Music Review by Bill Rendall

Automatic For the People - REM

REM started in the early eighties when slick synthetic sounds dominated the pop charts. Going against the tide REM created music that was raw and natural sounding. Major chart success eluded them during the eighties but they built up a loyal fan base.

At the end of the decade the time had come for REM. They changed record labels by signing up a major deal with Warner Bros. Grunge changed the prevailing musical tide so that the mainstream music market was more receptive to REM's music. The albums Green and Out of Time broke REM into the mainstream. Ironically Out of Time features an attack on radio music in 'Radio Song.' By this time REM could no longer complain they were being left off the radio playlists.

Well into their career REM produced Automatic For the People which features their most consistently strong material. The album features some interesting instrumentation but fans of the jangly 12 string electric guitar sound may be disappointed. The guitar parts are mainly laid back acoustic. Keyboards and accordion are prominent. Some songs feature orchestral string arrangements by John Paul Jones, the former bassist with Led Zeppelin.

Right from the opening track it is apparent that REM are doing something different with Automatic For the People. 'Drive' features an interesting contrast between the lyrics and the music. The lyrics call for kids to rock and roll but the music is way too slow for rock 'n' roll and includes a string arrangement.

'Everybody Hurts' is the standout track on the album and also the most lyrically direct. The band avoid their usual obscure lyrics on this one so they can get their anti-suicide message across. Hopefully 'Everybody Hurts' has saved some lives. It is a contrast to the earlier song 'Try Not to Breathe' which is about ending a life.

The meaning of 'Monty Got a Raw Deal' is probably more obscure to younger listeners. The subject is Montgomery Clift, a movie actor who died of a heart attack in 1966. He was a victim of the conservative times of the fifties, the era of McCarthyism and communist witch-hunts. Whether he really got a raw deal is debatable as he was as least partially responsible for his own demise due to his reckless lifestyle.

'Sweetness Follows' has a haunting bittersweet feel. It is used very effectively by Cameron Crowe in his movie Vanilla Sky. The song reinforces a key theme of the movie and acts as a cue for a dramatic turning point.

A great endorsement for 'Man on the Moon' is that it inspired a movie about the comedian Andy Kaufman. The song is far better than the movie.

If you want just one REM album then Automatic For the People is the one to get.