band’s early catalogue overseas with additional tracks, mostly live performances and remixes along with the occasional b-side. These additional tracks remain unavailable on U.S. versions of the album.
- Begin the Begin (3:28)
- These Days (3:24)
- Fall on Me (2:50)
- Cuyahoga (4:21)
- Hyena (2:51)
- Underneath the Bunker (1:27)
- The Flowers of Guatemala (3:56)
- I Believe (3:50)
- What If We Give It Away? (3:34)
- Just a Touch (3:00)
- Swan Swan H (2:50)
- Superman (2:52)
(Track listing reflects original U.S. release; foreign re-releases contain additional tracks)
Released by: IRS Records/Capitol
Release date: 1986
Total running time: 38:29
