R.E.M. - Document (1987) [1st pressing, UK]

AMG review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine:

“

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.

”

Tracklist:
01 Finest Worksong (03:51)
02 Welcome To The Occupation (02:49)
03 Exhuming McCarthy (03:22)
04 Disturbance At The Heron House (03:34)
05 Strange (02:33)
06 It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I feel Fine) (04:07)
07 The One I Love (03:18)
08 Fireplace (03:25)
09 Lightnin' Hopkins (03:21)
10 King Of Birds (04:10)
11 Oddfellows Local 151 (05:22)