i have to admit, i keep putting it on again. still stand by what i said, but it's a pleasant listen.

ok, i have no self control and am downloading this now



here goes nothing

Hey, I really love REM, and maybe this is because I wasn't really alive for their prime in a way I could appreciate it, but I'm totally happy to get just that from them now--a pleasant listen.

It's an average R.E.M. record. Not the greatness that is their early 80's output but not the train wreck that their last few albums were. A few of the songs would make great additions to any Warner Brothers era R.E.M. mixtape. The Mills is back that's for sure...i'm very happy to hear some of these melodic basslines and background harmonies. If I had one complaint about their 90's, 00's albums it'd be that Mike Mills bass playing has been really boring and his background vocals all but disapeared...but this album definitly remedies that.

More than anything else about REM, I miss Bill Berry's drumming. I believe he's the most unsung musician of the last 25 years.

Not just his drumming but he wrote songs like Perfect Circle....such an amazing song...hard to believe he just hangs out on the farm and grows corn now. I know he doesn't want to tour and stuff but how can he just stop writing songs?

On the drumming topic for a second....this album sounds like the first album since Bill Berry left where the drums are really a part of the song in an important way. It's like on the last 3 records they were afraid or ashamed to have any real solid drumming on the record out of some kind of respect for Bill. I mean just look at how the drums on Final Straw turned out on the album after the way they were used so effectively live pre-ATS recording. It's almost like they made a decision to not have the drums be the climax of the song like they should be, and were live before the recording.

I cannot agree more that Bill Berry was really the backbone and unsung hero of the band. He's responsible for so much of their output that without him, the band has seemed misguided the past few albums. And yeah, the quality of the drumming has been noticeable on the past few discs as well. I've always wondered if he has been writing some stuff and maybe one day down the line he'll throw it at the band and be like "hey guys, let's record this and then tour if you want for it."


As for Accelerate, so far, I like what I hear. I can definitely see myself getting more in to some of these songs as time passes and I get to familiarize myself with them. "Living Well is the Best Revenge" is definitely awesome. Really like it a lot.

This record sounds like hair plugs and a convertible. It sounds desperate, which can be spun either way by the biased listener. It reminds me of the last two U2 records: blatantly going backwards because their underrated experiments (Pop, Reveal) didn't sell, but painting over the old charm with radio rock production and cheaper lyrics.

Brent,

I don't think many agree with you that their earlier experiments were underrated or successful. Those records were dreadful. And if this record came out in 1995--same production, same everything--I don't think you'd think it desperate. Who knows, maybe you would, but I just don't think so.

Context is, of course, going to determine too much of how people view this record.

I hear a solid record. Nothing all-time good, a few worthless tracks, but overall well made and passionate.

But, like I said earlier, I don't want anything more than a 7/10 record from at this point. I think it's unrealistic to expect more.

So I like this album quite a bit, I've listened to it about 3 times so far.

if the people who were first in line to D/L this are saying it's mediocre or above average, it must be spectacularly toxic.

No when I say it's an average R.E.M. album that means I think it's a fucking awesome album and i'm gonna play the hell out of it this year. It's important to know the high regard I hold R.E.M. in when taking my "average r.e.m. album" statement at face value. It's average because it's not as good as Murmur and it doesn't suck like Around the Sun...it's in the middle somewhere.

I'd only put three or so rock records ahead of it this year, so far. Maybe fewer if it grows on me, too.

Is anyone else hearing the vocal melody from the chorus of "Circus Envy" when he sings on "accelerate" (the song) "where is the ripcord" ?
I dunno maybe i'm hearing things but it sounds pretty damn close...on the whole I think "Accelerate" is the weakest track for me.

I hate the closer.

"Accelerate" is my second least-favorite.

Every other track I can at least handle, but those two are already ">>."

Ok, so, 1995... coming of Monster. Exactly what I'm getting at. That's the "form" we're talking about when critics say it's a "return to form"? 1995? Whoopee. It's not terrible, but... yeah, there you go: "it's not terrible."

As far as the other stuff being "underrated", I'm not saying it's "really good". I just think people shit on those records too often and shine up stuff like this up. To me it's all right there in the banal middle range. This record is not better than "Up," it's just louder.

Thanks, kokoro, I knew you wouldn't let me down.

I'm halfway through and this is a really solid album. Barring a serious 2nd half drop off this is squarely in the middle of the discography.

re: Monster. Album is near the bottom of the list, but "Whats the Frequency Kenneth" is probably one of their top 5 singles and still sounds great today. "Tongue" can stand toe to toe with anything in the catalog. Accelerate is already easily a better record.

re: Up. Seriously underrated. Shouldn't ever be considered in the same breath as Reveal and ATS.

edit: Just finished "Mr Richards". This is prime R.E.M., this could have been on Document or Green and been among the better half of either album.

My brief review: "Trash it. But first pee on it".

Wow. Sleep til 3pm on a saturday and you miss the huge leak. (were on deadlines so I got home at 7:30 this morning)

Im nabbin this right now, and since I already pre-ordered that expensive vinyl I can do so Guilt Free.

This is really good. People's response to REM records are usually a rorschach test on what their personal idea of what REM is supposed to be anyway. Most of ATS and parts of Reveal were demonstrably poor, but this is a good rock record.

As far as the U2 comparisons go, I think thats just silly. U2 are the biggest band in the world and calculate like a corporation to maintain that fact. REM knows they wont be no matter what they do. If they were just trying to recapture past glories, they would get the MANDOLIN back out, not the fuzzbox.

Im not saying people have to like this record, but I have a feeling were going to see alot of reviews (here and elsewhere) that have been made up in people's heads already for weeks before they heard the record, just tailored a little to match the details.

This is gonna get mad repeat play today.

I agree, Senor.

I'm not sure, honestly, what people want from REM other than good pop/rock.

Are they supposed to make a Kid A type of record or something?

Or do they need to jangle more and rock less?

ok, litmus test time:

how many of the people who are saying this record is good like the first single?

i thoguht the single was middling and I skip it in the playlist. Its alright, but doesnt do alot for me.

I like the single...not love...just like. I will say that after about 5 listens the single is tied for my least favorite song on the album along with "accelerate"

It's not really nitpicking to say that you don't like music because it doesn't sound good.

I haven't listened to this yet, but if it's better than Monster it's a step in the right direction.

unless a number of people come on here and say that the single was horrible but the rest of the songs on this album are WAY better, I'm going to assume this isn't worth my time...

Not sure why you'd bother listening, you decided long ago that it's horrible.

i'm not a R.E.M. fan but i did like this album. decided to listen to it after i saw the video for "supernatural...".

i'd give it a 7.6 out of 10 score.

hated "until the day is done".

I usually don't comment on a REM album until I listen it more than I have today (twice). However, I just wanna say that this is really good. Mills has a pulse; who knew? These song sound much more like they were written by some guys sitting around in a room in a collaborative process, as opposed to being cobbled together over lengthy recording sessions. Until now, the entirety of their Post-Berry catalogue has been lacking any sense of spontaneous creation. Everything seemed terribly labored, and the results were mixed.

Is this another Pageant? Of course not. Nor is it another Document, Hi Fi, or Monster, even though it is a "rock record" by R.E.M. standards. But there are elements of all those records here. To my ear, Houston could fit perfectly on Document. Accelerate sounds like Monster. Man Sized Wreath and Hollow Man would stand up to Hi Fi.

That being said, if someone wants to look at this as a desperate look-back for an aging band who has lost its way, or a safety-net album to please fans and critics who have been abandoning in droves, they'll have he ammunition to do so. But I don't see it that way. I think this is a confident album from a legendary band who had some bumps in the road over the last decade. Is it their finest? No, but it stands well against their catalogue as a whole and is a worthy addition. It ain't rocket science. It ain't avant-garde. Its just a guitar driven rock/pop record, but that's all it set out to be. Its easy, its comfortable, and its pure R.E.M.

Its great to have them making me want to turn up my stereo and share it with my friends again.

Contrary to what you may think, I'm always up for a good R.E.M. record.

This is at least a solid solid 7 from me.

Didnt care for the studio version of "SS" but it really becomes a better song in t he running order.
Really wasnt feeling "DJ" before either but here its great.
"Submarine" is a much much better song than has been rumored, and the different style to it keeps the record from being too samey.
I do wish they had at least one signature "weird" song on here, but all in all this is a great and addictive REM record.

Doesn't change my point.

if one feels a rock album is "ruined" by nothing more than a particular guitar tone (which might be 2-3 degrees different than the preferred tone), then it's nitpicking.

Instrument tone, recording techniques, the overall 'sound' choices might be the most important part of any record. It's not lazy, it's true.

I cant stop playing this.

I tried listening to 3 other records today and I kept turning them off and putting this back on.

says the guy who loves Sunset Rubdown.

hey Chrono!

It would be pretty great if he and Mills did a low-key record together.

I'll be waiting for the proper release and then likely waiting another month before commenting. By that time, I fully expect those of you who are saying it's good to be saying it's damn good and raising it at least a point in your ratings. That's how R.E.M. is...it's either bad and stays bad (last few) or it's good and gets better upon repeated listens.

You are correct. Sunset Rubdown makes some great tonality choices.




My first thoughts upon beginning to listen to this - "The Hold Steady"


EDIT: My second thoughts upon almost having listened to this all the way through - "Why is this out-of-left-field unexpectedly awesome?"

I've listened to it about 4 times today, and around 10 times overall, I'd say.

I always liked it, but now I'm starting to really like it.

"Supernatural Superserious" is definitely my least favorite decent song.

The only songs I flat-out don't like are "Accelerate" and "I'm Gonna DJ."

I think "Horse to Water," "Living Well is the Best Revenge," "Hollow Man," and "Mr. Richards" are fucking great.

I love REM and this is the most REM-y record REM has made in a long time. I am pleased.

It's just so refreshing, too, to look at a new LP's tracklist and see so many songs that don't approach 4 minutes. Not sure why, but it is.

I listened to this twice in the Austin airport today coming back from seeing them (and other bands) at SXSW. It's a damn good album. I was worried that it was going to be overproduced based on that processed guitar sound in Supernatural Superserious, but that's not that case at all. At times this sounds like it could have been the follow up to Document or Green. There's a timeless sound to a lot of it. Mike Mills and Peter Buck haven't sounded better in ages, and it's nice to have the drums up in the mix. Stipe's rapid fire political lyrics are great. I even like I'm Gonna DJ now, which I hated before. It's a just a basic rock and roll record, and I like it for that.

I think the single is one of the better songs. It has some jangle, and the heaviest Mills.

Yeah guys, I don't know....this just a pretty damn good pop/rock record. Isquire said it, this is the most R.E.M. R.E.M. has sounded in a long time, and it sounds really great. As a whole it just reminds me of the back half of Hi Fi, which is really cool. Only cynical tools don't like this record.

anybody who thinks this is better than up or reveal are crazy.
Around the sun and this are on par...
what is this?
words? yes.
Good words
where is the music?

yuck/
i really love r.e.m., and i love their most recent stuff as well....but what is this?
This will/already seems outdated

indeed

After hearing this three times, I think it's a strong recording and their best since Hi-Fi. "Living Well's the Best Revenge," "Hollow Man," "Horse to Water," "Mr. Richards," and "Mansized Wreath" are my faves so far. I'm happy to say: they sound like a band again!!

ugh. sorry dude but that song is poison.

After my first listen, this seems like a pretty rad record which gets kinda weak in the second half. Also, "I'm Gonna DJ" is playing right now as I type this, and this song is just kinda embarrassing.

I like it enough.

Unfortunately the vinyl release will be an expensive limited edition 180G double LP, similar to what the White Stripes did with their last.