I've been into them for years and I'm still constantly amazed at how comfortable it feels. It's definitely slipping-into-an-old-glove territory but in the best way possible. There's no such thing as "perfect music". But for me, these three soul coughing albums and Skittish get really close. I'm obsessed as always, quoting over and over. I spent a year of this journal quoting Soul Coughing nearly every day. And I feel like a narrow obsessive about it but... not enough to be shamed into stopping.
I want to take bits and pieces of whatever I like and make them what I want them to mean. Like that line... "She's a sad tomato". Why does that get to me? No idea. I dislike that era of REM in general but just that one little bit...
It's funny to see something like "8 1/2" and realize that REM were basically using the opening sequence for their "Everybody Hurts" video. It's even funnier to realize that I found them in that order... Everybody Hurts first. Not funny "ha ha".