Listening Companion: R.E.M. - Live
I’m running through the fragments of my mind and remembered I never wrote this article, which I’d intended to do around the time I wrote the review. I’m still three weeks behind my own ass, so let’s revisit R.E.M.’s Live.
Some people wondered why the band was releasing a two year old show. Bassist Mike Mills answered that question in an interview:
“Well, there are several reasons for putting it out. There are a lot of songs on our last couple of records — they were very studio-sounding records, which is not a bad thing — but there a lot of songs that we did live that are very different live. And we wanted to give those songs an airing. The other thing is, we wanted to use it as a springboard into next year when we have another CD coming out. It’s just a kick-start of interest, generate some interest and just get a buzz going for the CD that comes out next year.”
Speaking of those studio records, “Electron Blue” probably improved the most in my mind from the studio to the stage. I don’t like the Around the Sun version much at all. This live version from Dublin was pretty good. I hope it’s not still on the set list when they tour behind their next new record, but I guess I’m glad they released this version.
The highlight of the whole album is a great version of “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?” 11 and I think this might be the definitive version of the song.
“I Took Your Name” also sounds really good on this set. I never paid the song much mind until I watched the Road Movie DVD from the Monster tour. I think I like this Dublin version better than that.
The “new” song “I’m Gonna DJ” didn’t do it for me and this is a song that probably won’t make much sense in a studio form so this is the best it’s going to get. I may be alone on this one, but I don’t get much from it.
Filed under: Tags: R.E.M.
