This was a badly written document. Click on this link to go back to the main R.E.M. page ... Document of Evil Overall Album Score: 8.2 out of 10 After that unexpectedly brilliant alterno-pop album Lifes Rich Pageant had me getting on my knees, sacrificing ladybugs in its name, and giving it a 9.7, I expected their follow-up Document to be nearly as great. Unfortunately, I had to find out that it just wasn't. (Yeah ... the All-Music Guide and the Billboard Charts contradict me on this, but ... I told them to shut up.) Nope, if Document is anything, it is Lifes Rich Pageant's little brother. Garnering an 8.2 (a very good score), it is played well, sung well, written well ... basically, this is a strong album full of wonderful ditties! Unfortunately, it doesn't break any new ground for the group. All the songs here sound like they established themselves on their previous album, and it just pales. And it makes me exclaim to the sky. IT PAAAAAAAALESSSSSSSSSSS, OH GOODNESS DOES IT PAAAAAAAALE!!!! At least it's not as semi-boring as Fables of the Reconstruction. It's a bit more frustrating after hearing something as utterly brilliant as Lifes Rich Pageant. This album just succumbs to sequel-itis. Overall Album Score: 8.2 out of 10 (This is a rather weak follow-up to Life's Rich Pageant, but it's still good old R.E.M.) Average Song Score: 8.5 (That's a pretty good song score! This album has many good songs in here ... they might have been more exciting, but they're good all the same.) Album Tilt: 8.0 (This isn't the world's most exhilarating album ... R.E.M. seems a bit tired here, actually.) Artist Rating: 8.0 (After listening to the superb Lifes Rich Pageant, this album comes as quite a bit of a disappointment. This is just a typical R.E.M. album.) Track Reviews Finest Worksong 8.5/10 This is an all in all good song. The good of this song is so good that I, indeed, cannot call it anything other than good. If I were to call this song anything other than good, then I'd be a liar, and I would be smoted. So you too must call this a good song, or also face the smoting! Why is this song good, do you ask? It's good because it's well played, well written, and it's just ... good! I'd not get excited over this, though. But I'd rather avoid being smote, thank you. Welcome to the Occupation 8/10 This is a good song, too, sinner. Exhuming McCarthy 9.5/10 Hey! Now leave Paul McCarthy ALONE, you stupid paparazzi losers! What did he ever do to you, freak-heads! *Hmhmhmmmmckkk* Look! This is a cool song! The tune is a catchy one ... I like the instrumental interludes and stuff ... This is certainly like something I've come to expect oh so predictably from R.E.M. at this point in their discography (like ev'rythin' else on this bloody album), but who cares when it's so neat-o. Disturbance at the Heron House 8.5/10 HEY! THERE IS NO HEROIN AT MY HOUSE, YOU FREAK-BAG!!!! This song is good. Very good. Totally R.E.M. Strange 9/10 This is a coverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ... the most un-R.E.M. song on the album. I like! ... Alright, I'll tell you right now that it really doesn't bother me that R.E.M. had their style packed down as their foundation, because it is a good style. It can just get a teeny bit stale listening to all of them after awhile. It's the End of the World As We Know It 8.5/10 ...I know! It was 1988 and bands like R.E.M. Speedwagon were gaining popularity! And, as we all know, the world completely exploded soon after that in 1989. Thank goodness, 'cause that means Stupid-Nirvana couldn't record Stupid-Nevermind! Whahhhaahh! About this song, the band attempts here to give this a country-western flavor. But country-western flavor or not, they cannot hide the fact that this is R.E.M. (Speedwagon). The One I Love 8.5/10 Whoah! This song sounds like R.E.M.! That's cool! I like this song! What's there not to like about this song? It's R(freaking)E.M.! That means it's sooooo cool. Fireplace 7/10 There's nothing to hate about this song, really. It's a good old R.E.M. It's just that the tune quite a little bit off this time (there aren't very many good hooks in here) and ... yeah. This one just isn't that great. Lightnin' Hopkins 8/10 This is better! ... It's as if "Fireplace" never happened! ... sort of ... Not that it really matters that much. This is still a relatively unexciting song, but it's good. That's all I have to say. King of Birds 8.5/10 The military beat here and the sitar are rather interesting. I don't care much about this song, but I sure like it! There are a few good hooks in the melody. Oddfellows Local 151 9/10 This is the last song of the album, and I really like that cool bassline! (Three cheers for the cool bass-line!!!) That's not all that I like about it. I like the melody, the singing, the instrument playing, the ... the ... ... the ... ... ... Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz... DOCUMENT your comments here

All reviews are copyrighted by Michael Lawrence. He's strongly considering changing his middle name to "Florence."