R.E.M. The Best Of - In Time 1988-2003

R.E.M. is an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and vocalist and frontman Michael Stipe. One of the first alternative rock bands, R.E.M. first gained attention due to Buck's "jangly" guitar style and Stipe's cryptic lyrics. R.E.M. released their first single, "Radio Free Europe", in 1981, followed by the Chronic Town EP in 1982, their first release on I.R.S. Records. In 1983, the band released their critically-acclaimed debut album Murmur, and built their reputation over the next few years through constant touring and the support of college radio. Following years of underground success, R.E.M. had a breakthrough Top Ten hit in 1987 with the song "The One I Love". After signing to Warner Bros. in 1988, R.E.M. began to put forth broader political and environmental concerns while playing large arenas worldwide.



By the early 1990s, R.E.M. were viewed as pioneers of alternative rock and released their most successful albums, the multiplatinum Out of Time (1991) and Automatic for the People (1992), which veered from the band's established sound. R.E.M. released Monster, which as a return to a more rock-oriented sound, in 1994 and began their first tour in six years. However the tour was marred by a number of difficulties. In 1997, R.E.M. re-signed with Warner Bros. for a then-record $80 million. That same year, Bill Berry amicably left the band, with Buck, Mills, and Stipe continuing as a three-piece. Through some changes in musical style, R.E.M. continued their career into the next decade with mixed critical and commercial success. In 2007, the band's history and influence was honored with its induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.



In Time: The Best Of R.E.M. 1988-2003 is the second official compilation album released by R.E.M. Issued in 2003, it includes tracks from their Warner Bros. Records era, from 1988's Green to 2001's Reveal, as well as two new recordings and two songs from movie soundtracks. "Bad Day" was started in 1986, when Bill Berry was still in the band, and was finally finished for this compilation. "Animal" was a recent song written for their upcoming studio album. Similarly, "All the Right Friends", originally written in the early 1980s, had been re-recorded by the band for use in Cameron Crowe's 2001 film Vanilla Sky. Finally, "The Great Beyond" was initially issued in 1999 as part of Milo? Forman's film on Andy Kaufman, Man on the Moon. It ended up becoming the band's biggest UK hit, with a #3 peak, in early 2000. This, the third inclusion of the song on an official release, is the only unedited version. On the Man on the Moon soundtrack, there is some dialogue from the movie at the end of the track; meanwhile, the single version is a radio edit, with the bridge omitted.



In Time: The Best Of R.E.M. 1988?2003 was also issued in a limited two-disc edition that included a "Rarities and B-Sides" disc from the same era. The single-disc edition of the album reached #1 in the UK, while going gold in the U.S. and peaking at #8. The limited-edition two-disc release managed to reach #16 in the U.S. and #37 in the UK.



A notable omission from the album is the song "Shiny Happy People" which was deliberately left out by the band despite it being one of their biggest hits.



Released 27 October 2003 (UK)

28 October 2003 (U.S.)

Recorded 1988?2003

Genre Alternative rock

Length 76:15

61:20 (limited edition disc 2)

Label Warner Bros.

Producer(s) Scott Litt, Pat McCarthy & R.E.M.





Track listing

All songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe except as indicated.



"Man on the Moon" (from Automatic for the People, 1992) ? 5:14

"The Great Beyond" (Buck, Mills, Stipe) (from the Man on the Moon soundtrack, 1999) ? 5:05

"Bad Day" ? 4:06

"What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" (from Monster, 1994) ? 4:00

"All the Way to Reno (You're Gonna Be a Star)" (Buck, Mills, Stipe) (from Reveal, 2001) ? 4:44

"Losing My Religion" (from Out of Time, 1991) ? 4:28

"E-Bow the Letter" (from New Adventures in Hi-Fi, 1996) ? 5:24

"Orange Crush" (from Green, 1988) ? 3:51

"Imitation of Life" (Buck, Mills, Stipe) (from Reveal, 2001) ? 3:57

"Daysleeper" (Buck, Mills, Stipe) (from Up, 1998) ? 3:40

"Animal" (Buck, Mills, Stipe) ? 4:01

"The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" (from Automatic for the People, 1992) ? 4:07

"Stand" (from Green, 1988) ? 3:11

"Electrolite" (from New Adventures in Hi-Fi, 1996) ? 4:06

"All the Right Friends" (from the Vanilla Sky soundtrack, 2001) ? 2:46

"Everybody Hurts" (from Automatic for the People, 1992 ? 5:18

"At My Most Beautiful" (Buck, Mills, Stipe) (from Up, 1998) ? 3:34

"Nightswimming" (from Automatic for the People, 1992) ? 4:18



Enjoy! and please seed.

Ekolb