If im testing the waters with a band I usually just throw the "This is..." playlist on and see what grabs me.You're starting way way too late. Go chronologically, it's hard to fault there first.... 6 albums maybe? It's mad
I've done Fables of the Reconstruction and Out of Time. The latter has my favourite REM song which is Near Wild Heaven. I did prefer the latter over the former, but I'll make my way through the earlier stuff.