R.E.M. - Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage: 1982-2011

Artist:

R.E.M.

UPC:

093624953647

See Also:

Minus 5 (The) Tuatara Warren Zevon - Sentimental Hygiene [Bonus Tracks] [Remaster] Various Artists - A Tribute To R.E.M. (Big Eye)

Description:

Liner Note Authors: Bill Berry; Michael Stipe ; Mike Mills ; Peter Buck .
Recording information: Armoury, Vancouver, BC; John Keane Studios, Athens, GA; Oceanway Studio, Hollywood, CA; Seney-Stovall Chapel, Athens, GA; Type Foundry, Portland, OR.
R.E.M. close out their Warner contract -- not to mention their entire career -- with the double-disc Part Lies Part Heart Part Truth Part Garbage, their first compilation to combine early recordings from their time at IRS with their major-label hits for Warner. It`s misleading to look at these as merely two separate eras, as it more accurately breaks down into a three-act structure: the IRS years when R.E.M. were the kings of college rock; the stretch between 1988-1995 when they were international superstars; and then the slow decline of 1998-2011, the years after Bill Berry, the years when Peter Buck, Michael Stipe, and Mike Mills tried to redefine the group as a trio before finally realizing they`d said all they could say. Part Lies gives equal time to each act -- there are 13 songs from IRS, 14 from the golden years at Warner, 13 from the trio years (including a revival of the mid-`80s outtake "Bad Day," which feels like a slight stretch) -- an eminently fair move that tells the story while slightly obscuring the import of the tale. Inevitably, the jangle pop and murk of the `80s are downplayed -- "Can`t Get There from Here," "Pretty Persuasion," "Feeling Gravity`s Pull" are missing -- in favor of a heavy dose of new millennial material, including three songs from 2011`s respectable Collapse into Now and three perfectly fine new songs, which means the last ten or so cuts are songs that fairweather fans of either the `80s or `90s just won`t care much about or possibly even know. Nevertheless, this last act is shown in a good light -- the benefit of a comp is that it`s totally possible, even welcome, to downplay dull lapses like Around the Sun -- and, when combined with well-chosen highlights from the band`s powerful first two acts, adds up to a thorough narrative of R.E.M.`s entire career. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Track Listing:

DISC 1:

1. Gardening at Night
2. Radio Free Europe
3. Talk About the Passion
4. Sitting Still
5. So. Central Rain
6. (Don`t Go Back To) Rockville
7. Driver 8
8. Life and How to Live It
9. Begin the Begin
10. Fall on Me
11. Finest Worksong
12. It`s the End of the World as We Know it (And I Feel Fine)
13. One I Love, The
14. Stand
15. Pop Song 89
16. Get Up
17. Orange Crush
18. Losing My Religion
19. Country Feedback
20. Shiny Happy People
21. Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite, The

DISC 2:

1. Everybody Hurts
2. Man on the Moon
3. Nightswimming
4. What`s the Frequency, Kenneth?
5. New Test Leper
6. Electrolite
7. At My Most Beautiful
8. Great Beyond, The
9. Imitation of Life
10. Bad Day
11. Leaving New York
12. Living Well Is the Best Revenge
13. Supernatural Superserious
14. ?berlin
15. Oh My Heart
16. Alligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter
17. Month of Saturdays, A
18. We All Go Back to Where We Belong
19. Hallelujah
20. Hallelujah

Album Information

Release Date:

11/14/2011

Type:

Performer

Genre:

Rock & Pop

Subgenre:

Alternative

Label:

Warner Bros.

Catalog Number:

9362495364

Original Release Year:

2011

# of Discs:

2

Mono/Stereo:

Stereo

Runtime:

151 : 48

Portions copyright 2005 Muze Inc. All rights reserved.