Listening Party #18 // R.E.M. - Automatic For The People // Weds 5th April, 8pm UK

Devil#20

TTony said:

roberty said:

Can’t work out if that’s bowed cello or bowed double bass. I think it’s too low for cello

Sounded like double bass on the previous track?

I nearly posted that same comment. It didn't sound electric to me but I've only just started getting to grips with the bass. Of course though @TTony you'll know this. 

dindude

Pretty certain I remember reading it was a Cello on Sweetness Follows. 

TTony

You'll be ready for some new courses soon @Devil#20 ??

roberty

TTony said:

roberty said:

Can’t work out if that’s bowed cello or bowed double bass. I think it’s too low for cello

Sounded like double bass on the previous track?

I think so too. There’s no mention of double bass here though https://www.allmusic.com/album/automatic-for-the-people-mw0000089350/credits

roberty

Either way it was funcioning as a bass instrument. The bowed bass really adds to the ethereal atmosphere. Such clever arranging

Devil#20

TTony said:

You'll be ready for some new courses soon @Devil#20 ??

I will.

Fuengi

Go!

7. Monty Got A Raw Deal 

MagicPigDetective

Could this be about Montgomery Clift? He had a pretty tragic life if I remember. 

Fuengi

8. Ignoreland  

dindude

Worth having the lyrics for this one 

These bastards stole their power
From the victims of the Us v Them years
Wrecking all things virtuous and true
The undermining social democratic downhill slide into abysmal
Lost lamb off the precipice into the trickle down runoff pool
They hypnotized the summer, ninteen-seventy-nine
Marched into the capital brooding duplicitous
Wicked and able, media-ready
Heartless, and labeled
Super US citizen, super achiever
Mega ultra power dosing, relax
Defense, defense, defense, defense

Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Ignoreland
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Ignoreland
Yeah, yeah, yeah

The information nation took their
Clues from all the sound-bite gluttons
1980, eighty four, eighty eight, ninety two too, too
How to be what you can be
Jump jam junking your energies
How to walk in dignity with throw up on your shoes
They amplified the autumn, ninteen-seventy-nine
Calculate the capital
Up the republic my skinny ass
TV tells a million lies
The paper's terrified to report
Anything that isn't handed on a presidential spoon
I'm just profoundly frustrated by all this
So, fuck you, man (fuck 'em)

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Ignoreland
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Ignoreland

If they weren't there we would have created them
Maybe, it's true
But I'm resentful all the same
Someone's got to take the blame
I know that this is vitriol
No solution, spleen-venting
But I feel better having screamed
Don't you?
They desecrated winter, ninteen-seventy-nine
Capital collateral
Brooding duplicitous, wicked and able, media-ready
Heartless, and labeled

Super US citizen, super achiever
Mega ultra power dosing, 
Defense, defense, defense, defen

Fuengi

MagicPigDetective said:

Could this be about Montgomery Clift? He had a pretty tragic life if I remember. 

That's probably a decent guess! 

Fuengi

Brilliantly busy this track, tons going on. 

dindude

Song spirit still holds true 30 years later, especially during the Trump era. 

MagicPigDetective

Buck is master of those mandolin melodies and chords .... it sounds so natural you don't really think of it as a mandolin, whereas with some other band it would stick out as a novelty

TTony

dindude said:

Worth having the lyrics for this one 

Just a meaningless pop song really then ...

Fuengi

9. Star Me Kitten

Apt, as the cat has just walked in. 

TTony

Side one feels like a much stronger set to me, so far at least.

TTony

Or is that just the familiarity thing?

dindude

TTony said:

dindude said:

Worth having the lyrics for this one 

Just a meaningless pop song really then ...

I was an A level politics student when this came out, with all the naive righteousness that goes with it, seemed to appeal to me at the time!

Devil#20

TTony said:

Side one feels like a much stronger set to me, so far at least.

Yes but my fave song REM song ever is on this side. Waiting in anticipation for it.