Reviews
Ranked #12 in Cmj's "Top 20 Most-Played Albums of 1986in, 4 stars out of 5 -- "By LIFE'S RICH PAGEANT they were touring hard, were world-wise as a result and, to put it crudely, rocked.", 4 stars out of 5 -- "They went bigger and bolder, stepping toward radio-friendliness while retaining their iconclastic spirit.", "...Rickenbacker jangles and increasingly audible lyrics to the fore, ...PAGEANT is the sound of an REM completely jarred off with their 'indie darlings' tag and duly picking up proper FM airplay...", "Their Cleanest, Biggest-Sounding Production and Most Straightforwardly Bold Political Statement.", 4 Stars Out of 5 -- "Hope, Rebirth and Fears for an Uncertain Future Were the Album's Themes...", 5 stars out of 5 -- "PAGEANT is where REM properly admit to themselves the degree to which they're a Southern rock band....A startlingly great leap forward.", "The album was their most overtly political collection, with songs addressing environmental crises and political malaise.", "It shines a giant and unmistakable signal toward the direct and poppy approach the band would undertake on their next few albums..."
