R.E.M. Live 2CD/1DVD Review

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(More customer reviews)I find it hard to believe that Peter, Mike, and Michael would actually sit down, watch this DVD, and pronounce it fit for human consumption.
As stated in other reviews, this IS virtually unwatchable.
And that's a shame, 'cause it's a wonderful rock show that sounds great, but looks awful.
Seriously, what could they be thinking when they okayed something that just looks like they set a couple of hyperactive kids loose in the production room, told them to push as many buttons as often as possible, and then instructed the camera crew to just fudge with all the bells and whistles on their equipment, and, oh, every once in a while, for a second or two, show something IN FOCUS?
The concept of concert DVD's is a great one, and one that I've invested a lot of time and money in, as far as owning and watching. There are so many lessons to be learned from watching a Jonathan Demme or Martin Scorsese-shot show...watch The Last Waltz or Heart Of Gold to see what I mean. Why some of these directors find it necessary to give us something so muddied, something so out of sync with the original intent (which I would imagine would be a visual souvenir to go with the CD), is beyond me.
UNLESS...the original intent WAS this headache-causing, nausea-inducing mess.
Again, the music is great, performed well, and is a joy to listen to.
Sadly, the DVD drags the package down to the point where, after one aborted attempted viewing, it will probably never see my DVD player again, unless the government recruits me to torture suspected terrorists, in which case I would slip this in, turn the sound down, leave the room, and wait for the impending screamfest.
Three stars out of five for the music alone.

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Disc 101. I Took Your Name02. So Fast, So Numb03. Boy In The Well04. Cuyahoga05. Everybody Hurts06. Electron Blue07. Bad Day08. The Ascent Of Man09. The Great Beyond10. Leaving New York11. Orange Crush12. I Wanted To Be Wrong13. Final Straw14. Imitation Of Life15. The One I Love16. Walk Unafraid17. Losing My ReligionDisc 21. What's The Frequency, Kenneth?2. Drive3. (Don't Go Back To) Rockville4. I'm Gonna DJ5. Man On The MoonDisc 3 DVD1.I Took Your Name2.So Fast, So Numb3.Boy in the Well4.Cuyahoga5.Everybody Hurts6.Electron Blue7.Bad Day8.Ascent Of Man9.The Great Beyond10.Leaving New York11.Orange Crush12.I Wanted To Be Wrong13.Final Straw14.Imitation Of Life15.The One I Love16.Walk Unafraid17.Losing My Religion 18.What's The Frequency, Kenneth? 19.Drive 20.(Don't Go Back To) Rockville21.I'm Gonna DJ22.Man On The Moon

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Fables of the Reconstruction Review

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(More customer reviews)I remember the day I bought Fables. Late spring '85, a gray sky overhead with intermittent sprinkles falling, a downpour could have come at any moment, it seemed. I was outdoors, riding a ten speed five miles to the record store on release day to buy the new album by R.E.M., which had become my new favorite band after a college friend of mine introduced me to their music the summer before... Reckoning, which I loved immediately, purchased, and promptly wore the cassette out. Murmur, just the same... bought it on vinyl, made two cassette copies for myself just in case the vinyl wore out. There was such a magic about this band: the sublime melodies, the mysterious lyrics and vocals, so hypnotic you just had to listen repeatedly, yet you could never tire of hearing the songs. I had heard advance rumblings that this album was a departure from Murmur and Reckoning, and as soon as "Feeling Gravity's Pull" resonated through the headphones as I began the journey homeward (thankfully the rain did not come) it was indeed true... this was a departure. The drone of cellos, the murky aura, the downcast nature of the majority of the songs was a far cry from the generally bright and upbeat Reckoning and the rock-folk-punkiness of Murmur. But I loved it anyway, and wore out the cassette as well, and replaced it with the CD as soon as I could afford a player (they were still quite expensive in those days).I went on to purchase every R.E.M. album that followed, and after all of the years that have passed, through all of their stylistic twists and turns, Fables is the one R.E.M. album that still takes me to another place, stirs my emotions more than any of the others, even the equally somber Automatic For The People. There is distance, desperation, and longing in so many of these songs, "Feeling Gravity's Pull", "Maps And Legends", "Life And How To Live It", "Old Man Kensey", "Green Grow The Rushes", "Good Advices", and "Wendell Gee" that transcends most anything else you will hear. You can just feel the loneliness of a band that was in a dreary place during the sessions, far away from home (England), through Stipe's vocals, Buck's yearning guitar jangle, and Mills' aching harmony vocals. And you feel along with them...in fact, I still often shed tears during "Good Advices" when I hear "Home is a long way away...", the vocals are so full of loneliness you can't help but cry sometimes.Some people think of the South when they listen to this album. Yes, it does have that sound. When I listen to it, I tend to think of gray rainy days, regrets I may have, separation from the ones I love, and a longingness to go back home, wherever I may be.

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Shoot Out the Lights (2-Disc Deluxe Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)They should have called their concert appearances to support this album "The Divorce Tour" or "Break Up Tour. "Shoot Out the Lights" remains a seminal 80's album and one of Richard and Linda Thompson's finest achievements. Although it wasn't written about their martial discord, "Shoot Out the Lights" certainly reflected the aftermath of failing marriage. A spare, brilliantly written/performed/produced album and one of the Thompson's towering achievements.
When this review was written it was still cheaper to order this through Rhinohandmade.com
As many fans know this was the second attempt to make the album the first was with Hugh Murphy (and Gerry Rafferty)and Richard wasn't happy with the result. He, Linda and producer Joe Boyd started all over again. The first disc is the original album (unfortunately none of the earlier tracks are here and "Living in Luxury" hasn't been added back to the CD. It was never on the album but was a b-side to the single).
The second disc consists of the surviving live recordings taken from the multitracks for the San Francisco, Santa Cruz appearances and from soundboard cassetttes. The multitracks were damaged for most of these performances (some of them irrepairably)but Ed Haber working with the Rhino team managed to restore some of these for this set. Sound quality is surprisingly good given the various sources and damaged state of some of these tapes and Haber along with input from Richard and Linda Thompson has assembled the best surviving performances for an 11 track CD:
1. Dargai
2. Backstreet Slide
3. Pavane
4. I'll Keep It with Mine
5. Borrowed time
6. Did She Jump or Was She Pushed?
7. I'm A Dreamer
8. Honky Tonk Blues
9. Shoot Out the Lights
10. For Shame of Doing Wrong
11. Dimming of the Day (and a "hidden" track at the end of the CD--"Price of Love"--from a cassette recording so the quality does fall a bit).
All of these have never been released before and since the only other full length concert recording is from a 1975 show, it's nice to have these tracks as well. Sadly, Joe Boyd DIDN'T record the L.A. shows which were by all accounts outstanding so this is all we have with good sound (at least "offically").
The CDs are housed in an oversized hardcover book with a deluxe booklet including comments/interviews from the Thompsons' band, Haber as well as Joe Boyd. The original lyrics are also included presented in the same typeface and design as on the inner sleeve for the original vinyl album (and on the booklet for the earlier CDs as well). It's kind of big to store with your regular CDs but you could do what I did and just rip the songs from the CDs for listening in the car. I'm sure some folks might not like the design but I did--it isn't as big as most "boxed sets" and it adds quality to it in my opinion.

While I think this is a terrific two disc set, it's a pity that Rhino couldn't (or wouldn't due to cost concerns)license the material from the aborted first attempt to make the album. The few tracks that have turned up were on the "Watching the Dark" third disc anthology that Ed Haber put together and "Dreams Fly Away". I would have loved to see those tracks here as part of a third disc. It's also possible that Richard or Linda nixed the idea of including these tracks but I suspect it was more a licensing/cost issue since some have appeared before.
Early editions of this album on CD also include the bonus track so you can find "Living in Luxury" there.
The inclusion of this material would have made this the ultimate edition of this great album. These minor quibbles shouldn't prevent you from buying this though as it is worth it for fans if only for the second live disc AND the exceptional packaging of the set.
Highly recommended.

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Lock and load with a high-powered chronicle of one couple's failed marriage. Shoot Out The Lights is Richard and Linda Thompson's final album together and, ironically, the folk-rock couple's most artistically acclaimed and commercially successful. The album was recorded, scrapped, and rerecorded before finally emerging in 1982, arriving just around the time that the couple split up. Despite the separation, they embarked upon a U.S. tour to promote the album, delivering emotionally charged performances at every turn.
Rhino Handmade reissues the couple's legendary swan song as a two-disc deluxe edition that includes the original album along with a bonus disc of 11 unreleased live performances from the tour.
Track listing:
Disc 1
1. Don't Renege On Our Love
2. Walking On A Wire
3. A Man In Need
4. Just The Motion
5. Shoot Out The Lights
6. Back Street Slide
7. Did She Jump Or Was She Pushed?
8. Wall Of Death
Disc 2
1. Dargai (live)
2. Back Street Slide (live)
3. Pavanne (live)
4. I'll Keep It With Mine (live)
5. Borrowed Time (live)
6. Did She Jump Or Was She Pushed? (live)
7. I'm A Dreamer (live)
8. Honky Tonk Blues (live)
9. Shoot Out The Lights (live)
10. For Shame Of Doing Wrong (live)
11. Dimming Of The Day (live)

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R.E.M. - Perfect Square Review

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(More customer reviews)First of all, I have to tell you that I'm not a HUGE R.E.M. fanatic...just a casual listener. When I bought this I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy it and I was proved wrong. This is a fantastic DVD and is worth every cent. R.E.M. plays a good show and this proves it. The crowd is awesome and it is so cool to see Michael Stipe interact with the crowd. The DVD consits of the bands July '03 sold - out show at Germanys out door Bowling Green Stadium and the documentary " A Stirling Performance" based on the bands legendary Stirling Castle performance in Scotland and features live and of course, documentary footage.
The set is:
1. Begin the Begin
2. What's the Frequency, Kenneth?
3. Maps and Legends
4. Drive
5. Animal
6. Daysleeper
7. The Great Beyond
8. Bad Day
9. The One I love
10. All the Way To Reno(you're gonna be a star)
11. Orange Crush
12. Losing My Religion
13. At My Most Beautiful
14. Electrolite
15. She Just Wants To Be
16. Walk Unafraid
17. Man On the Moon
18. Everybody Hurts
19. So fast, So Numb
20. Country Feedback
21. ***Permanent Vacation
22. Imitation Of Life
23. It's the End Of the World As We Know It(and I feel fine)
This is a wonderful DVD and a wonderful concert. I recommend this to anyone who likes R.E.M. I garuntee you'll enjoy it!

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PERFECT SQUARE - DVD Movie

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R.E.M.: Road Movie (1996) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is taken from a 3 night stand in Atlanta at the end of the Monster tour in '95. It features a good cross section of R.E.M.s songs. The video has a 'live' feel to it. It's not an overblown production like the Rolling Stones concerts have become (and I'm a big Stones fan). The DVD features sharp images and good sound plus you can skip directly to your favorite songs without having to fast forward thru a tape.
The only faults I find with it is that it's strictly a song-by-song affair with no shots of any type of interaction with the audience (between song banter etc.) and emphasizes a few too many 'singing head' shots. The band seemed to be a little tired after a trying tour (at least on the night I saw them) and it shows at times, but overall it's a good performance.

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Studio: Wea-des Moines VideoRelease Date: 03/10/1997

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Tour Film (1990) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Green World Tour was my first live R.E.M. experience, and I remember it with great fondness. If you too remember the Green tour, then you know this DVD is a must have. If you are an R.E.M. fan and missed this great show, here is your chance to own a piece of the excitement. The thing I rememebered most from the live show was the funny screen projections at the start of the show where the audience read their city name allowed as well as three concert rules, which included not throwing things, being courteous to your neighbors, and not waiting until the quietest part of "You are the Everything" to yell "Mike Mills." This was the kinder, gentler side of R.E.M.
The song list starts off with Stand, One I Love, I Could Turn You Inside Out (this was with the bullhorn which makes an interesting twist to the song), World Leader Pretend, Feeling Gravity's Pull, I Believe, I Remember CA, Get-Up (with Stipe dancing like he's had 20 cups of coffee) End of the World as I know it, Pop Song 89, Fall on Me, You are the Everything, Begin the Begin, King of Birds, Finest Work Song, Perfect Circle.
There are great shots of the background projections that were used live so if you remember them, it will be a great trip down memory lane, and you will notice these shots in Parellel between videos.
The shots are much cleaner than some of the other live DVD's although R.E.M. come-latelys will be shocked at Stipe's rather odd do. The sound on the DVD is fairly high quality for a live event. R.E.M. sounds great live and the variations in the music makes this a must have for fans as well as for those interested in the band's earlier (but certainly not earliest) works.

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