By 1984, the path of popular music was an eight lane toll road of synthesizers and drum machines. Angry drivers, were not even paying attention to where they were going. There was no soul or any answers at the end of this highway....To be outta control and speeding to the beat, meant you were in the center of nothing. In all this emptiness, you at last, were surrounded by everyone else, blind to the beautiful view all around them, as if they were machines from a science fiction movie....1984.

From a back country path deep in the South, along comes R.E.M.
This band of light and energy crossed the highway so quickly and headed back into the woods, that hardly anyone payed them any attention. I was lucky to have seen them cross the interstate, and I went exploring in the woods, searching for answers.

Deep into a green forest, I found guitars and drums and words that became strange shapes and forms. Everything else was on the outside of the woods, nothing else was as important as this. I abandoned the eighties, as something better was to be found in this forest....Here, I found hope.

"Reckoning" is my favorite album from R.E.M.
This record, rocks as much as it talks.
"Pretty Persuation" "Harborcoat" "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville" "7 Chinese Brothers" "Second Guessing" & "So. Central Rain" are enough music to fill a Greatest Hits record, from any other band. The surprise here is that this is only a second full album of songs from a band that had been touring the South, in a station wagon playing crazy gigs anywhere that would have them.

The sound has improved to the original record, and that in itself is a big deal. But at last the Chicago show that was broadcast in July 1984 (and bootlegged to death) gives us a listen to R.E.M's part of that night from the Aragon Ballroom. Opening act, The Dream Syndicate, released their set in 1984 as: "This Is Not The New Dream Syndicate Album...Live!"
Everything, that Reckoning was on vinyl, all but erupts in concert. Early R.E.M. was a touring band of faith-healers looking for converts in every town in their path. The entire show is not on this disc, but enough is here to prove to the world, what a few already knew...R.E.M. were young and spiky, but seasoned and professional, all at the same time.

As R.E.M. was the bridge from the 1960's into the 1980's, this band effected the music that would blast forth from Seattle in the early 1990's. This record, is as important as it is fun to experience.
"Reckoning" is best album of the eighties.
FIVE STARS!!!

Brand	N/A
Rating	4.8 (276 ratings)
Price	$29.99
Category	American Alternative

Reckoning

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