R.E.M.IX
Encyclopedia
r.e.m.IX is a 2002 remix album
of songs by R.E.M.
from its 2001 album Reveal. Copies of that album were given to well-known remixers to see what they could do with its tracks and the band's favorite results were compiled to form this album. Out of the twelve original tracks on Reveal, six are found among the ten tracks on this album—there are two different versions of "The Lifting" and four of "I've Been High." The album has never been commercially released, but it was made available as a free download from the band's Web site and as a promotional Compact Disc
and vinyl LP from Warner Bros. Records
. This was the second promotional music download
from R.E.M. (after Not Bad for No Tour
) and was intended to introduce their music to a wider audience.
s James Norton praised it for the precedent it sets for other artists to release free music, but considers the music "stuffy" and lacking fun. Mark Reed of Drowned in Sound
agreed that the music was boring and both reviewers criticized the apparently random track listing and choice of remixes.
, Mike Mills
, and Michael Stipe
Remix album
A remix album is an album consisting mostly of remixes or re-recorded versions of a music artists' earlier released material.One of the earliest remix albums was 1971's Aerial Pandemonium Ballet by Harry Nilsson, which was released by Nilsson after the successes of Everybody's Talkin and The Point!...
of songs by R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
from its 2001 album Reveal. Copies of that album were given to well-known remixers to see what they could do with its tracks and the band's favorite results were compiled to form this album. Out of the twelve original tracks on Reveal, six are found among the ten tracks on this album—there are two different versions of "The Lifting" and four of "I've Been High." The album has never been commercially released, but it was made available as a free download from the band's Web site and as a promotional Compact Disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
and vinyl LP from Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
. This was the second promotional music download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
from R.E.M. (after Not Bad for No Tour
Not Bad for No Tour
Not Bad for No Tour is a promotional EP by rock band R.E.M.. Marketed to radio stations around the same time as R.E.M.'s Reveal, it contained audio versions of six songs, four of which appeared in original form on Reveal, as well as video of six songs, five being performed live.Hundreds of copies...
) and was intended to introduce their music to a wider audience.
Critical reception
The album received mixed-to-poor reviews. Flak MagazineFlak Magazine
Flak Magazine was a pioneering American online magazine, founded in 1998. The chief editor is James Norton, the managing editor is Joey Rubin. , it reported over 250,000 unique visitors monthly. In 2008, Flak suspended publication....
s James Norton praised it for the precedent it sets for other artists to release free music, but considers the music "stuffy" and lacking fun. Mark Reed of Drowned in Sound
Drowned in Sound
DrownedinSound.com or DiS is a UK based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway . The site is an editorially independent music website.-History:...
agreed that the music was boring and both reviewers criticized the apparently random track listing and choice of remixes.
Track listing
All songs written by Peter BuckPeter Buck
Peter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
, Mike Mills
Mike Mills
Michael Edward "Mike" Mills is an American multi-instrumentalist and composer who was a founding member of the alternative rock group R.E.M.. Though known primarily as a bass guitarist, backing vocalist, and pianist, his musical repertoire includes also keyboards, guitar, and percussion instruments...
, and Michael Stipe
Michael Stipe
John Michael Stipe is an American singer and lyricist. He was the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band R.E.M.Stipe is noted and occasionally parodied for the "mumbling" style of his early career as well as his social and political activism. He was in charge of R.E.M.'s visual image; often...
- "The Lifting" (Now It's OverheadNow It's OverheadNow It's Overhead were an indie rock band fronted by singer/songwriter Andy LeMaster and based in Athens, Georgia. Their first album, a self-titled collection of songs LeMaster wrote over a period of two years in the late 90s, quickly rose from a studio project to a full-time band with the...
mix by Andy Lemaster) – 4:41 - "The Lifting" (KnobodyKnobodyJerome Foster, better known as Knobody, is an American music producer and A&R. Knobody has produced records across different genres including soul, R&B, hip hop and rock for several multi-platinum artists including Jay-Z, Ne-Yo, Akon, The Game, Big Pun, Mýa and R.E.M....
/Dahoud Darien for 12 Nations) – 5:07 - "I'll Take the RainI'll Take the Rain"I'll Take the Rain" is the third and final single released by R.E.M. from their twelfth studio album Reveal in 2001. The song reached number 44 on the UK Singles Charts and failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100....
" (Jamie Candiloro) – 6:11 - "She Just Wants to Be" (Jamie Candiloro) – 5:03
- "I've Been High" (Matthew "Intended" HerbertMatthew HerbertMatthew Herbert , also known as Herbert, Doctor Rockit, Radio Boy, Mr. Vertigo, Transformer, and Wishmountain, is a British electronic musician...
) – 5:19 - "I've Been High" (KnobodyKnobodyJerome Foster, better known as Knobody, is an American music producer and A&R. Knobody has produced records across different genres including soul, R&B, hip hop and rock for several multi-platinum artists including Jay-Z, Ne-Yo, Akon, The Game, Big Pun, Mýa and R.E.M....
/Dahoud Darien for 12 Nations) – 4:01 - "I've Been High" (Chef) – 4:56
- "I've Been High" (Her Space HolidayHer Space HolidayHer Space Holiday is the recording moniker of indietronic and indie rock artist Marc Bianchi.-History:Marc Bianchi began as a musician in the California hardcore scene. He was a part of Indian Summer and Mohinder before assuming the moniker "Her Space Holiday" in 1996...
/Marc Bianchi) – 5:01 - "Beachball" (Chef) – 6:16
- "Summer Turns to High" (Her Space Holiday/Marc Bianchi) – 4:25