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R.E.M.
Document
R.E.M.:  Document Tell a Friend about this album

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Album Review

Released: 1987
Label: MCA
Selection #: 163503
R.E.M.'s commercial breakthrough includes the hits The One I Love, Finest Worksong, It's The End Of The World As We Know It..., Strange, Exhuming McCarthy and more.
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1 Finest Worksong
2 Welcome to the Occupation
3 Exhuming McCarthy
4 Disturbance at the Heron House
5 Strange
6 It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
7 The One I Love
8 Fireplace
9 Lightnin' Hopkins
10 King of Birds
11 Oddfellows Local 151
  
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Album Review

R.E.M. began to move toward mainstream record production on "Lifes Rich Pageant", but they didn't have a commercial breakthrough until the following year's "Document". Ironically, "Document" is a stranger, more varied album than its predecessor, but co-producer Scott Litt -- who would go on to produce every R.E.M. album in the following decade -- is a better conduit for the band than Don Gehman, giving the group a clean sound without sacrificing their enigmatic tendencies. "Finest Worksong," the stream-of-conscious rant "It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" and the surprise Top Ten single "The One I Love" all crackle with muscular rhythms and guitar riffs, but the real surprise is how political the midtempo jangle-pop of "Welcome to the Occupation," "Disturbance At the Heron House" and "King of Birds" is. Where "Lifes Rich Pageant" sounded a bit like a party record, "Document" is a fiery statement, and its memorable melodies and riffs are made all the more indelible by its righteous anger. In other words, it's not only a commercial breakthrough, but a creative breakthrough as well, offering evidence of R.E.M.'s growing depth and maturity, and helping usher in the P.C. era in the process. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

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R.E.M.:  Lifes Rich Pageant Listen R.E.M.
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©2006 All Media Guide, LLC
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