History Music / Reckoning

''Reckoning'' (a.k.a. ''File Under Water''), released in 1984 through Creator/IRSRecords, is the second album by American AlternativeRock band Music/{{REM}}. Beginning production just after the release of their cult hit debut, ''Music/{{Murmur}}'', the album presents a continuation of its predecessor's murky sound and opaque lyricism, but slightly modified to fit returning producers Mitch Easter and Don Dixon's desire to more accurately capture the style of the band's live performances at the time. Recording sessions were more spontaneous, with all the material for the record being taped in well under a month[[note]]depending on who you ask, it was anywhere from "over 25" days to just eleven[[/note]], and binaural recording was used extensively to simulate the feeling of sitting in the audience of an R.E.M. concert. The leadup to the album's recording was equally efficient, with the band writing two good songs a week and recording a whopping 22 of them with Music/NeilYoung collaborator Elliot Mazer in November alone. The band had so much usable material that guitarist Peter Buck pushed for ''Reckoning'' to be a double-LP; the request fell flat, both because the band were still fairly green as a recording act and because even indie labels were balking at the idea of making double albums ever since the relative failure of Music/FleetwoodMac's ''Music/{{Tusk}}'', but the band would revisit the unused material here and there on later projects.

''Reckoning'' (a.k.a. ''File Under Water''), released in 1984, is the second album by American AlternativeRock band Music/{{REM}}. Beginning production just after the release of their cult hit debut, ''Music/{{Murmur}}'', the album presents a continuation of its predecessor's murky sound and opaque lyricism, but slightly modified to fit returning producers Mitch Easter and Don Dixon's desire to more accurately capture the style of the band's live performances at the time. Recording sessions were more spontaneous, with all the material for the record being taped in well under a month[[note]]depending on who you ask, it was anywhere from "over 25" days to just eleven[[/note]], and binaural recording was used extensively to simulate the feeling of sitting in the audience of an R.E.M. concert. The leadup to the album's recording was equally efficient, with the band writing two good songs a week and recording a whopping 22 of them with Music/NeilYoung collaborator Elliot Mazer in November alone. The band had so much usable material that guitarist Peter Buck pushed for ''Reckoning'' to be a double-LP; the request fell flat, both because the band were still fairly green as a recording act and because even indie labels were balking at the idea of making double albums ever since the relative failure of Music/FleetwoodMac's ''Music/{{Tusk}}'', but the band would revisit the unused material here and there on later projects.

Contrary to this musical spontaneity, ''Reckoning''[='s=] lyrics shift to a more introspective direction, motivated by Michael Stipe facing both exhaustion from touring and the death of his girlfriend and band photographer Carol Levy, who was killed in a car crash while R.E.M. were on tour in support of ''Murmur''. Because of both of these, it was difficult for Stipe to record vocal parts, singing so quietly the microphone was completely unable to pick him up. In one instance, during the recording of the song "7 Chinese Bros.", Dixon managed to spur Stipe back into shape by having him sing the liner notes to the gospel album ''The Joy of Knowing Jesus'' by the Revelaires to the "7 Chinese Bros." backing track (this eclectic composition was later given the title "Voice of Harold" and released as a B-side to the "So. Central Rain" single, as well as the ''Dead Letter Office'' rarities compilation in 1987). Stipe's low state, meanwhile, was nonetheless reflected in the album's bleaker lyrics, with an abundance of aquatic imagery that contributed to an overarching feeling that was both agoraphobically stranded and claustrophobically trapped.

** A short ''studio verite'' instrumental jam plays just after "Camera" fades out, unrelated to the rest of the song.

** "Second Guessing" and "Voice of Harold" (the B-side to the "So. Central Rain" single, later found on ''Dead Letter Office'') both open with Don Dixon saying "rolling!" to cue the tape, followed by Peter Buck giving a count-off.