In the decade since the departure of drummer Bill Berry, R.E.M. could seem at times schizophrenic. Their albums of the era, which veered from the experimentalism of Up and reaffirmation of Reveal to 2004's more diffuse, reflective Around the Sun, often stood in stark contrast to the vibrancy of their live act. But here the alt-rock godfathers have resolved that dichotomy with their most focused and satisfying album in over a decade; a collection that doesn't so much revisit the bracing ethos of the band's '80s coming-of-age, as boil it down to its essence and supercharge it with the energy of their contemporary stage shows. That sensibility is evident from the opening track, "Living Well's the Best Revenge," where Peter Buck's aggressive, distortion-drenched riffs and Michael Stipe's gruff snarl set the tone for "Mansized Wreath," "Horse to Water," and "Supernatural Serious"; rockers that bristle with the abandonment and aggressive energy of a band half their tenure. Yet it's no mere blast-from-the-past. The inclusion of the band's recent touring musicians (Scott McCaughey on second guitar and drummer Bill Rieflin) into the session mix, as well as working out much of the material live onstage in Dublin, has yielded something more sonically akin to R.E.M. 2.2. Stipe's penchant for the lyrically opaque has been largely supplanted by an edgy, articulate passion that variously explores "Houston'"s displaced Katrina refugees, the bluegrass-tinged "Until the Day is Done," and the more typical, quiet self-examination of "Hollow Man," before exploding in the album's unlikely, upbeat elegy "I'm Gonna DJ," where singer and band find renewed hope in not only music, but themselves. --Jerry McCulley
Customer Reviews:
Average Customer Review: 4.0 / 5.0
"The triumphant return of REM!!!"
"Simply amazing!!"
"The best REM album since Automatic and New Adventures"
"Wow this is bad - Pete, continue playing with Robyn Hitchcock!"
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
The triumphant return of REM!!!:
Though Reveal had some lovely moments, this is the first
example of REM sounding like a "complete" band since Bill Berrys retirement. Power and passion!!! Awesome!!!
Simply amazing!!:
Short and sweet. REM is back with a vengeance, with this new CD a masterpiece right up there with Automatic for the People. I've seen some of these songs performed live, and they are stunning and creative.
The best REM album since Automatic and New Adventures:
Although I quite liked Around the Sun (I cannot say that to Reveal, as I don't like it), I guess Peter Buck & Co. weren't happy with the result and they stormed the studios with Accelerate!
At first I thought the REM were back with the usual stuff. Not so. They are angry, fast and heavy! Many songs are political or social as they are not happy with the current situation in the US and you can feel the urgency in many of the songs. What's better, the whole album is consistent, no fillers here.more info
Wow this is bad - Pete, continue playing with Robyn Hitchcock!:
I'm altogether dispirited I've listened to this about 5-6 times all the way through, and not one song has made an impression Read the lyrics - they're ok - I don't really care too much about lyrics. My favorite album by REM (Murmur) and I don't know the lyrics on most of my favorite songs on that (Radio Free Europe, Perfect Circle) I am absolutely miserable. I mean, I'm still gonna listen to the group. I'll stick pick up the next album. But none of these songs are very good. There aren't... more info
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