#456: R.E.M.-Driver 8 (Top 500 Modern Rock Songs Of All Time)

#456

(Top Modern Rock Songs Of All Time)

Song: "Driver 8"

Artist: R.E.M.

Release Date: September, 1985

From the Album: Fables Of The Reconstruction (1985)

Quick Take: Adding more meat to his riffs, Peter Buck did not completely abandon his style on Fables of the Reconstruction (1985), but the guitars on the record clearly became more of a focus and, with legendary folk-rock producer Joe Boyd behind the board, taking prominence in the mix. Guitar lines still alternate between picking arpeggios and full-force strums, but now the balance tilts a bit away from the folk end of the folk-rock spectrum and much closer to the rock end. In fact, the lick that forms the backbone of "Driver 8" is much more reminiscent of Blue Öyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper" than the Byrds' "Turn! Turn! Turn!" 

Courtesy: Bill Janovitz (allmusic.com)