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Reckoning (R.E.M. album)

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Untitled

Reckoning is the second studio album by the band R.E.M. It was recorded at Reflection Sound Studio in Charlotte, North Carolina and released in 1984 by independent label I.R.S. Records to critical acclaim and stronger record sales than their debut.

Details

Reckoning features some of R.E.M.'s more popular early songs, including "So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)" and "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville." Avoiding romantic themes once again, lyricist Michael Stipe instead ruminates on cold weather, a fairy tale in which a child drowns, a flood, superficiality, and separation. The upbeat tone of the music contrast with the dark lyrics. The final song, "Little America", is written about rural America, and predates the Southern themes on the following album, Fables of the Reconstruction (1985).

The cover art for Reckoning is the result of a collaboration between lead singer Michael Stipe and Georgia artist Howard Finster.

Reckoning reached #27 in the U.S. (where it went gold in 1991), and became R.E.M.'s first UK chart album, where it peaked at #91.

Track listing

All songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe.

  1. "Harborcoat" – 3:54
  2. "7 Chinese Bros." – 4:18
  3. "So. Central Rain" – 3:15
  4. "Pretty Persuasion" – 3:50
  5. "Time After Time (annElise)" – 3:31
  6. "Second Guessing" – 2:51
  7. "Letter Never Sent" – 2:59
  8. "Camera"1 – 5:25
  9. "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville" – 4:32
  10. "Little America"2 – 2:58

The IRS Years reissue

On August 10, 1992, EMI (which owns the I.R.S. catalogue) re-released Reckoning with five bonus tracks:

  2. "Windout" (with friends), guest vocalists Bertis Downs, IV and Jefferson Holt
  3. "Pretty Persuasion" (Live in the Studio)
  4. "White Tornado" (Live in the Studio)
  5. "Tighten Up"
  6. "Moon River"

The original studio recording of "Windout" can be found on the soundtrack to the 1984 film Bachelor Party and Dead Letter Office, which also features the original 1981 recording of "White Tornado."

Notes

1 A brief, informal jam takes place at the end of the track.
2 A 28-second noise collage followed this song on the initial vinyl pressing and the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab gold CD release. It can be heard as incidental music during the Left of Reckoning video.[1]

Personnel

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position
1984 The Billboard 200 27 (53 weeks on chart)
1984 UK album chart 91 (2 weeks on chart)

Certifications

Organization Level Date
RIAA – U.S. Gold June 24 1991

References

  1. ^ "R.E.M. discography". Retrieved 2006-10-03.
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