R.E.M. - "ACCELERATE"

R.E.M. have returned this week with their anticipated 14th studio album (just a few months after releasing 'Live', their cleverly titled live double-disc). Without question, this band has long been a subject of debate. In the past decade, we've heard a barrage of such comments as "oh, they're just not the band they used to be", or "they don't matter anymore" etc., and based on their last few studio releases, that was mostly true. It had seemed that global success and domination had doused the very spirit and eagerness that made the work of their first 15 years so groundbreaking and enjoyable.
Of course, every release in the past handful of years was joined by a marketing angle claiming "this is the return of R.E.M.!", and fans (that still cared) saying, "oh, this could be the one where they return to form!". Well, 'Accelerate' was no different in that regard, but this time, I think it could be true.
I'm not going to go as far as saying that this record could even be mentioned in the same breath as some of their downright landmarks such as 'Life's Rich Pageant', or 'Reckoning', or 'Murmer', but I will say that some urgency has returned to Michael Stipe's voice and lyrics, and the amplifiers on the guitars of Peter Buck have been cranked back up near "10". In fact, the guitar work on this album is nothing like we've heard since the 'Monster' record of 1994.
Most of these tracks are upbeat, they rock, and I'd call it a return to their roots, but certainly not a return to form. The band officially lost that proverbial 'form' with the retirement of drummer Bill Berry in the autumn of '97. I know, you're saying, "But so what? He was the drummer."...and in most cases, you'd have a good point there, but not for R.E.M.. This essence of this band, especially in their glory years, was the impenetrable bond between the four members...both musically, and personally. I don't think even Ringo Starr meant more as a drummer to his band than Berry did. And it's quite clear the band hasn't been the same since.
Yet, 'Accelerate' is the first time that they've at least come close to recreating that special bond, I believe that a lot of people will be impressed with this record.
R.E.M. returns to Chicago with an arena gig at the United Center on June 6th.

Happy listening!
cheers,
pogo