Wednesday, November 21, 2012

I am flying on a star...

Artist: R.E.M.
Album: Collapse Into Now
Released: March 4, 2011

Where can you possibly begin the conversation about R.E.M.?  They are one of the most influential rock bands of the past generation, with an incredible career that spanned 30 years.  They played a key role in developing the alternative rock genre as we know it today, starting with their college rock of the early '80s to the more mainstream alternative of the late '80s and early '90s.  Even after that, they were still putting out quality tracks while evolving towards a more polished and mature sound.

When R.E.M. released their 2 disc greatest hits album (Part Lies, Part Truth, Part Heart, Part Garbage, 1982-2011) last year, many fans agreed that there were still quite a few important songs missing; indeed, a few of my favorites were absent, including "E-Bow the Letter", "Bang and Blame", and "All the Way to Reno".  I would say my very favorite R.E.M. songs, along with "E-Bow the Letter", include "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?", "Man on the Moon", "Orange Crush", and "Electrolite", though there are so many other great ones.  Most of their big hits have their own unique qualities, and when listening all the way through their greatest hits compilation, the aforementioned progression in sound is evident.

The band announced last year that they were hanging it up, meaning that Collapse Into Now, their 15th studio album, would also be their last.  I'm sure I'll be posting more about R.E.M. in the future; I posted about their last album first, partly because I haven't done many post-1990s reviews yet, and partly because their recent retirement provides an opportunity to reflect on their career.  When I listen to the opening riffs to "Discoverer", the opening track, I can't help but feel like the band is warming up for their grand finale.  It's a solid track and also reminds me quite a bit of "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?"  As the album was released just a few months before retiring, this song hints that the end may be near, as Michael Stipe (lead singer) reflects on his career.

There are a few parts of the album that remind the listener of the band's earlier days; I'm thinking particularly of "All the Best" and "Mine Smell Like Honey", which recall the quasi-grunge songs of the late '80s/early '90s.  Also, "Alligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter" is kind of a fun song much in the mold of earlier hits like "Stand"; I would also say "That Someone is You" fits into that description.  However, the majority of the album has a clean, modern sound (as opposed to the band's early college rock days), and I think in general that this formula worked best for them on this particular album.

For me, "Uberlin" is the standout song from the album.   It fits into the modern mold: it's fairly easy listening, but it's a well crafted song and also provides some of Stipe's best vocals.  I would give it strong consideration to be in my top ten all-time R.E.M. songs.  Two other more modern tracks that I really like are "It Happened Today" and "Every Day is Yours to Win".  I think here, they sound a little bit like Coldplay; the former track features backup vocals from Eddie Vedder.  "Walk It Back" is similar in this way but not quite as strong; I like the piano-based melody, though it just didn't pull me in as much as I would have expected.  "Oh My Heart" and "Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando and I" are solemn tracks that take a little bit of effort from the listener to enjoy; I like them both, though it took a little more time for me to warm to the latter.

The album closes with "Blue", a somewhat complex but also interesting song.  In a way, it's a good closer for R.E.M.'s career; it features vocals from Patti Smith (as "E-Bow the Letter" did) and also a reprisal of the riffs from "Discoverer".  When I hear this song, I can visualize the curtain closing on an incredible career.  I don't think anyone will ever consider Collapse Into Now as among R.E.M.'s all-time classics, but it's really nice to see that after all this time, they were still able to put together a solid album and exit the stage with some dignity.

Track #, Name of Song, Duration, My Rating
1. Discoverer (3:31) - 9/10
2. All the Best (2:46) - 8/10
3. Uberlin (4:13) - 10/10
4. Oh My Heart (3:20) - 9/10
5. It Happened Today (3:48) - 9/10
6. Every Day Is Yours to Win (3:25) - 9/10
7. Mine Smell Like Honey (3:11) - 8/10
8. Walk It Back (3:23) - 8/10
9. Alligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter (2:44) - 8/10
10. That Someone Is You (1:43) - 7/10
11. Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando and I (3:03) - 8/10
12. Blue (5:45) - 8/10