... "Accelerate" (Warner Bros., 2008) - More disappointing, disturbingly self-referential, placeholding.
One of the ironies of R.E.M.'s long career has been their fairly impressive inability to structure their own albums into both coherent and interesting masses, the irony rooted in three ... Read review
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Accelerate
At this stage in a band's career a Mojo front cover would seem more likely than actually
... more
getting their old mojo back. And at 14 albums young, REM's longevity had been taken as a byword for pale compliance--in spite of a melodic obedience, last album Ar...
Accelerate - R.E.M.
At this stage in a band's career a Mojo front cover would seem more likely than actually
... more
getting their old mojo back. And at 14 albums young, REM's longevity had been taken as a byword for pale compliance--in spite of a melodic obedience, last album Ar...
ACCELERATE
On 2008's ACCELERATE, its first studio album after being inducted into the Rock and Roll
... more
Hall of Fame, R.E.M. fittingly returns to its post-punk roots, offering up a taut, guitar-driven set that serves as the perfect antidote to the slow, snoozy AROUND...
Advantages: R.E.M.'s best album since "New Adventures in Hi-Fi". Disadvantages: ...R.E.M. haven't had a good album since "New Adventures in Hi-Fi".
R.E.M. "Accelerate" (Warner Bros., 2008) - More disappointing, disturbingly self-referential, placeholding. One of the ironies of R.E.M.'s long career has been their fairly impressive inability to structure their own albums into both coherent and interesting masses, the irony rooted in three remarkable exceptions: the jangling and often menacing I.R.S.-period "Life's Rich Pageant", the nigh-perfect expression of the American plains in "Automatic ... ...As an R.E.M. fan you accept that for every hit, there are the near-hits, and the awful experiments, as the band reel somewhat pretentiously from what their last album really cost in spirit, rebuilding their own character through our generous donations to the cause of their emotional stock, so far removed from their college rock origins. With "Accelerate", the first sense of pay-off is present, but comes muddled, and, most disturbingly, in a self-parodying ...
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Advantages: Temp, songwriting Disadvantages: One weaker song
...background I hear?
6. Accelerate - Title track and most monster-like of all the album (actually reminded me of 'Circus Envy' off that album). Begins to push the pace again (if it didn't with a name like that I'd be quoting the TDA!)
7. Until The Day Is Done - One of the least 'Rocky' numbers, REM quickly revist their acoustic, atmospheric side. It would hardly be an REM album without a song like this. 8. Mr Richards - The electric kicks off once ... ...only time of this album that happened. It's not a bad song, just never really gets going despite threatening too on several occasions and ends up floundering in the mid tempo bracket when you feel it could have gone for it. Nice harmonies from Mills and Stipe are a highlight though
9. Sing For The Submarine - A beautifully crafted song this. Almost sounds like it'd be at home on New Adventures in Hi-Fi. Stipes voice hits its best during the chorus' ...
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Advantages: Brilliant comeback Disadvantages: Quite short at only 34 minutes
Since the departure of drummer Bill Berry in 1996, R.E.M. have appeared to be on a downward spiral with their last album, Around the Sun, almost ruining their career, and there were few peole who believed that they could recover. Nearly four years later, they released Accelerate; an album that really goes back to the roots of R.E.M. and what they are really about. Gone are the soft, safe sounds of Up and Around the Sun, and the more alternative, ...
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My first experience of R.E.Ms new album was hearing the material live at the Albert Hall; "Living Well's The Best Revenge" and "The Hollow Man" were the tracks that stayed with me. Receiving the album, and being able to hear it in its entirety was very pleasurable. In many ways it is reminicent on "New Adventures in Hi Fi" which is one of my favourite albums; the rock songs rock and there are some beautiful ballads. Recommended.
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Label / Distributor: Warner Bros. / Cinram Logistics
Pieces in Set: 1
Studio / Live: Studio
Format: Performer
EAN: 93624987413
Catalogue Number: 9362498741
Additional notes
Album Notes: On 2008's ACCELERATE, its first studio album after being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, R.E.M. fittingly returns to its post-punk roots, offering up a taut, guitar-driven set that serves as the perfect antidote to the slow, snoozy AROUND THE SUN. Aiding frontman Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, and bassist Mike Mills in this convincing return to vintage form is U.K. producer Jacknife Lee, best known for working with Bloc Party and, appropriately, R.E.M.'s peers U2. While those acts often aim for widescreen majesty, however, Stipe, Buck, and Mills seem to have remembered that the group's strength lies in concise, pithy tunes, and Lee is quite willing to meet that aesthetic, as evinced on the restless opener, "Living Well Is the Best Revenge," and the raucous "Horse to Water."
Album Reviews: Spin (p.95) - 4.5 stars out of 5 -- "ACCELERATE corrals 35 minutes of the fastest songs Stipe and Co. have written in decades, all performed with a sense of joyous purpose..."
