8/7/2023 0 Comments Rem unplugged![]() ![]() of this era with 1992's Automatic for the People following a similar bent. This earthy, Baroque folk sound came to define the R.E.M. There are a handful of tunes from Life's Rich Pageant ("Fall on Me" and the already acoustic "Swan Swan Hummingbird") and Document ("Disturbance at the Heron House" and the immortal "It's the End of the World as We Know It ") alongside the more recent material from Green as well as one early chestnut ("A Perfect Circle") from their 1983 debut Murmur. ![]() The material from Out of Time was well-suited to the show's acoustic format and their versions of tracks like "Half a World Away," "Radio Song," and of course, "Losing My Religion" sound strong and relevant. As "Losing My Religion" slowly rose to number one, the band only turned in a handful of shows, the most visible of which was their debut set of MTV Unplugged the show was also at the height of its power and influence. Following their exhaustive touring schedule for 1988's Green, the band decided they wouldn't tour for 1991's Out of Time, which proved to be the commercial breakout album they'd long been leading up to. It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)ġ.Originally issued in May of 2014 as half of Unplugged 1991 & 2001: The Complete Sessions, this live recording is of R.E.M.'s 1991 show only. fans, a document when the group was near the peak of their powers.ĩ. Together, these two Unplugged Sessions - which, in this incarnation, include 11 performances not featured on either broadcast - make for a bit of a treat for hardcore R.E.M. also peppered their 1991 set list with song choices that remain surprising - the Troggs' "Love Is All Around" is covered, the B-sides "Fretless" and "Rotary 11" are unearthed, and they performed a nimble rearrangement of "Radio Song," which was distinguished on record by KRS-One's rap - and that, along with the distinct instrumentation, keeps the 1991 set fresh. This is a sound the group never tried before and never did again (Automatic for the People grew out of this but its melancholy stands as a counterpoint to the essential lightness of Out of Time). Berry anchors the band on congas, Peter Buck never skimps on mandolin, Peter Holsapple offers sonic coloring (sometimes via an organ), and Mike Mills harmonizes sweetly with Michael Stipe. In contrast, the 1991 set seems like a snapshot of a particular point in time, namely the florid folk-rock of Out of Time. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)," "Cuyahoga," and "The One I Love," along with a savvy acoustic revision of "Country Feedback." Naturally, there are quite a few selections from Up and Reveal, but those songs sound a bit richer when stripped down and placed in context with the rest of the band's catalog. by providing tight, assured versions of "So. is the 2001 gig even with the absence of Berry and an emphasis on latter-day Baroque pop typified by "At My Most Beautiful," this is a band that's playing as a band, augmented by some extra musicians - trusty Scott McCaughey, along with Posie Ken Stringfellow, fill out the band while Joey Waronker provides percussion - but nevertheless evoking nearly every era of R.E.M. Oddly, of these two performances, the one that feels the most like classic R.E.M. Originally released as a quadruple-vinyl Record Store Day exclusive then later a double-CD set, Complete Unplugged Sessions captures two separate acoustic shows from R.E.M.: one from 1991, performed just after the release of Out of Time, the other from a decade later, just after they released Reveal, their second album without Bill Berry. ![]()
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