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Monday 24 July 2017

The New Adventures in Hi-Fi Conundrum Resolved


New Adventures in Hi-Fi the 10th studio album from R.E.M. from 1996 is one of the many CDs that I have had in my hand in a charity shop on more than one occasion unsure whether I had it or not.
In this instance the conundrum has been resolved as I finally  bought the bloody thing in Stranraer. Turns out I didn't have it. I do now.
Our resident R.E.M. expert the Robster rates it as the 9th best out of their 15 studio albums. I haven't heard them all but that sounds just about right.
The post Out of Time/Automatic for the People CDs pop up far more regularly in charity shops than the early ones do. I'm sure there is a reason for that.
The average price for the vinyl copy on Discogs is 80 quid. I'm glad I didn't pay that.£1.99 seems more appropriate.
Like the curate's egg it is good in parts although I could live without E-Bow the Letter.
Here are a couple of the better numbers - the first and last tracks.

R.E.M. - How The West Was Won and Where it Got Us

R.E.M. - Electrolite

6 comments:

  1. Thanks for the link to TheRobster's REM Rundown, it's fascinating stuff, although I'm still reeling from 'Reckoning' being ranked so low down the list. 'New Adventures in Hi-Fi' was REM's last hurrah, for me anyway, even if I didn't know it at the time. I was lucky enough to have an advance promo cassette of the album in August 1996 and have fond memories of playing it on constant rotation when I drove a car load of people to see Oasis at Knebworth. Whenever I hear 'New Adventures in Hi-Fi' now it takes me right back to that day.

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  2. Wow. 80 quid for the vinyl. Almost tempted to cash in.

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    1. I'm surprised you haven't done so already given your lack of pay rises over the last 7 years

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  3. Cheers for the link. I still think NAIHF is a good record but could be better if it were three of four tracks shorter. You've picked two of the best, and if I was to stick my neck out I'd probably also recommend So Fast So Numb and Low Desert too. E-Bow The Letter isn't that bad - it's got Patti Smith on it!

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  4. When this first came out, I really couldn't get into it. Over the years though, it's grown on me a lot. I'd probably place it higher than #9 in my own REM list.

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  5. Pretty much recorded on the road on the Monster tour, this is very much a parting of the ways record; Bill Berry left shortly afterwards and while there are more highs than lows on this album, sadly the same can't be said for what followed...

    Jez

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