buffyleigh
4
Did I already say that REM is a great band? Maybe I did. That's one of the few huge mainstream bands that I don't find overrated; actually I ignored them for too long because they were mainstream and thought there was nothing interesting to get out of them. Every time I listen to one of their records from their golden age, I realize how wrong I was. It's less stripped down and raw than Documents but the arrangements are subtle and everything is great, from the well-carved melodies to Stripe distinctive voice.
This is another album inspired by turning thirty, although with REM their songs tend to the wistful and abstruse rather than gloominess. The opening track Drive sets the tone for the album with sparse acoustic guitars blossoming into a stunning string arrangement from John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin. The remastered atmos mix also shines here, sounding intimate and epic at the same time. The highlight is still Stipe’s Elvis impression on Man in the Moon.