One Week // One Band: The concrete broke your fall.

oneweekoneband:

R.E.M. – Why Not Smile

Belying its title and upbeat album art, Up is downcast, a set of songs about depression and trauma that sounds like it was recorded in the aftermath of depression and trauma. Michael often sings from either the point of view of someone in crisis or of someone offering…

This song, this song. Generally, I abhor such things as “switching the tracklisting” on a record. I find it offensive and demeaning to the art of the ‘album,’ especially if the album was clearly defined as such.

Up is the only exception, and I use Stylus’ “Playing God With Up” tracklist. I don’t omit the songs that are excised, instead putting them at the end (as a sort of EP). But, as much as I love “Airportman,” “Why Not Smile” is such a better album opener. In fact, it’s one of the best album openers ever (even if it’s really obviously arranged to be one)— were it not for the fact that it comes in the middle of the album.

That’s one of the frustrating things about Up. It’s obviously full of great songs, but there’s no way in to them, and every time you think you’ve found one, the next song either rushes too fast or slows too much to a crawl. But there is a way through the album. It’s just not the surface path. You gotta cut some brush away before you find it.

Notes

  1. strictlandiirh26332 reblogged this from oneweekoneband
  2. circlingskeleton reblogged this from oneweekoneband and added:
    This song, this song. Generally, I abhor such things as “switching the tracklisting” on a record. I find it...
  3. imathers reblogged this from oneweekoneband and added:
    Oh hey, one of my favourite...songs. Rafa does...good job...
  4. oneweekoneband posted this