Automatic for the People
by R.E.M.
- Type: Album
- Released: October 5, 1992
- Label: Warner Bros.
- Country: United States
- Length: 48:47
- Community rating: 4.42/5 from 23 ratings
Artists on this release: Mike Mills, Bill Berry, Michael Stipe, Peter Buck
Album Notes & Community Reviews
On 'Automatic for the People', R.E.M. pivots from their rock inclinations to a predominantly somber, mid-tempo, and acoustic sound focused on themes of loss, nostalgia, and mortality. The album's intimate and melancholic atmosphere is defined by Michael Stipe's introspective lyrics and lush, orchestral arrangements from Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones on key tracks like "Drive" and "Everybody Hurts". This darker, more contemplative direction resonated both critically and commercially, cementing the album as a landmark of 1990s alternative rock.
Genres
Descriptors: orchestral, acoustic, reflective, strings, dynamic
Tracklist
- Drive (04:31)
- Try Not To Breathe (03:50)
- The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite (04:09)
- Everybody Hurts (05:20)
- New Orleans Instrumental No. 1 (02:15)
- Sweetness Follows (04:21)
- Monty Got A Raw Deal (03:17)
- Ignoreland (04:27)
- Star Me Kitten (03:16)
- Man On The Moon (05:14)
- Nightswimming (04:18)
- Find The River (03:49)
Credits
- Bill Berry - drums, percussion, backing vocals, electric piano, melodica, band
- Peter Buck - electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, dulcimer, bouzouki, bass guitar, band
- Mike Mills - bass guitar, backing vocals, organ, accordion, piano, double bass, acoustic guitar, band
- Michael Stipe - lead vocals, art direction, design, band
- Scott Litt - harmonica, clavinet, producer, mixing, mixing engineer
- John Paul Jones - orchestral arrangements
- George Hanson - conductor
- Denise Berginson-Smith - violin
- Lonnie Ottzen - violin
- Patti Gouvas - violin
- Sandy Salzinger - violin
- Sou-Chun Su - violin
- Jody Taylor - violin
- Kathleen Kee - cello
- Daniel Laufer - cello, session player
- Elizabeth Proctor Murphy - cello, session player
- Knox Chandler - cello
- Reid Harris - viola
- Paul Murphy - viola
- Heidi Nitchie - viola
- Deborah Workman - oboe
- R.E.M. - producer
- Tom Recchion - art direction, design
- Clif Norrell - recording, mixing, engineer, recording engineer, mixing engineer
- Ed Brooks - second engineer (seattle), mixed / 2nd engineer @ bad animals / seatle
- George Cowan - second engineer (bearsville)
- Adrian Hernandez - second assistant engineer (hollywood)
- John Keane - recording engineer (athens)
- Mark Howard - second engineer (new orleans)
- Tod Lemkuhl - second engineer (seattle), assistant engineer
- Ted Malia - second engineer (atlanta)
- Stephen Marcussen - mastering, mastering engineer
- Andrew Roshberg - second engineer (miami)
- Cecil Juanarena - computer imaging