R.E.M.
R.E.M. In The Attic: Alternative Recordings 1985-1989
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When IRS, R.E.M.'s original record label, went under, Capitol/EMI apparently decided to pick up the rights to their back catalog. It led to the release of a lot of albums like this, which were usually just transparent attempts to make a few bucks off some live tracks and B-sides. Since I'm a sucker for R.E.M., I picked it up--putting the words "Limited Edition" on the cover didn't hurt. As those less blinded by band loyalty might have already guessed, it wasn't anything special. Several of the tracks had already appeared on R.E.M.'s own official B-sides collection, Dead Letter Office, and of the remaining songs, very few were notably different from the studio version. Just about the only reason to own the album is the last track, a recording of one of R.E.M.'s extended medley versions of "Southern Central Rain," which has long been one of my favorite songs of theirs.
- Track listing:
- Finest Worksong
- Driver 8
- Gardening At Night
- Swan Swan H
- Disturbance At The Heron House
- Maps And Legends
- Tired Of Singing Trouble
- Just A Touch
- Toys In The Attic
- Dream (All I Have To Do Is)
- The One I Love
- Crazy
- Can't Get There From Here
- Last Date
- Time After Time/Red Rain/Southern Central Rain