For their third album, R.E.M. made a conscious effort to break from the traditions Murmur and Reckoning established, electing to record in England with legendary folk-rock producer Joe Boyd.
For a variety of reasons, the sessions were difficult, and that tension is apparent throughout Fables of the Reconstruction.
A dark, moody rumination on American folk -- not only the music, but its myths -- Fables is creepy, rustic psychedelic folk, filled with eerie sonic textures.
Some light breaks through occasionally, such as the ridiculous collegiate blue-eyed soul of "Can't Get There From Here," but the group's trademark ringing guitars and cryptic lyrics have grown sinister, giving even sing-alongs like "Driver 8" an ominous edge.
Fables is more inconsistent than its two predecessors, but the group does demonstrate considerable musical growth, particularly in how perfectly it evokes the strange rural legends of the South.
And many of the songs on the record -- including "Feeling Gravitys Pull," "Maps and Legends," "Green Grow the Rushes," "Auctioneer (Another Engine)," and the previously mentioned pair -- rank among the group's best.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feeling Gravity's PullBill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe | R.E.M. | Play | 04:51 | 11 MB | 27 MB |
| 2 | Maps and LegendsBill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe | R.E.M. | Play | 03:11 | 7 MB | 20 MB |
| 3 | Driver 8Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe | R.E.M. | Play | 03:23 | 7 MB | 22 MB |
| 4 | Life and How to Live ItBill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe | R.E.M. | Play | 04:08 | 9 MB | 25 MB |
| 5 | Old Man KenseyJ. Ayers, Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe | R.E.M. | Play | 04:09 | 9 MB | 23 MB |
| 6 | Can't Get There from HereBill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe | R.E.M. | Play | 03:39 | 8 MB | 24 MB |
| 7 | Green Grow the RushesBill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe | R.E.M. | Play | 03:46 | 8 MB | 23 MB |
| 8 | KohoutekBill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe | R.E.M. | Play | 03:18 | 7 MB | 20 MB |
| 9 | Wendell GeeBill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe | R.E.M. | Play | 03:01 | 6 MB | 17 MB |
| 10 | Auctioneer | R.E.M. | Play | 02:44 | 6 MB | 17 MB |
| 11 | Good Advices | R.E.M. | Play | 03:31 | 8 MB | 21 MB |
| 39 mins | 91 MB | |||||
| 39 mins | 244 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | J. Ayers | Composer |
| 2 | Bill Berry | Composer, Drums |
| 3 | David Bitelli | Sax (Baritone), Sax (Tenor), Saxophone |
| 4 | Joe Boyd | Producer |
| 5 | Jerry Boys | Engineer |
| 6 | Camilla Brunt | Violin |
| 7 | Peter Buck | Composer, Guitar |
| 8 | Barry Clempson | Engineer |
| 9 | Jim Dvorak | Trumpet |
| 10 | Tony Harris | Engineer |
| 11 | Philippa Ibbotson | Violin |
| 12 | Mike Mills | Bass, Composer |
| 13 | David Newby | Cello |
| 14 | R.E.M. | Primary Artist |
| 15 | Michael Stipe | Composer, Vocals |
| 16 | Pete Thomas | Sax (Tenor) |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |
| CD Quality | FLAC | 16bit 44.1kHz | FLAC is an audio coding format which uses lossless compression. Digital audio in FLAC format has a smaller size and retains the same quality of the original Compact Disc (CD). |