R.E.M.s Document was released on September 1, 1987. R.E.M. began to move toward mainstream record production on Lifes Rich Pageant, but they didnt have a commercial breakthrough until the following years Document. Ironically, Document is a stranger, more varied album than its predecessor, but co-producer Scott Litt -- who would go on to produce every R.E.M. album in the following decade -- is a better conduit for the band than Don Gehman, giving the group a clean sound without sacrificing their enigmatic tendencies. Finest Worksong, the stream-of-conscious rant Its the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine), and the surprise Top Ten single The One I Love all crackle with muscular rhythms and guitar riffs, but the real surprise is how political the mid-tempo jangle pop of Welcome to the Occupation, Disturbance at the Heron House, and King of Birds is. Where Lifes Rich Pageant sounded a bit like a party record, Document is a fiery statement, and its memorable melodies and riffs are made all the more indelible by its righteous anger. In other words, its not only a commercial breakthrough, but a creative breakthrough as well, offering evidence of R.E.M.s growing depth and maturity, and helping usher in the P.C. era in the process. Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 07:39:37 +0000
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