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Music That Interrupted My Attempt At Suicide

I Am Here | Pasadena, CA USA | 01/22/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album came out during a time in my life when I had lost a job that I loved, for reasons that were about nothing but sexual discrimination. After losing my job; I was evicted from an apartment I'd been living in for eight years. For the first time in my life I was homeless, very angry, extremely afraid, and depressed in the most dark and painful way ever. I became very self-destructive, hopeless, purposeless, and dead. I was staying at a friends apartment for a while, and when I discovered that that friend was not a true and caring friend; I dived though a glass window from a 30 feet balcony. I severely fractured my skull, put myself in a coma, lost my ability to walk and talk for 13 months. While I was in the hospital for rehabilitation, a friend brought me some music he thought might be uplifting; and "Automatic For The People" was one I listened to everyday. There were three songs that effected me deeply. EVERYBODY HURTS made me cry, and at the same time made me angry. Sure everybody does hurt; but not everybody is capable of dealing with hurt. I wanted the tell Michael Stipe to shut his damn mouth; but I still listened to the song everyday. The second song that I like to hate was TRY NOT TO BREATHE. Again I found myself spilling out the foulest of words at Michael Stipe; because I thought he was telling me that no matter how many times I might try to kill myself, that it will never work for a reason. I cursed at Michael Stipe big time about this song. But I guess I really liked it more than I was willing to admit at the time. The third song the pissed me off had a title that elevated my blood pressure. SWEETNESS FOLLOWS I thought was trying to tell me that a sweetness in life is waiting for me, and that was why all of my attempts at suicide had not been successful. I hated this song, and I liked it at the same time. I am still healing from an acute head trauma, and I still listen to this album a lot."

Thus began adolescence...

KMTeacher | Anchorage, AK USA | 02/05/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was at a 9th grade birthday party, for a girl named Brooke. I hardly knew her. Her brother put in a CD, which was still pretty novel in Alaska then. I had watched a few R.E.M. videos on MTV, but I hadn't really understood until I heard this album in its entirety. I fell in love. From the melodies to the album art, I was hooked. I have loved R.E.M. since that day. This particular album is R.E.M. at its best."

Still the best R.E.M. album

Matthew David Ritchey | Hollywood, CA USA | 05/23/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'll admit that I was obsessed with this album in high school and so it's very positively nostalgic (thanks for hipping me to it, Ethan), but it still holds up. The whole album has a definitive feel - very mellow, with the occasional sprinkle of harder-edged politicism ("Ignoreland"), and has always reminded me of an alternating mix of a hot summer night and a freezing winter night in front of a roaring fireplace in the woods.



It was around this time when I realized that once they got onto a major label, R.E.M. has released a great album every other album. "Green" - amazing. "Out of Time" - bleah. "Automatic" - my favorite. "Monster" - ick. "New Adventures in Hi-Fi" - awesome. "Up" - worthless. It's kinda weird, actually."