Fables of the Reconstruction

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
R.E.M.'s third full-length recording, Fables of the Reconstruction delivers the purest distillation of the band's early sound. With the exception of the horn-laden, radio-friendly "Can't Get There from Here," the songs form a connected soundscape. Nearly transparent production highlights the glittering guitar arpeggios, active bass, and the disciplined, patterned drum lines, with organ and spare string arrangements adding texture to several pieces. And then there are the vocals: dense harmonies of voices calling out to each other, a rich humming and howling around Michael Stipe's central mumble. A careful listener can discern most of the lyrics, though what exactly they signify remains unclear. The album is best contemplated in its entirety, and the songs reward careful, repeated listening. This is a seminal alternative album, its material evocative, its ultimate meanings elusive. If your CD collection has room for only a few R.E.M. albums, Fables should be one of them. --Albert Massa --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Fables of the Reconstruction
Average customer rating:

Dark and underrated R.E.M. early effort

Very Underrated

Fabled Journey

Excellent Buy

My kingdom for a remastered release

Fables of the Reconstruction
R.E.M.
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
General | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
General | Rock | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Jangle Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
General | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Lifes Rich Pageant

Reckoning

Murmur

Document

Dead Letter Office

ASIN: B000002UW0
Release Date: 1998-01-27

Tracks:

Feeling Gravity's Pull
Maps and Legends
Driver 8
Life and How to Live It
Old Man Kensey
Can't Get There From Here
Green Grow the Rushes
Kohoutek
Auctioneer (Another Engine)
Good Advices
Wendell Gee

Amazon.com

R.E.M.'s third full-length recording, Fables of the Reconstruction delivers the purest distillation of the band's early sound. With the exception of the horn-laden, radio-friendly "Can't Get There from Here," the songs form a connected soundscape. Nearly transparent production highlights the glittering guitar arpeggios, active bass, and the disciplined, patterned drum lines, with organ and spare string arrangements adding texture to several pieces. And then there are the vocals: dense harmonies of voices calling out to each other, a rich humming and howling around Michael Stipe's central mumble. A careful listener can discern most of the lyrics, though what exactly they signify remains unclear. The album is best contemplated in its entirety, and the songs reward careful, repeated listening. This is a seminal alternative album, its material evocative, its ultimate meanings elusive. If your CD collection has room for only a few R.E.M. albums, Fables should be one of them. --Albert Massa

Amazon.com

R.E.M. Photos

More from R.E.M.

Lifes Rich Pageant
The Best of the I.R.S. Years: Collector's Edition
Document

Customer Reviews:

Dark and underrated R.E.M. early effort.......2007-07-06

The third album by R.E.M. was recorded during a difficult phase where the band was fighting (and the future looked bleak). The music reflects this turmoil: it's often spare, moody, dark, troubled; a stark contrast to the more upbeat and harder rocking music in the near future. Like the last two albums, it begins strongly with a mostly great first half, but a few instantly skippable tracks later on spoil the broth ("Old Man Kensey," "Kohoutek"). As expected from early R.E.M., the best song comes right out the gate, and "Feeling Gravity's Pull" is reminiscent of the Cure and Joy Division, two groups that rarely get compared to this one. Truly, tensions have affected Stipe and company.

After that and "Auctioneer," though, the best tracks rarely stand with the upper echelon of R.E.M.'s catalog. The good news is that at least the sound is more consistent here than it will be during their peak commercial years. Just barely misses out on being one of their essential albums, but those weened on their major label material should still check it out.

Best cuts: "Feeling Gravity's Pull," "Auctioneer (Another Engine)," "Maps and Legends," "Driver 8," "Life and How to Live It," "Good Advices," "Green Grow the Rushes," "Can't Get There From Here"

Very Underrated.......2006-11-02

This is that rarest of things: an underrated R.E.M. album. The sound is like nothing R.E.M. did before or since. "Maps and Legends" and "Green Grow The Rushes" are personal favorites, but almost everything here is solid. Much better than "Murmur" or "Reckoning," but seldom mentioned in the same sentence-until now!

Fabled Journey.......2006-09-17

'Reconstruction of the Fables' showcases the uncompromising dedication R.E.M. has to reinvent their sound wheel on every outing. Every album is consistently great quality with the moxy even the Beatles lacked. (For them superstardom garnered nearly limitless resources at their disposal.) '...Fables' is a brilliant album that is only slightly tarnished by a production that reminds one of the sixties. The folk-rock sensibility is certainly updated, however, and the concept presented is consistent in a lyrically and musically varied fashion.

Sojourn is the keyword here. They start this adventure with the shivery instrumentation of "Feel Gravity's Pull." With Peter Buck's sharp guitar patterns, Michael Stipe sings of an inward journey, presented with a landscape of "...a man-grey kind of sky...". The invocation of "Step up..., step up...the light is mine" sets up a Dante-esque journey, as in the 'Purgatorio,' to a higher spiritual realm. Then, if the destination is decided, "Maps and Legends" gives the listener a guide. Instrumentally, it is a sweeping and addictive tune at that. Every destination deserves stops along the way, so "Driver 8," with its fast-forward folk-rock appeal, encourages us weary pilgrims with refreshment. One of the best pair of songs from the album are "Life and How to Live It" and "I Can't Get There from Here". Both remind one of riveting punk-rock, not unlike the pace of the Ramones. Still, the first one is punchy; the latter is jazzy. Both have some sage thoughts in the mix. And, they don't stop their advice there, either. "Green Grow the Rushes" illustrates that the splendour of the earth make the journey worthy like its destinations. It contains not only more intricate folk-rock but more textured harmonies as well. (It also shows R.E.M.'s environmental proclivities.) However, not all the stops along the way are pleasant. "Old Man Kensey" is a shivery and startling portrait of a murderer or mobster (or both). The concise images of "wanting to be a goalie..." and "going far" are chillingly provided for a creepy character who seems to slip through the safety net for someone to find--like on a highway. The ending "Wendell Gee" provides a sad portrait of someone who has developmentally not reached his destination. The Southern accents and Stipe's lamenting refrain create a portrait of an innocent youth whose perpetrator of abuse will suffer the consequences. Before the C.D. ends, there is still good will provided. "Good Advices" is langorous, but not an overtime appeal to use gentility with heart in relationships. "Kahoutek" lingers even longer, but it illustrates well that there are key, but fleeting moments when brief relationships and discoveries make life exceptional. "The Auctioneer" provides a new twist thematically and musically to the train songs. More progressive, its admonition is to improve on time, talent, and relationships, but the sound simulates a train to good effect.

'Reconstruction of the Fables' is a thoroughly consistent outing by R.E.M. It may seem like a slight update of sixties' folkie albums, but it delivers a solid set of songs that seldom stray from its theme and without losing the sojourners' interest.

Excellent Buy.......2006-03-13

Excellent CD by REM. Had this CD many years ago, but haven't seen it in almost as many. Seller sent me one brand new, and I have been enjoying it ever since!!!
Thanks!

My kingdom for a remastered release.......2006-01-13

I have this on vinyl, original IRS. The CD does not do the vinyl justice but even the vinyl can stand to be remastered. They have done this with all their early albums, why not one of their best? Vinyl or CD, I will take either. This album has to be considered the last of the "we don't care if we are big pop stars" REM. Next it was Green, that is, "the color of money." Their most southern album, the title says it all. Live the south in all its glory and mainly it inglorious reality -- dirt poor, hard and backwards.

Average customer rating:

Took a while to grow on me
A Fabled Journey
A great collection of songs!
It's exquisite!
R.E.M.'s Best Work

Fables of the Reconstruction
R.E.M.
Manufacturer: EMI Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Jangle Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Alternative Rock | Imports | Stores | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Lifes Rich Pageant
Reckoning
Document
Murmur
Dead Letter Office

ASIN: B0000073AX
Release Date: 1992-08-06

Tracks:

Feeling Gravitys Pull
Maps And Legends
Driver 8
Life And How To Live It
Old Man Kensey
Cant Get There From Here
Green Grow The Rushes
Kohoutek
Auctioneer (Another Engine)
Good Advices
Wendell Gee
Crazy
Burning Hell
Bandwagon
Driver 8 (Live)
Maps And Legends (Live)

Album Description

Mid-priced reissue of the foreign edition of their 1985 top 30 album with five bonus tracks added, their cover of Pylon's 'Crazy', 'Burning Hell', 'Bandwagon', 'Driver 8' (Live) and 'Maps And Legends' (Live). 16 tracks total, also featuring the college radio staples 'Can't Get There From Here', 'Driver 8', 'Feeling Gravity's Pull' & 'Maps And Legends'. 1992 release.

Album Details

The Regular Album is Augmented with Crazy / Burning Hell / Bandwagon / Driver Eight (Live) / Maps and Legends (Live).

Customer Reviews:

Took a while to grow on me.......2006-11-24

Having not heard this album until well after its release, I'd already become pretty familiar with REM through everything they'd released after Document in 1987. When I went back and bought their earlier albums this one kind of stuck out like a banged up thumb.
There's a progression to most REM albums, from Chronic Town all the way through the post-Bill Berry era, but this one is out of place. It doesn't seem to be a reasonable bridge from 1984's Reckoning to 1986's Life's Rich Pageant the way those albums are a step after Murmur and before Document, respectively.
The introduction to the album given on the early best-of Eponymous isn't much help, either. Driver 8 is still one of my favorite REM songs due to it's vocal melody, but 15 years after first hearing it I'm still not a fan of Can't Get There From Here. It's simply too busy-sounding.
But 15 years also does a lot to a person's perspective, and now I think Fables is easily one of REM's best efforts. The songwriting is brilliantly narrative though still somewhat cryptic in Stipe's early manner of lyricism. Almost every song is its own short story, and Feeling Gravity's Pull is one of the band's best "Side One Track One" tunes ever. It perfectly sets the tone for what follows.
This isn't the album to buy if you're looking to introduce yourself to REM other than what you've heard on the radio since 1991. It's easily their most challenging album, however, and if you're a person who takes enjoyment out of picking pieces out of songs for deeper understanding and you're willing to put the time in in order to let the music evolve in your brain to raise whatever consciousness you have, click "Add to cart" right now.
I'm not going to try writing an explanation of every song on it, because one of the best things about this record is how many different understandings I've been able to glean from listening to it over the years and through different parts of my life.

A Fabled Journey.......2006-09-16

'Reconstruction of the Fables' showcases the uncompromising dedication R.E.M. has to reinvent their sound wheel on every outing. Every album is consistently great quality with the moxy even the Beatles lacked. (For them superstardom garnered nearly limitless resources at their disposal.) '...Fables' is a brilliant album that is only slightly tarnished by a production that reminds one of the sixties. The folk-rock sensibility is certainly updated, however, and the concept presented is consistent in a lyrically and musically varied fashion.

Sojourn is the keyword here. They start this adventure with the shivery instrumentation of "Feel Gravity's Pull." With Peter Buck's sharp guitar patterns, Michael Stipe sings of an inward journey, presented with a landscape of "...a man-grey kind of sky...". The invocation of "Step up..., step up...the light is mine" sets up a Dante-esque journey, as in the 'Purgatorio,' to a higher spiritual realm. Then, if the destination is decided, "Maps and Legends" gives the listener a guide. Instrumentally, it is a sweeping and addictive tune at that. Every destination deserves stops along the way, so "Driver 8," with its fast-forward folk-rock appeal, encourages us weary pilgrims with refreshment. One of the best pair of songs from the album are "Life and How to Live It" and "I Can't Get There from Here". Both remind one of riveting punk-rock, not unlike the pace of the Ramones. Still, the first one is punchy; the latter is jazzy. Both have some sage thoughts in the mix. And, they don't stop their advice there, either. "Green Grow the Rushes" illustrate that the splendour of the earth make the journey worthy like its destinations. It contains not only more intricate folk-rock but more textured harmonies as well. (It also shows R.E.M.'s environmental proclivities.) However, not all the stops along the way are pleasant. "Old Man Kensey" is a shivery and startling portrait of a murderer or mobster (or both). The concise images of "wanting to be a goalie..." and "going far" are chillingly provided for a creepy character who seems to slip through the safety net for someone to find--like on a highway. The ending "Wendell Gee" provides a sad portrait of someone who has developmentally not reached his destination. The Southern accents and Stipe's lamenting refrain create a portrait of an innocent youth whose perpetrator of abuse will suffer the consequences. Before the C.D. ends, there is still good will provided. "Good Advices" is langorous, but not an overtime appeal to use gentility with heart in relationships. "Kahoutek" lingers even longer, but it illustrates well that there are key, but fleeting moments when brief relationships and discoveries make life exceptional. "The Auctioneer" provides a new twist thematically and musically to the train songs. More progressive, its admonition is to improve on time, talent, and relationships, but the sound simulates a train to good effect.

'Reconstruction of the Fables' is a thoroughly consistent outing by R.E.M. It may seem like a slight update of sixties' folkie albums, but it delivers a solid set of songs that seldom stray from its theme and without losing the sojourners' interest.

A great collection of songs!.......2004-08-17

One thing before I continue: If you own the original copy of Fables, there is no need to purchase this album; they're all included on Dead Letter Office. But for those of you who don't own the album, this is certainly the one to get.

From the excellent opener, Feeling Gravitys Pull, the listener is drawn into the albums generally gloomy mood... but who said there's anything wrong with gloomy? There are the radio hits Driver 8 (my personal favourite of this cd), Life And How To Live It, and the somewhat upbeat Can't Get There From Here, all great songs. Maps and Legends is my personal favourite, very nice track indeed :P

We also have the calm, though catchy melodys of Green Grow the Rushes, Old Man Kensey, Good Advices and Wendell Gee (a very good album closer, one of the best I've ever heard!) No track on this cd is really that bad, so there's no track skipping here!

Then we have the bonus tracks, that are good but certainly not enough to entice those who own the original. Crazy and Bandwagon are great little covers, the former always urgeing me to start dancing! Burning Hell is probably the worst of the bonus tracks, but it's not that bad.

The two live recordings of two of the better albums on the songs are great, and the live version of Maps is actually superior to the original! Definatly worth hearing for new R.E.M. listeners!

Verdict? Well, I gave the original 4 stars because it still pales in comparison to R.E.M.s other albums, and a few bonus tracks won't change that. But this cd is definatly worth picking up, it's the sort of atmospheric music you won't find on any other cd!

It's exquisite!.......2003-09-19

I'm a fairly new fan of R.E.M. and this albumn is a new discovery for me. It really is exquisite. They have a genius for giving one a glimpse of the weave of the carpet of Creation and that is very apparent in this albumn. It has more than the usual exquisite patterning of harmony and discord, high and low, voices and music and lots of other things I can barely percieve. The harmonies do wonderful and shocking things. It's an education! All this and a lively dance beat too! That said - it's not for the faint hearted.

R.E.M.'s Best Work.......2003-06-12

"Fables of the Reconstruction" was the album that convinced me to make the *jump* from "classic" rock to alternative in 1985. Not only is this my favorite REM album, it's my favorite ALBUM--period.

Fables is beautiful; dark, deep, lush... (kinda like kudzu) it's easy to get lost in Michael's stories of the South, while simultaneously being hypnotized by Peter Buck's jangling Rickenbocker-picking sound. Buck's playing takes the listener for a Byrd's-esque train ride on Driver 8, the album's standout track. This is the song that would influence everything I'd listen to for the next ten years-- it was THE point of comparison.

Michael Stipe is at his peak vocally on this album, and Peter Buck would never sound this good again. Not to mention Mike Mills' harmonies and Bill Berry's solid drumming--
If you're new to REM, you REALLY owe it to yourself to listen to this one.