Pick of Dreams
Rocky Raccoon | Boise, ID | 12/18/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"And we should all feel fine after the release of the very best of their early years. Generosity and thoughtfulness come to the fore for the selection and scope of this fine selection. Now 'Eponymous' and 'Singles' seem imperfect I.R.S. collections in comparison. There are the hits we have come to know and love, like "Radio Free Europe," "Fall on Me," and "The One I Love," but, then, there's aptly picked excellence with "Welcome to the Occupation," "Feel Gravity's Pull," and "Cuyahoga". The second disc unearths some archival gems, so it isn't all familiar. Just like the Warner collection, 'In Time,' 'Best of I.R.S. Years' gets it right in format and selection.
(The collector's edition [not here] is worth the extra money, for it digs up some fine live versions, adds archival alternative versions, and adds some songs never released before. While not all of it is great, the new songs are engaging enough to add to an R.E.M. fan's "must have" status, and the archives at least do more than go through the motions of a remake.)"