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REM "Around The Sun"

Started by cilamc, October 05, 2004, 10:26:33 PM

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cilamc

Is REM's new album any good? I won't be able to buy it until next week. It's had some bad reviews, but those reviews tend to slag off "Reveal" too which I thought was a lovely album - probably my faveourite of theirs.

Have any of you VWs heard this "Around The Sun" then? What are your impressions of it?

steevbishop

This is coming from a fan of REM. Got most albums, but not so rose-tinted about Automatic... and Out of Time (I much prefer Green).

I feel Up was their last good album. I bought Reveal hoping it would be better than "Imitation of Life" which to me was the sound of a band treading water. I was disappointed by it and haven't listened to it for quite some time.

After listening to the iTunes Album Sampler, I wasn't impressed. It sounded like more slow pondering numbers. That's been fine in the past as they're part of a larger album, but there's no energy or emotion in there now. Now I've listened to the previews of the full album and my initial thoughts were right. This is an album full of slow pondering numbers that would easily slot into the closing credits of an episode of Dawson's Creek.

The production is sleek as always and has plenty of fresh touches to make it seem new, yet recognisably REM. I'm sure Stipe's lyrics are as well crafted as always, but what I'm hearing from these previews is not the REM I like to listen to. A ballad album. The kind of album an artist makes once they've proved everything they've needed to and now are looking for something else without knowing what it is. It makes "Imitation of Life" seem high energy.

Bill Berry's departure forced the remaining members to get inventive, and Up was a fantastic response. While not well received, I'm also very fond of New Adventures in Hi-Fi. This should give you an idea of what I get from REM. Everything up 'til (and including) Green, spats of the following two albums and then it's all peachy until (and including) Up.

It depends what you want from it, I think. If this is the kind of REM you enjoy, you should like Around The Sun. If you're looking for them to dish up something different I think you'd be better off filling the holes in their discography.

I might borrow Around The Sun to give it a proper chance, but I still don't think it's going to win me and my money over.

non capisco

It's had across the board mediocre reviews, and the leadoff single certainly isn't any great shakes, but I'm curious about the collaboration with Q-Tip.

To my mind REM long ago lost the sense of mystery that made their older stuff sound so otherworldly ('Lifes Rich Pageant' and 'Murmur' will always be records worth revisiting), and Stipe seems content to go on writing middling songs with middling melodies since 'Up'.

Ciarán2

Hmmnn, a staunch REM fan (whatever that is) who is a good friend of mine says it "quite good" but he may be in denial a little bit.

I loved the oddness of "Murmur", really mysterious songs because of those lyrics, production, it's not typically 1983 record, it is rather ageless. I also love the production on "Reveal" - it's quite cinematic. "I've Been High" is so pretty, actually that's what it is, a really pretty album "All the Way To Reno", "Beat A Drum" and "I'll Take The Rain" are all really terrific, and I wasn't a fan of theirs around "Automatic For The People Time" (probably down to hearing "Everybody Hurts" too often and Stipe's mateyness with Clinton).

I suppose I'll find this album is "not bad", which would be enough to buy something for me normally in the hope it grows on me over time. But I'm a bit broke these days and less willing tto take the plunge. Is it worth my time and money...