Accelerate, R.E.M. (WB)
what? R.E.M.? these old codgers are still making albums? and its not for free? never fear. why are you reading about this then, considering i'm not a member of the select few who are given advance copies? (wink, wink)
Michael Stipe has long abandoned the mumbled vocals of his early days, and going down that way as well is the band's habit of playing slow funeral rock. it's like nobody wanted to rock on since Bill Berry retired. enter ex-Ministry drummer Bill Reiflin. however, this newfound rhythm, which in turn galvanized Peter Buck to let loose with his guitars, threatens to drown out Stipe anyway.
Accelerate is a great and apt title for the graybeards' kind of desperate stab back at the glory days of the Document/Green/Out of Time era. only a couple of songs make it past the 4 minute mark, and 4 of them are actually below three. its almost like a punk record. as Time Magazine's Josh Tyrangiel puts it, " ... it sounds less like a recent R.E.M. album than three men fleeing the scene of a recent R.E.M. album."
despite distractions like these, R.E.M. seems to be ready to go back to the fun days and hopefully retire at the top of their game. they know this, but they want it to be on their terms. like Mike sings on the closing song, I'm Gonna DJ (a post-modern Shiny Happy People of sorts):
Michael Stipe has long abandoned the mumbled vocals of his early days, and going down that way as well is the band's habit of playing slow funeral rock. it's like nobody wanted to rock on since Bill Berry retired. enter ex-Ministry drummer Bill Reiflin. however, this newfound rhythm, which in turn galvanized Peter Buck to let loose with his guitars, threatens to drown out Stipe anyway.
Accelerate is a great and apt title for the graybeards' kind of desperate stab back at the glory days of the Document/Green/Out of Time era. only a couple of songs make it past the 4 minute mark, and 4 of them are actually below three. its almost like a punk record. as Time Magazine's Josh Tyrangiel puts it, " ... it sounds less like a recent R.E.M. album than three men fleeing the scene of a recent R.E.M. album."
despite distractions like these, R.E.M. seems to be ready to go back to the fun days and hopefully retire at the top of their game. they know this, but they want it to be on their terms. like Mike sings on the closing song, I'm Gonna DJ (a post-modern Shiny Happy People of sorts):
hey steady steady
hey steady steady
i don't wanna go until i'm good and ready
cause if heaven does exist
with a kicking playlist
i don't wanna miss it at the end of the world
this record merits a lot more attention than their last three albums combined. my iPod says so.
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