SPS@aquila.gc.cuny.edu (Scott Schnackenberg) (06/25/91)
R.E.M. - 'Out of Time'
This is their strongest and most consistent selection of songs
since 'Murmur'. The band is obviously enjoying making music and is
not taking themselves too seriously. Perhaps the best sign is that
where in the past they might fill out the disc with a Stipe
experimental attempt to say something 'significant' (say, for
example, the pretentious 'The Wrong Child' on 'Green'), they
instead include catchy (but not insignificant) tunes featuring the
pleasantly thin voice of Mike Mills (the heavenly 'Near Wild
Heaven', the propulsive 'Texarkana').
The band displays mastery of a wide variety of styles, from the
funk of 'Radio Song', to the gritty guitar-based 'Low' and 'Country
Feedback', to the gorgeous wordless harmonies of 'Belong'. Strings
are used on the majority of the tracks and they are far from
gratuitous -- much of R.E.M.'s appeal (at least for me) resides in
the textures of their sound, and the strings add color and variety
to those textures. Adding further texture is Peter Buck's
judicious use of the mandolin, most apparent on the terrific single
'Losing My Religion'. (For a band that appeals largely to the
album oriented crowd, R.E.M. has certainly released a string of
striking and inventive singles -- 'Radio Free Europe', 'Can't Get
There From Here', 'Fall On Me', 'The One I Love', 'The End of the
World As We Know It', 'Orange Crush', and 'Stand' are all top
notch.)
This disc has topped the charts, and it is rare that a band zooms
to the height of its popular appeal with its best work (Springsteen
and Prince in the early to mid 80s are other examples). Those who
dismiss R.E.M. just because they are suddenly very popular are
clearly missing out.
Rating: 9 on the 10 point scale
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Reviewers note: OK, so all of my reviews so far have been raves.
Believe me, there is plenty of stuff that I do not care for, but I
have not reviewed it because:
a) the time I have to listen to music is limited, so I tend
to focus on those things I enjoy... if I do not like it I am
unlikely to listen to it enough to give it a fair shake (Now if
somebody were paying me to do this... :^) )
b) I don't have the bucks to run out and buy every new disc
by the likes of Michael Bolton
_________________________________
Scott Schnackenberg sps@aquila.gc.cuny.edu