The Big Mates discuss night shifts, Batman, the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and Up by R.E.M.

Adam, Steve, and Lucas continue their deep dive into the career and discography of R.E.M. by concluding their analysis of the band's televenth studio album, released in 1998. They talk about the writing and recording process, the context surrounding the songs, and offer up analysis, opinions, and thoughts from three differing perspectives on music, from being deeply into analysis and music, to not caring for art or critique, and everything in between.

They pick up their discussion towards the end of the album and complete their track-by-track analysis, sum up their feelings on the experiemental record, and offer up scores and highlights. They explore the legacy of the album, how it has aged over time, and how that compares to the reception of the album when it was released in 1998.

They also find time to explore R.E.M.'s contribution to the Austin Powers soundtrack, the writing of the score for the film Man on the Moon, and the standalone single The Great Beyond.

What do we think of Up? How is the album viewed now? Can you push an elephant up the stairs? Find out on this episode of What Is Music?

Our next episode is out on Monday November 4th.

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