R.E.M. Accelerate Toward the Past
March 21st, 2008 | 5:10 pm est |
For years, R.E.M. promised that their next album would be a rocker, an oath that to fans that perhaps made sense during the early ’90s, when they were exploring the pastoral fields of Out of Time and the gloomy folk of Automatic for the People, but in the years after Bill Berry’s 1997 departure, the desire of longtime fans for the group to rock again was merely a codeword for the wish that R.E.M. would sound like a band again. Apart from a few fleeting moments – “The Great Beyond,” their “Man in the Moon” re-write for the 1999 Andy Kaufman biopic, Man in the Moon; “Bad Day,” a mid-’80s outtake revived for a greatest hits album – R.E.M. not only didn’t sound like a band, but they seemed at odds with themselves and their very strengths, culminating in the amorphous, mummified Around the Sun, a record so polished and overworked it didn’t sound a bit R.E.M., not even the art-pop outfit the band turned into after Berry’s retirement. It was a situation so dire that the band recognized the need for corrective steering, so they stripped themselves down to bare bones for 2008’s Accelerate.
In every way, Accelerate is the opposite of Around the Sun: at 36 minutes, it’s defiantly lean, it’s heavy on Peter Buck’s guitars and Mike Mills’ backing vocals, its songs don’t drift, they attack. Even the songs constructed on acoustics feel like they’re rockers, maybe because they hearken back to the eerie ramshackle grace of “Swan Swan H” whose riff echoes through both “Houston” and “Until the Day is Done.” This is not the only time that R.E.M. deliberately refers to the past on Accelerate, but reverential self-reference is the whole idea of this project: they’re embracing their past, building upon the legacy and the very sound of such underground-rock landmarks as Lifes Rich Pageant and Document. Not that this album could be mistaken for an exhumed classic from the ’80s: Michael Stipe’s lyrics are forthright and never elliptical, and the same could be said about the music, as it’s sonically streamlined and precise, hallmarks of a veteran band. One of the benefits of being veterans is knowing how to create a record this focused, and Accelerate benefits greatly from its concentrated blast of guitars, as the brevity of the album makes R.E.M. seem vital even as they’re dredging up the past. By no longer denying the jangle and pop that provided a foundation for the group’s success, they sound like a band again.
Such praise dangerously threatens to over-sell Accelerate, however, suggesting that the album has either the unearthly mystique of Murmur or the ragged enthusiasm Reckoning when it has neither. This is a careful, studied album from a band that knew they were on the brink of losing their audience and, worse, their identity. Accelerate finds R.E.M. attempting to reconnect with their music, what made them play rock & roll in the first place, instead of methodically resurrecting a faded myth. They reconnect handsomely, creating an album the can stand next to work from their peers, like Dinosaur Jr’s exceptional comeback Beyond and Sonic Youth’s casually vital Rather Ripped (whose “Incinerate” reverberates in the dissonant open-ended “Accelerate”). As comebacks go, that’s relatively modest, but the very modesty of Accelerate is what makes it such a successful rebirth as R.E.M. no longer denies what they were or what they are and, in doing so, they offer a glimpse of what they could be once again.
I tend to look at this album as a retread of what they use to be with the exception that it is in fact not nearly as good. People would be better off listening to murmur or reckoning as the songs are better and the production is the same if not better this new release
If you want to see a succesful comeback and one that r.e.m. should learn from listen to bob mould’s new album former husker du member. Pop music that’s well produced, yet still heart felt and feels genuine.
Oh yeah, it’s dangerous to praise Accelerate!!! People will might think that it’s better than the Radio free europe hib-tone single!!Oh, no!!! Everyone knows that everything went downhill after that. They were an amazing band until Cronic town came out….
Just kidding. Accelerate is truly a great rock album.
Funy how the reviewer mentions more songs that aren’t from Accelerate.
It’s always the same thing with reviewers isn’t? “They haven’t been the band they used to be (name a few classics)”, bla, bla, bla. So their last 2 albums sucked, so what? Listen to Accelerate. Really listen to it for what it is : a great rock album from a band. It’s like, it’s not “cool” for a reviewer to like R.E.M, just cause it’s R.E.M. Radiohead could put out the crapiest record out there, they would be called genius. Hey, I’m not saying that some of you won’t like this album (but you’re objectively wrong I tell you :), but please give us a fair and genuine review of THIS album. The past, is the the past. Move on, accelerate.
Conquer the World, you clearly don’t know what you’re talking about. Fans of R.E.M. already know Murmur and Reckoning by heart. We know the new record won’t be as good as such classics, and it doesn’t need to be. I’ve heard and read nothing but good things about Accelerate, and I look forward to hearing it on April 1st.
I’m not a hardcore REM fan, but this is a great record. Seriously. These guys can still fuck with stuff in great ways.
Your Brother you don’t know what ur talking about, i’ve heard the album already (unlike you) and I can assure you this album is not good. The new album sounds like R.E.M. is trying to recreate their old sound, but instead they sound like “imitations of life” (wink wink). Their new album has nothing new to offer to R.E.M. fans except maybe another boredom movement into mediocrity. Instead of evolving as a band, R.E.M. have taken a step backwards production and with their weak songwriting as well. Their is also this false energy you feel when listening to this album, it all sounds too forced and calculated. This makes R.E.M. feel less genuine and definitely less heartfelt. This sounds like a band just going through the motions. Like I said before… the new R.E.M. is not on the same category of comebacks like Bob Mould and Radiohead’s new releases.
This review isn’t bad if the last paragraph had been cut out. I’m tired of hearing disparaging comments about a band who have put out their best work in 16 years. It’s not the early IRS stuff, but it is immediate and hooky, with loud 21st-century guitars in place of Murmur’s jangle, and that’s a good thing. Accelerate is more like a grown-up version of Monster. Too many rock fans aren’t willing to progress with their artists of choice. It is fashionable while reviewing a comeback to bring up the band’s seminal works and lament the fact that they don’t sound exactly like their heyday anymore. Sorry Lester Bangs wannabe-dude, but this album is stellar and I’m going to buy and enjoy it.
I am tired of always reading people’s opinions which early albums of their “best band in the world ” (insert any famous band’s name) have been the very best and nothing will ever be as good again. Most musicians move on and grow up - but fans usually don’t, unfortunately. I have never really liked the first, like, five R.E.M. albums as much as “New Adventures in Hi-Fi” or “Automatic” - or even “Up” or “Out of Time”! Am I a lunatic now? Even “Around the Sun” and “Reveal” grew stronger with the years - after intitially I found them pretty boring.
Conquer the world is a strange fellow. you can dislike accelerate but, c’mon, calling it a boring mediocre record with false energy is just crazy!!! A band going trough the motions?! Maybe your Accelerate copy doesn’t include Living well is the best revenge. This album is full of great songwriting, hooks, melodies, darkness, light and energy. It sounds fresh and natural to me. After 14 albums, including at least 5 masterpieces, it’s simply impossible to fully reinvent yourself as a band. I mean, I love Radiohead. They made 7 albums and you could argue that the last 4 follow the same kind of pattern or style. Does it mean that Radiohead fans should stop listening? Pure nonsense. By the way, R.E.M’s 7th album came out in 1988 and they are still going strong…
Without being original, Accelerate is still a wonderful listening trip.
I’m just curious what a band does sound like if it “doesn’t sound like a band”?! Like a single artist? A sound-collage? An orchester?
Also I would be careful with assumptions like “they don’t sound comfortable” or “at odds with themselves”, it’s more about how the band actually SOUNDS and not about what they MIGHT HAVE felt like producing their sound. How could anyone ever argue with the reviewer about assumptions like that, BUT also how could any reviewer ever dare to assume it in the first place.
So get this: If I said, “During the ‘White Album’-period of the Beatles, the four sounded very distressed because of their problems at that time, and hence the album deserves only 3/5 points - how could anyone argue over that? You see, it’s not about WHO it is, or HOW he does it, but WHAT he does and WHAT he makes of it. ;-)
And I agree with one of the earlier writers that the past is the past, an album-review is about the actual album, not about all that old stuff.
“They sound like “imitation of life”?!!!! Clearly my friend you were on something wile you were listening to this album! It might work for some other albums, but not this one. “Imitation of life”is actually one of the worst REM songs in my opinion. There’s too much going on, too overproduced. How can you possibly compare that song to Accelerate? They are a million years apart (thank you REM!). “Less heartfelt”? did you get that confession from the band directly? Because when I see of the clips from the Dublin sessions, it seems to me that they are really enjoying making this record, and it comes through when I listen to the album and I still get chills everytime I listen to “Sing for the Submarine”. And that’s all I need : music that moves me. I don’t care who’s band it is. If I had to buy albums strictly on reviewer’s comments (especially my dear friends at Pitchfork), I would be stuck with very few cd,s in my collection…and most of them wouldn’t be half as good as Accelerate.
From a fan who had lost hope, but is now definetly back.
Can’t anyone just listen and enjoy anymore? Are we so involved in our own conceited little bubbles that we can’t just throw on an album, any album, and just listen…you don’t even have to try and enjoy it, but at least give it a fair chance. Of course this R.E.M. album, though apparently trying to connect them with their past, is not from the past and therefore can never be what it once was. Many years have passed, many more artists and songs and albums have come out than anyone could ever keep track of, and as people age their minds age and they will never be able to recreate now what their minds were capable of then, not worse, just different.
I think Around the Sun is a perfectly good and solid album with a few excellent songs: Electron Blue, Leaving New York, and others. Who says that it is “mumified,” and “over polished?” I like it the way it is and I do think that it does sound like REM.
I thought Monster was ferocious, but what the hell. I’m just a dumbass from Athens. The reference above to Radiohead seemed kind of gratuitous. What I’ve never understood is why critics go brainless about U2 making the exact same song over and over (and over), although you couldn’t prove it with sheet music because there are no tunes involved, just prefab open tuning and Bono infatuated with the sound of his own voice. That comparison seems apt to me.
Actually, U2 did make one song that stands out, but, then, they had to get BB King to do it, and the good parts are the BB King parts, where he makes Bono sound like a puerile onanist.
Another obvious thing is that these guys are seriously critic-immune. They obviously could not care less. If you like it, good, if you don’t, good. That’s a refreshing approach to life. They’ve never made an album that wasn’t better than 99% of what was available, and they’re totally unpredictable.
My favorite REM is a take of 7 Chinese Brothers (with sermon, that does nothing for lyrical hermeneutics)on a bootleg. The best album is neither Murmur nor Reckoning, but Document, or maybe Green. Anyway, when they got pissed off about politics instead of ex-girlfriends, it seems to me they got better and a lot more authoritative.
If you don’t like it, don’t buy it, nobody cares, including Bill Berry on his tractor. One thing I would say, there would be no such thing as Indie Rock if REM didn’t pretty much invent it, I mean, until Jay Farrar taught Jeff Tweedy how to play C, F, G, and Am.
Y’all have a nice Easter. And don’t just tell your mom you went to church, go to church.
You folks are having some real trouble with the concept of language. See, there aren’t quite enough specific words out there to completely describe every aspect of music you might want to convey to a person. As a solution one resorts to myriad comparisons designed to promote a better understanding. Don’t let the complexity of “they sound like a band again” throw you off, guy. “Like a single artist? A sound-collage? An [orchestra]?” No, no, he merely means they sound good playing as a cohesive unit once again. And that he said they sound “at odds with themselves” has very, very little to do with the possibility of imagined bickering. It IS all describing HOW the music sounds. How about a little abstract thinking, retards?
CTW, you can assure me all you want, doesn’t mean a thing really. The true R.E.M. fans (yes I am one) know what’s up with this new record. You’re right, I haven’t heard it yet, and I don’t know if it is ‘good’. But being a true fan, I will definitely give Accelerate a fair chance, as I do all of R.E.M.’s albums. They deserve it. I can even find the redeeming qualities and hidden gems of Around the Sun, which is their worst album.
Admit it, you’re just an R.E.M. hater. Bob Mould sucks dude.
R.E.M.’s albums have never equated to their live show. They are so excellent in concert.
But I agree with Your Brother. Around the Sun has some really good stuff on it. “Ascent of Man” is a true gem. The problem was the “sameness” of most of the songs.
I cannot wait for this record. (But Bob Mould does not suck. Don’t get caught up in CTW’s hatefest.)
If I wanted to read some abstrarct writing, I would simply pick up any of my philosophy books. But the retards we obviously are want more then that when it comes to an album review. As someone mentionned earlier, very few songs from Accelerate are mentionned (3), as opposed to numerous references to previous work. I’m pretty sure that we all understood what the critic was saying (especially Bob), but for me, this isn’t a detailed critic of the album. Perhaps (just perhaps), you’re the one with the problem of concept of language and can’t quite undersand that what Bob was pointed out is that the review of this album is simply not well done. At least that’s what my retarded brain understood, and I fully agree with him.
This album is good and so is Bob Mould’s. Get em both and bask in good old fashioned songwriting. It is not necessary to burn other artists to get the point across: people were disappointed with the last few REM albums, they should enjoy this one. This one is fun, quick and loud (for REM anyway) It’s worth your money.
I’m so excited that R.E.M.’s new album is going to be released very soon. What I’ve heard LIVE so far is amazing and brilliant. I cannot wait to hear it on cd. Glad they’re still together, too. This makes 2008 definitely an amazing time for fans and for the band. I love all of their albums (including the last 3), maybe not every single song, but most of everything on the whole album. I always find something I can relate to or ponder about and musically I always find favorite lines that continue to run through my head even ’til this day. Michael Stipe is one of my favorite singers and songwriters. R.E.M. are still a very unique group of musicians, indeed. I wouldn’t trade them for the world. Anyway, this review doesn’t help me much at all so I’ll just leave the reviewing up to me when I buy it on April 1st. I am sure they will find many new fans and keep many old fans as well with, ACCELERATE. (((LONG LIVE R.E.M.)))
You can’t review an album out of context, or out of time. Accelerate has to be compared with Reveal and Around the Sun, because IT WOULDN’T EVEN EXIST without what the band learned from those two records.
Já tinha saudades dos REM. Dos verdadeiros. E este é um verdadeiro disco REM. Como se estivéssemos de volta aos velhos tempos da IRS.
I think Erlewine’s review is very spot-on, but I am a little disappointed that he omitted any talk about the political/ apocalyptic themes that tie together Accelerate. These themes seem almost essential to understanding the artistic statement of Accelerate… There is also no mention of Jacknife Lee’s production efforts that helped bring REM back to that rock sound and out of the electronic blandness, as well as drummer Bill Rieflin’s committed efforts.. I also agree with one of you who said that he spends too much time talking about songs on other albums than songs on Accelerate… Most of the reviews he writes now are much longer than this and I feel like there could have been a little more time focusing on Accelerate than simply its position among REM’s previous work. Granted it’s essential to talk about this position, but that shouldn’t be all that’s contained in a review..
This new album sounds so similar to Husker Du. crazy///
wow a lot of r.e.m. fanboys on this forum…Well the difference between the new bob mould and the new R.E.M. is that Bob Mould’s new album demonstrates his ability to evolve as an artist as well in songwriting and in production. At least R.E.M. as flawed as their newer albums have been…attempted to evolve their sound. This new release is a regression both in songwriting and in production a failed attempt to re-create their old sound. Even pathetic fanboys should be bored at rehashed R.E.M. nowadays. Production is horrible, why is the guitar so loud in the mix. In the digital age, their is no excuse for a poorly mixed album… they sound like amateurs on this new release, which is what they were trying to do (sound like the old r.e.m.) Don’t you guys get the point. R.E.M. failed to recreate their old sound by sounding too forced and calculated with their production and uptempo song choices, their whole purpose of releasing this album was to try to sound “young” again which is just not believable.
wow, that conquer the world kid is quite the Bob Mould’s fanboy…He’s the only one here and i guess that makes him nervous or something.
I’ve seen 4 stars reviews for accelerate in every major magazine, newspaper and blog around the world (in french, english, portuguese, spanish). Surely, those critics can’t all be pathetic r.e.m. fan boys like us…Well, I think YOU don’t get the point. R.E.M. is the most influential band of the 80’s and Accelerate is simply a solid album.
CTW, go listen to your christian rock and leave R.E.M. alone.
CTW, what are like 12?!!! It’s funny how you seem to need to insult people who genuily love this album. I don’t know Bob Mould’s music, but quite frankly, you are getting so much on my nerves, that I think, I will never listen to him. It has nothing to do with the fact that we are “pathetic fan boys (or girls)”. Yes, pathetics girls also adore this album. What a shocker! I’m sure you have a wonderful theory about that. You obviously don’t think we can be objective about this abum, but let me reassure your little brain, we can, and we are. Also, you seem to be spending a lot of time making your (stupid) point about this album. Just let it go man. Let it go and go back to your Bob Mould fan club and express all the love you have for him (and all the hatred you have for R.E.M and their retarded pathetic fan people. I’m sure Bob will reassure you…