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| Fables Of The Reconstruction (The I.R.S. Years Vintage) | 
 enlarge | Artist: R.e.m.
Label: EMI Records
Category: Music
List Price: £8.99
Buy New: £3.81
You Save: £5.18 (58%)
New (45) from £3.81
Avg. Customer Rating:  9 reviews
Sales Rank: 3483
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
UPC: 077771316029
EAN: 0077771316029
ASIN: B0000073AX
Release Date: September 1, 1997
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: IN STOCK. USUALLY DISPATCHED SAME OR NEXT WORKING DAY (MON - FRI). PLEASE ALLOW 3 - 6 DAYS FOR DELIVERY. BRAND NEW AND FULLY GUARANTEED BY A WELL ESTABLISHED TRUSTED LTD COMPANY. EMAIL DISPATCH CONFIRMATIONS SENT. TRACK PROGRESS 24/7
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| Tracks:
| • | Feeling Gravity's Pull | | • | Maps And Legends | | • | Driver 8 | | • | Life And How To Live It | | • | Old Man Kensey | | • | Can't Get There From Here | | • | Green Grow The Rushes Oh | | • | Kohoutek | | • | Auctioneer (Another Engine) | | • | Good Advice | | • | Wendell Gee | | • | Crazy | | • | Burnin' Hell | | • | Bandwagon | | • | Driver 8 (2) | | • | Maps And Legends (2) |
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| Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
REM triumph over adversity July 13, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
After recording their first two albums with the same producers( Mitch Easter and Don Dixon) and mining a inchoate but wonderful brand of American independent rock the band decided to record their difficult third album in London , overseen by folk producer Joe Boyd. As it turned out their difficult third album was indeed difficult. The band hated the miserable winter weather, were unsure about Boyd and this air of fractious disharmony meant the band started to rub each other up the wrong way . The reviews for the album were mixed and one or two of the band confessed to hating it (Bill Berry even went as far as to say "it sucked") but for all that the album has undergone deserved widespread re-appraisal. Michael Stipe has even gone as far as to say that he thinks it contains some of their best songs.
Fables is virtually a concept album exploring the mythology and landscape of the Southern United States .It makes references to Southern life- the trains on the hectic jangles of "Driver 8" the migrant farmers of the Byrdsian "Green Grow The Rushes" the story telling references in "Life And How To Live It" . The slightly comic "Can't Get There From Here" not only reveals a more playful side to the band with Stipes affected vocal , but uses a popular Southern saying for it's title.
All of the composite elements of the usual REM sound were present for Fables, but there are flirty bursts of brass in "Can't Get There From Here" and the use of banjo in "Wendell Gee" is a further nod to it's Southern inspiration. Peter Bucks silvery jangles are still utilised extensively but there is less of Mike Mills melodic bass counterpoints and his backing vocals are more subdued , though in Wendell Gee they are crucial to the songs structure. Excellent opening track the vivid striking "Feeling Gravity's Pull" ushers in menacing violin and cello for the songs last third.
The extra tracks for this CD edition are worth hearing too. A series of b-sides their cover of Pylon's "Crazy" has true chromatic energy. "Burning Energy" is redolent of the undiluted honest rock of "Document" .Only the jingle/jangle by numbers of "Bandwagon" fails to live up to what has gone before.
Many are critical of the albums muddy sound and the albums more oblique textures yet in some ways the album improves on their previous two albums. Stipes vocals are more distinct , he is far less inclined to mumble like a guilty teenager , and the album see's a tangible progression for them with supplementary variety in the songs and the arrangements.
Fables Of The Reconstruction isn't REM ,s greatest album -I prefer the first two , "Life's Rich Pageant " and "Automatic For The People" but it's way better than it's reputation and it's way way better than anything they have done since Automatic. It's also far superior to over lauded albums like "Green " and the most over lauded of the lot "Out Of Time". Taken away from the context of REM ,s catalogue Fables Of The Reconstruction is a great album in it,s own right and actually gives weight to that hoary old saying -A triumph over adversity .
going down in search for some roots of music May 19, 2004
3 out of 6 found this review helpful
R.E.M.s' third LP was released in 1985, prior to the declaration of the group being the best rock 'n' roll act in the US. Bassist Mike Mills said in an interview with group once, that the album was recorded in a cold and dumpy studio in London, and that the atmosphere was of depression and not knowing if this album would ever be completed. The first three notes of the first track of the album, "Feeling Gravity Pull", reflect just what these four guys from Athens Georgia, U.S.A. felt while writing and recording the album, away from their home and friends.
Moving on from the melancholy of the first song, you can find songs that bring a combination of music and lyrics that leaves you no choice but to imagine some image in your head, and after all that is one of the main purposes of music. Even though in most occasions the lyrics aren't saying anything comprehensible, still the feeling of getting some message through and interacting with the listener is always present.
While the members of R.E.M. dispute each other whether the album is one of their favorites or it sucks, this creation of them can be held as a proof to this band's talent.
REM Strike Gold 7 Years Before Automatic' April 7, 2003
7 out of 8 found this review helpful
Fables is undoubtedly REM's finest moment on record (except perhaps "Fall On Me" on Lifes Rich Pageant). It somehow manages to sound so quintessentially Southern, but at the same time retains that underground, dreamy feel of the first two albums. Imagine Pavement doing "The Night they drove old Dixie down" and you've an idea of how splendid this album is. Every song has its merits, from the lush meloncholy of "Maps and Legends" through the Byrds-like jangle of "Driver 8" to the sorry tale of the crackpot "Wendell Gee". The added outtakes and live reworkings on this reissue, only add to strengthen an already perfect collection of songs. More people should recognise the genius of this album and the other 4 that they recorded for IRS. There's more to life than Automatic and Out of Time!!
Such an excellent album October 3, 2002
5 out of 15 found this review helpful
Maybe I'm just not getting it but 'Fables' is my favourite REM album behind 'Automatic' and 'Life's Rich Pageant'.Fans were obviously influenced by bandmembers hasty statements pertaining to their view that this was their least favourite album. You've got to remember this album was made in a period of time when relations were strained between bandmembers, so antagonism and bad memories towards the album would have to be expected. The music doesn't suffer though. This album has many magical moments. 'Maps and Legends' is simply brilliant with Michael and Mike singing a beautiful harmony together. 'Where the Rushes grow' is a slow, jangly guitar ballad which always hits the spot and 'Kohoutek' is a typical REM sounding track, which makes it great of course! In fact there are only two poor songs on the album and they are 'Something Strange', which is a cover of a Wire track, so it isn't a real REM song, so it can be excused. The other is 'Burn in Hell', which is terrible. It's so untypical of REM, in a bad way. They are not even experimenting, it's just a very bad song. Don't believe the bad hype this album has got. If you like REM, you'll like this. You'll probably grow to like it more than other REM albums, which I did.
Possibly my favourite album ever - and I don't even like REM August 29, 2002
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
For those who like beautiful indie guitar soundscape albums of the late 80s/early 90s this album is a masterpiece. There aren't really any standard REM pop moments to draw a casual listener in, but that's it's strength - this album grounds itself in your subconscious and has no gimicky hooks to grow tired of.Beware, many REM fans don't like this album, but I'd recommend it to anyone who likes their earlier albums and wants a more mellow experience, with classic REM vocals used to a much more soulful and calmer effect. Very good for long journeys, after ten years plus this remains one of my favourite and most played albums despite having gone off REM.
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