1. Drive
2. Try not to breathe
3. The sidewinder sleeps tonite
4. Everybody hurts
5. New Orleans Instrumental N.º 1
6. Sweetness follows
7. Monty got a raw deal
8. Ignoreland
9. Star me kitten
10. Man on the moon
11. Nightswimming
12. Find the river
“Automatic for the People” is a much darker, 45 minute piece in which includes some of the band’s best singles. This particular record is mellow like most typical R.E.M. albums, and both charms and haunts the listener. Sweetness Follows plays on the haunting end with lyrics, “Readying to bury your father and your mother, what did you think when you lost another?” The track is driven by dark keyboard effects and dropped tuning acoustic guitars. Following track Monty Got a Raw Deal is a more upbeat song, but still manages to retain the darkness of the record with an eerie acoustic introduction and again, mysterious lyrics. The lustful Star Me Kitten however, is a much more hopeful track, in which beautiful harmonies create a floating sensation.
Opener Drive features one of the only appearances of the electric guitar, and really enhances the dramatic effect of the track along with the strings. Singer Michael Stipe is at his best here, saying, “Hey kids, rock and roll. Nobody tells you where to go, baby.” Hit single Everybody Hurts is undoubtedly a highlight here, even if it comes off a bit cheesy. This anti-suicide tearjerker features some of Stipe’s best vocal work on the record, and is complemented perfectly by keyboards and arppeggiated guitars. Everybody Hurts however, may not even be the best single from the record. Follow-up single Man on the Moon is an absolutely wonderful tribute to Stipe’s childhood hero, comedian Andy Kauffman. The chorus harmonies are beautiful and this track even offers a bit of comic relief when Stipe mutters, “Hey Andy, are you goofing on Elvis? Hey baby, are we losing touch?”
The flow of this record cannot be undermined, for it is nearly perfect in every way. The piano-driven closer, Nightswimming is another standout track, taking full advantage of the string section and bringing the record to a fitting and nearly perfect finish. Even 135-second instrumental New Orleans Instrumental No. 1 provides a stable bridge between the wishful Everybody Hurts and the haunting Sweetness Follows. Try Not to Breathe is just one of many easy-listening classics on the record, with Stipe claiming, “I need something to breathe.”
R.E.M.’s “Automatic for the People” is a near classic in which includes no filler, and eleven great or better tracks. This 1992 release may be the greatest of the band’s prestigious career, combining elements of charm and darkness into an ultimately superb record.
