Green and Out Of Time continued R.E.M.’s winning streak of solid albums, but amid the flood of great mainstream releases in the early 90s the band knew it was no time to rest on its laurels, even if the band was not aiming to compete with U2 or the sudden popularity of grunge.

Mortality permeates most of the tracks on Automatic For The People. I can remember giving this album to my godfather’s daughter after he died suddenly from a stroke. She thanked me and told me she couldn’t make it through “Everybody Hurts” without breaking down. The instrumental “New Orleans Instrumental No. 1” has a somber funeral dirge feel and “Try Not To Breathe” has a whole new perspective more than a decade after the album’s release in the wake of the Terri Schiavo debate.

The most obvious example of the mortality theme comes from “Sweetness Follows,” which ranks as one of Michael Stipe’s finest vocal performances. “It’s these little things that can pull you under,” Stipe sings with little pathos on a song dealing with burying your parents and the gaping hole that the siblings will have to weather.

However, grief isn’t the universal element on Automatic For The People. The introduction song, “Drive,” has an almost Steven Wright deadpan as Stipe flatly twists the lyrics of David Essex’s bubble-gummy “Rock On” into a dry stab at gallows humor. “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight” drops candy bar and Dr. Seuss visuals and a chorus that makes even the most mumbled of Stipe’s earlier lyrics seem downright clear by comparison. And “Man on the Moon” name drops celebrities, games and wrestling stars of old while paying homage to Andy Kaufman.

Yet for all its charms, I can't in good conscience give this one a solid A. “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight” was quirky, but its Kermit the Frog-like whimsy always made me want to fast-forward through the song. “Star Me Kitten” was another experimental tune that came off more plodding than ponderous. And while I’m at it, “Man On The Moon” quickly wore out its welcome after it was played incessantly on the radio. That said, the single of that song was released months after Automatic hit the streets and it helped the album attain the same sales as Green and Out of Time, a great achievement for an album that was far more of a challenging listen than its predecssor.

The band has stated in earlier interviews that Automatic was one of the least cohesive albums they recorded. It certainly is uneven. But it has many high points, such as the absolutely gorgeous closers “Nightswimming” and “Find The River.” It’s a testament to not only Micahel Stipe’s songwriting abilities, but the band’s evolving musicianship, and Peter Buck’s guitar work, both electric and mandolin, achieves greatness in the fact that most of the songs on Automatic are instantly recognizable for their guitar riffs.

Automatic is an album that people tend to fall in and out of favor with. One year, it’s hailed as R.E.M.’s finest hour, another year, it’s deemed very good but overrated. Regardless of your belief, it is definitely good enough to merit revisiting.

Rating: A-

User Rating: A-

Comments