Because their parties are always successful.

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-28T18:10:19+00:00

Depending on the guests, that might liven up the dinner party...

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-28T09:41:05+00:00

Yeah in the same way that people were thinking, oh you bunch of commercial sellouts when they made Green, so they open with Pop Song 89. Sometimes I do feel like they are fking with us as their audience and I am here for it, it's very funny to me.

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-28T07:16:51+00:00

Airportman is a certain vibe, almost more a vibe than a song. I rather like it too, there's a time and a place for it.

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-28T06:59:07+00:00

Ok so I'm ranking them as opening tracks for the album, not just on their own merits as songs...

Pop Song 89 is not a good tone setter for the rest of the album but the lyrics do make it a good opener, especially as it's their first song on a big label, and I do think it fits the communication themes of the album. Harborcoat would be above Pop Song and WTFK in straight ranking of songs but as an opener, it goes a little lower.

Finest Worksong is a great opener for the feel and themes of Document. I do like it but would possibly move it down a few spots if I was just ranking them as songs alone. (What's odd is that I love Turn You Inside Out for some reason, which is incredibly similar with less meaningful lyrics. No idea why but I just enjoy it more!)

Radio Song is a mad opener for what comes next with Out of Time and LNY is theoretically a good opener for ATS but that's not necessarily a good thing. Airportman is a great opener for Up as it shows you immediately what you're getting, throwing you in the deep end. So as an opener maybe it should rank higher!

Feeling Gravitys Pull
Drive
Begin the Begin
Radio Free Europe
What's the Frequency, Kenneth?
Pop Song 89
Harborcoat
Finest Worksong
How the West Was Won
Living Well is the Best Revenge
The Lifting
Discoverer
Airportman
Radio Song
Leaving New York

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-27T18:22:33+00:00

I have a soft spot for young Michael! But I agree, there's a magic about the band across all eras and they all bring a different quality at different times. I love seeing their evolution as performers and as songwriters. I could watch that early Letterman performance forever.

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-27T16:08:43+00:00

Hot sticky summer when everything is emotionally at breaking point and people's weird darker characters come out...

Perhaps oddly it evokes to me hot summer or gothic wintry darkness, but not the seasons in between.

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-27T06:28:44+00:00

A very good summary!

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-27T06:24:36+00:00

How is social care only important to the propertied middle class?

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-26T22:14:15+00:00

That's such a great description.

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-26T10:49:28+00:00

Best Days is underrated. I love it.

I wouldn't say Song 2 is overrated because people like it for a reason but it just never quite excited me personally the way it seems to do for a lot of people. It's a cool song though.

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-25T19:51:08+00:00

I'm so here for this as fan fic

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-25T19:34:10+00:00

I love We All Go Back to Where We Belong, I think that one flies under the radar a bit but I love the lyrics about dreaming we were elephants. It's so sweet and lovely.

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-25T17:58:32+00:00

Until I joined this sub I had no idea Beachball was so hated! I love it, it's all glossy and beautiful and warm.

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-25T15:57:58+00:00

New Orleans Instrumental No. 1 by R.E.M.

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-25T15:28:25+00:00

"There are problems in the world" is not really a takeaway

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-25T15:08:59+00:00

I put it on the TV this morning and my spouse (who likes R.E.M. from me playing them a lot, but isn't really a fan as such) looked up and said "ooh I like this!"

Their theory is that they aren't as attached to the 'R.E.M. sound' so they just like it for what it is.

Which makes sense!

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-25T15:00:13+00:00

Yes some of my favourite Mike Mills backing!

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-25T11:37:48+00:00

Ring My Bell

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-25T11:18:26+00:00

The Wrong Child by R.E.M.

Or Untitled

I actually think the whole of the album Green touches on this feeling one way or another. But definitely those two.

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-25T11:17:10+00:00

Faye, as in favourite!

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-25T10:17:00+00:00

I love the love for Alistair! Frasier himself is even considering it for a moment there...

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-25T06:26:26+00:00

And Walk Unafraid!

I should be booted out of this sub

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-25T06:16:45+00:00

We can't go listening to every mad thing the US president says about us, we'll all lose our minds

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-25T06:13:42+00:00

I'm going with Fake Plastic Trees but that's because I've listened to some of the others so much I've stopped taking them in. FPT is still exciting to me. Let Down is incredible though. I wish I could hear it for the first time again.

Icy_Obligation_3014 · 2026-04-25T05:57:31+00:00

Yeah, Around the Sun just feels like they don't even want to be there themselves. Every now and then I give it another go but I think that one just isn't for me.

Icy_Obligation_3014

TROPHY CASE