R.E.M.

Lifes Rich Pageant (I.R.S./Capitol)

Producer Don Gehman brought a commercial hammer to the indie anvil on these Georgians’ breakthrough fourth LP. Brawny (“Begin the Begin”), elated (“These Days”), messianic (“Fall on Me”), picaresque (“Cuyahoga”), and yes, howling (“Hyena”) – and that’s just the first side! A 25th anniversary minibox stuffs poster and postcards in with a mother lode second disc of 19 “Athens Demos,” from punky (“Bad Day”) to finished (“All the Right Friends”). ****

This article appears in July 29 • 2011.

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San Francisco native Raoul Hernandez crossed the border into Texas on July 2, 1992, and began writing about music for the Chronicle that fall, debuting with an album review of Keith Richards’ Main Offender. By virtue of local show previews – first “Recommendeds,” now calendar picks – his writing’s appeared in almost every issue since 1993.