R.E.M.
Green

After "Document" (1 million copies sold), REM exited the underground circuit and received several offers from major record labels. They signed with Warner Bros. because it guaranteed them complete freedom and no time limits between releases. 

Armed with new enthusiasm for the new contract ($10 million), the four created this album, which, thanks to the major's promotional efforts and their European tour, sold 4 million copies.

"Green" is noticeably superior to "Document," despite the usual bombast ("Stand," "Get Up," "Pop Song 89") and the usual soft-rock pretensions ("Orange Crush," "Turn You Inside-Out," "the final track"), which, however, are more decent this time than those of the previous two albums—even though they are lessons in tedium and mediocrity.  

What makes "Green" unique is the presence— for the first time in their history—of three excellent acoustic tracks: "The Wrong Child," "Hairshit," and especially the splendid "You're the Everything."

The remaining two tracks are in the vein of their classic psychedelic-tinged electric folk from the first three albums: the dark "I Remember California" and especially "World Leader Pretend" (one of their masterpieces, a lesson in mournful folk-rock with a chilling Stipe and brilliant counterpoints).

A 3.5 that can be rounded up, because "Green" is better than "Life...".