Just had a great suggestion from @[email protected] - how about we start a “book club” but for alternative albums! Apparently our friends over at HipHopHeads has started one. I think that sounds splendid!

As [email protected] wrote: “Next week I will start the thread. Every week will be a different album and anybody who is interested can give it a listen, then share their opinions in the weekly thread!”

Sound good?

YOUR ALBUM ASSIGNMENT: REM - Automatic For The People

The band that is our community header that kicked off a 1000 alternative bands of their own. After taking college rock and literally kick starting the “authenticity” alternative music boom of the 90s, REM returned with this brooding dark album.

https://songwhip.com/rem/automatic-for-the-people1992

First thread will be next week!

Have fun and get listening!!!

Feel free to DM me or any mod suggestions.

  • @[email protected]English
    5•1 year ago

    My first good job in the mid 90s was as a software tester in Sony Broadcast UK. I was testing an automated radio station that played CDs from a big 180 disc carousel. One of the 4 supplied CDs was Automatic For The People.

    I listened to that album so freaking much lol, I can’t stand it now!

    • ren (a they/them)OPM
      4•1 year ago

      HAHA! hey, it’s been a long time - may be time to relax, grab a drink, put on the Good headphones, and let Stipe sing & moan at ya.

    • @[email protected]
      2•1 year ago

      I just imagined you troubleshooting this carousel because it only played one specific track on one apecific CD on repeat, and the more frustrated you got from the issue at hand, the angrier you got from hearing “Everybody Hurts” on repeat.

      • @[email protected]English
        1•1 year ago

        Bwahahaha that’s hilarious, and I absolutely had to listen to some tracks over and over.

  • @ParkedInReverse
    4•1 year ago

    Fine, fine. I’ll stop listening to just Drive this time. It’s been buzzing about my head for days now.

    • ren (a they/them)OPM
      1•1 year ago

      yeah, just posted one! Instead of 2 threads, just did the one. But also, would love suggestions!!!

      • kvnM
        1•1 year ago

        Awesome! I think it would be a good idea to include a schedule for future weeks on the weekly post. Take a look at how hiphopheads is doing theirs.

        Also can we set up an external group chat between you, me, and the other mods where we can discuss this and other community stuff? Lemmy direct messages don’t seem to be great and I don’t want to fill these threads with community discussion

  • @SandLightEnglish
    2•1 year ago

    One of my favorite albums. Been coming back to it somewhat regularly since high school

  • @[email protected]English
    1•1 year ago

    Hmmm, yeah. I started buying REM records with Reckoning, and stopped with Document. I think I saw them as mainstream after that, no longer the college radio band I loved.

    I just checked, that means I missed out on Green, Out of Time and this one, from 92. They were still the same great guys, making great music. I just moved on, personally.

    I’m listening to Automatic rn and it’s fine. I remember Everybody Hurts being huge in its day. The band was never known for bright and shiny songs, eh, but this isn’t The Cure either.