R.E.M.

Strange

Photo: Getty/Paul Natkin

Good morning!

Today we’re listening to “Strange” by R.E.M.

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In 1987, REM was still very much an indie rock darling. That would change with the release of Document, the band’s 5th record. “The One I Love” would make it all the way to #9 that year (back when the charts meant something), and we all learned to say “LEONARD BERSTEIN!” at just the right time on “It’s The End of the World.”

They would go on, of course, to score several more hits over the years.

One could write a lot of words about the record (and I will! Look for it later this summer), but to me Document represents an inflection point for the group; they were readying themselves for stardom even if they didn’t yet know it. The sound is ever more confident, yet they’re still in a space where they can cover a song by Wire.

10 years earlier the British band recorded Strange as part of their Pink Flag record. It’s great in it’s own right--longtime readers know I’m a total Wire fanboy— but very different from the one R.E.M. would cover remake a decade later.

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More:

Indeed, the R.E.M. of Document was a sinewy, muscular rock beast, primed and ready to dominate the airwaves. Peter Buck’s distinctive jangle and chime were still apparent on “Disturbance At The Heron House” and “Welcome To The Occupation,” but, for the most part, his guitar playing took on a sharp, steely quality. Accordingly, he turned in some of his most memorable recorded performances: launching “Finest Worksong” with urgent, metallic riffs; embroidering the swampy funk of “Lightnin’ Hopkins” with Andy Gill-esque tension and atonality; and punctuating the band’s supercharged cover of Wire’s “Strange” with a neat, Nuggets-style psych-pop solo.

Read the rest of the review here.

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Listen:

“Strange” by R.E.M. | Document, 1987

Click the record to listen on your platform of choice:

What’d you think of this one? Good? Bad? Meh? I’m also interested to know your thoughts on the record itself.

Thanks for being here,

Kevin—

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