Listen to more of the album here:

http://www.remaccelerate.com/index.php?section=audio

Damn Stipe sounds old on those other two clips. He sounds alright on Supernatural Superserious, but gravelly and lower on the other two. I know he's aging, but it almost sounds like there's no urgency in his singing, which might make him a bit higher sounding. Until The Day Is Done sounds pretty dirgey and bad, but Horse To Water sounds like a proper rock song.

And does anyone seriously believe what any of those major magazines say about big records anymore?

I'm convinced the editorial staff decides in advance what they're going to give the record (4.5 or 5 stars) and then just assigns it to the first writer who agrees that it lives up to that rating.

http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/rem/reveal

P4K, VV, and Blender were really the only pubs to call the last one a spade.

That's not the last one.

Right, but how do you explain the last few REM releases then? Aside from Uncut, they've received little love in reviews.

Music magazines have more then just the reviews to lure readers and fans too. The features hook the fans. For example, the new Spin has a good interview with Malkmus, but they're not into the record.

I certainly don't think Spin or Rolling Stone are in serious danger of losing readers by giving REM 3/5 or 2.5/5. Reviews matter so little these days, as the listener can sample so readily for free. PR agents want faces on the cover and nice photo spreads more than a high rated 200 word review.

And does anyone seriously believe what any of those major magazines say about big records anymore?

I'm convinced the editorial staff decides in advance what they're going to give the record (4.5 or 5 stars) and then just assigns it to the first writer who agrees that it lives up to that rating.

NEW YORK - The Black Crowes are lashing out at Maxim magazine for reviewing the band’s new album — apparently without actually hearing it first.

The review, published in Maxim’s March issue, gives the Crowes’ “Warpaint� a rating of two-and-a-half stars out of five.

“The writer — who has not heard the album since advance CDs were not made available — wrote what appears to be a disparaging assessment anyway, citing, ‘it hasn’t left Chris Robinson and the gang much room for growth,�’ said a statement on the band’s official Web site.

The band’s manager, Pete Angelus, said the magazine explained that its review an “educated guess.�

“It speaks directly to the lack of the publication’s credibility,� Angelus said in a statement. “In my opinion, it’s a disgrace to the arts, journalism, critics, the publication itself and the public. What’s next — Maxim’s concert reviews of shows they never attended, book reviews of books never read and film reviews of films never seen?�



A representative for the magazine would not confirm or deny to The Associated Press whether the writer actually listened to the album. Instead, Maxim released this statement in response: “Maxim will continue to provide our readers with information that is important to them, whether it is about fashion, lifestyle, technology, music, movies and more.�

“Warpaint,� the band’s first album in seven years, is set for release March 4. The blues-rock group, fronted Chris Robinson, has released only one song from the disc, “Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution.�

Is it so hard to believe that REM might have made a good record?