The band's first major label release after parting company with I.R.S. Records. According to interviews, the band felt that I.R.S. was putting pressure on them to sell well, while not really putting a lot of marketing or wide distribution efforts behind them. Following the move to a major label (who guaranteed them creative freedom), the band became defensive in interviews in response to accusations of 'selling out'.
When left to their own devices, the band threw themselves more into major-key pop-rock tunes, but at the same time, Peter Buck starts spraying mandolin all over the place, laying down that sort of 'alt-folk' sound that would become prevalent on a few of their 90s releases. The band experimented with trying to write "un-REM-ish" songs and switching instruments to change things up a bit.
There are touches of country, and the odd moodier track. "I remember California" sounds like some effective middle-ground between gothy post-punk and grunge.
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