Last month, our own Alex Young gave you the 411 on yet another R.E.M. reissue, but now we’ve got the goods to go with it. CoS has been graced with the first track from disc two of Fables of the Reconstruction’s 25th anniversary reissue: a demo of “Auctioneer (Another Engine)” that the band recorded in Athens, GA before hopping on a plane to London where they recorded their third album with the legendary Joe Boyd, who also produced Nick Drake’s debut LP Five Leaves Left.
Guitarist Peter Buck calls Fables – which was recorded in the winter of 1985 – his “personal favorite,” adding that “It took our four twisted personalities and the legendary Joe Boyd to make an album that character-filled and vibey.”
The demo doesn’t stray too far from the original version (which gets a shiny digital remastering on the reissue), but ditches the addition of the lyric, “Do I stand the bargain holler/Listen to the barter holler/listen to the auctioneer,” at the end of the song. It also features Michael Stipe prematurely singing the chorus in the song’s opening seconds, and rough vocal layering that gives fans a candid look at the band’s recording process.
Stream the track below, and then tell us if you spot any other differences. The super-deluxe reissue drops on July 13th via Capitol/I.R.S.
Check Out:
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