Reveal - R.E.M.

Advantages: I'll Take The Rain and The Lifting
Disadvantages: Chorus And The Ring

...about Reveal. Finally! Reveal marks the transition that has taken R.E.M from the quite frankly pretentious self concern in 'New Adventures In Hi-Fi' to a more modern emotive sound that is still as distinctive as 'Automatic' ever was. Peter Buck's demands for a more futuristic sound can be felt here but Reveal is no worse off for it (More a case of evolution than revolution) . Part of what makes me enjoy this so much is its journeyman style walk ...
...The first track of Reveal is 'The Lifting'. A song that is very distinctive in its role as an album opener. Lyrics such as "The weather's fine, the sky is blue-/ It's perfect for our seminar" feel like a greating of sorts. The swirl of synth and E-Bow guitar are a perfect indication of what is to follow. 'I've Been High' is considerably more forlorn however with questions of self-doubt such as "Do my eyes seem empty? / I've forgotten how this feels". ... Read review

Advantages: Their first album in a age that 'sounds like REM', Some of their finest material to date
Disadvantages: A few weak tracks let the side down a little

It seems there comes a time in every band’s life where experimentation should be abandoned and a return is made to the sound that made them famous is the first place. After the slow decline in their commercial stock that began with 1994’s ‘Monster’ and the intriguing puzzle, which was their 1998 offering ‘Up’, ‘Reveal’ sees REM following the recent example of U2. Despite some decidedly modern sounding ...
...the pair of albums which broke them globally in the early 90s ‘Out of Time’ and ‘Automatic for the People’. Such a retreat could have heralded a disappointing trawl through past glories, and perhaps in lest steady hands this is what ‘Reveal’ would have entailed. Thankfully this is not at all the case, indeed there is a good case for proclaiming ‘Reveal’ (which we should not forget is the band’s ... Read review

Advantages: Lyrics are printed on the inlay; Some good tunes
Disadvantages: Overall, tends to sound a bit samey

I've bought every REM album as they've come out, and "Reveal" is no exception, but... here's an admission, I've not been playing it to death ever since. I'd even go so far as to say it's a bit of a disappointment. This is something I never thought I'd say. The last album, "Up", was less successful than most REM albums, and "Reveal" promised to be a return to form, commercially speaking anyway. It is certainly a more 'complete' sounding album than ...
...example (although "Saturn returns" has a shaky start in this respect). Overall, "Reveal" is very like the Beach Boys musically, continuing the tradition begun on a couple of the songs on "Up". The songs "Beachball", "All I Want" and "Summer turns to high" are especially reminiscent of compositions by the Great One named Brian Wilson. Another feature is a more gentle MOR sound, as seen on songs like "All the way to Reno" with its great hook (bringing ... Read review

Advantages: Great lyrics and design
Disadvantages: none

...their first release. Its called Reveal if I had to reveal that to you or any thing. ~ History ~ The band recorded and released their first album in 1981. Since then they have 12 albums, the most recent being Up and others recent albums include Monster and Automatic For The People. Although it has been 11 years since their rise to world fame their 20 years in the business has been consistent but experimental and so they don't really get the acclaim ...
...~ Final verdict on Reveal by R.E.M. ~ A good all round performance by the team who managed to put this together and I would strongly recommend this to any one thinking about what there next album to buy will be. The music may not to be every ones taste but I love it, and as many critics say a sparkling return to form by the band (although I wouldn't really know). I hope I will like the others albums they have released because this is a marvellous ... Read review

Advantages: Fantastic tunes that take you back to REMs earlier works
Disadvantages: none

...changed yet again. Reveal was always supposed to be a return to form for the group and it shows. Sounding more like Automatic for the People in places and Green in others, Reveal is REMs strongest album in a long while. So what are the songs like? Well, the first thing you notice when hearing The Lifting, the first song on the album, is that although they are now using a drum machine for most of their work, the old 'laid back' sound is back in fasion ...
...yet. I've Been High is the second song on the album and is a fantastic little catchy song that contains many of the trademark emotional traits of Automatic, while giving the listener something to ponder. All the Way to Reno changes the mood slightly by being a more upbeat number, but it still has underlying moods of uncertainty. Other highlights of the album include Disappear, which sounds like early REM from the Document album, Saturn Returns is ... Read review