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R.E.M. Document Release Date: 1987 Running Time: 39:34 Label: EMI Music Distribution 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 mid-tempo 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 Tracks: Title Composer Time 1 Finest Worksong Stipe, Mills, Berry, Buck 3:48 2 Welcome to the Occupation Berry, Buck, Stipe, Berry, Mills 2:48 3 Exhuming McCarthy Berry, Mills, Berry, Buck, Stipe 3:19 4 Disturbance at the Heron House Mills, Buck, Stipe, Berry 3:33 5 Strange Gilbert, Gotobed, Newman, Lewis 2:32 6 It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) Berry, Buck, Stipe, Berry, Mills 4:07 7 One I Love Berry, Mills, Stipe, Buck 3:17 8 Fireplace Mills, Berry, Buck, Stipe, Berry 3:24 9 Lightnin' Hopkins Stipe, Berry, Mills, Buck, Berry 3:18 10 King of Birds Mills, Stipe, Berry, Buck, Berry 4:07 11 Oddfellows Local 151 Buck, Berry, Mills, Berry, Stipe 5:21 Releases: Year Type Label 1997 CD EMI Music Distribution 1998 CD Capitol Records 1992 CD Universal Distribution 1993 CD EMI Music Distribution 2008 LP Capitol Records 2003 DVA Capitol Records 1999 LP Capitol Records CD Capitol Records 2000 LP EMI Music Distribution 1987 CD IRS

Group Members: Bill Berry Peter Buck Michael Stipe Mike Mills More >> Similar Artists: Richard Thompson The dB's Hüsker Dü The Feelies The Replacements More >>

Influenced By: Iggy Pop Gram Parsons The Velvet Underground T. Rex Patti Smith More >> Followers: Crash Test Dummies Toad the Wet Sprocket Fetchin Bones Sloan The Close Lobsters More >>

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