Band: R.E.M.Album: AccelerateRecord Label: Warner Bros./WeaReleased: April 1Stars: 3/5
R.E.M. has been around the block. The band has been playing and progressing and rocking out for decades. Some of its most famous hits,”Losing My Religion” and “Everybody Hurts,” are recognizable after humming just a few bars. Known as one of the first alternative rock bands, R.E.M. has a lot of history behind it. It has revamped its sound again and again over the years, but in its 14th album, Accelerate, R.E.M. decided to go back to its 80s roots and punk it up.
Many of the songs seem to be up to the band’s legendary standards. The can’t-touch-this “Horse to Water” and fire-spitting “Living Well is the Best Revenge” are just as clever and interesting as the titles imply. They are blood-pumping, adrenaline-rushing songs that seem to fit perfectly with the album name. However, some songs fall short. R.E.M. tripped up a bit with “I’m Gonna DJ.” It looks promising on paper: quirky lyrics that mock death and total oblivion mirror the feel of the band’s previous hit, “It’s the End of the World as We Know It.” However, the vocals don’t do the words justice. The singing is borderline talking, struggling to fit in with the rest of the song. It doesn’t really sound like lead singer Michael Stipe’s usual snarl, as if he is trying to be something he’s not.
Although Accelerate reflects the sound of R.E.M.’s older days, it doesn’t quite recapture it. The album as a whole didn’t exactly accelerate. It was more like a hustle forward. However, the music is diverse. Each song is distinct, so it’s easy to find at least one or two to enjoy. The album has a nice flow, with the songs speeding up and slowing down at the right moments. It tugs, teases and entices you to listen to the next song. Because of the older feel of the album, it may be an acquired taste for some, and new fans may not enjoy is as much as the steadfast R.E.M. fans. But if you feel this album rocks as much as the band’s older music has, then it might not be a bad idea to see R.E.M. when it swings by Raleigh in June. Either way, Accelerate is many things: political, aggressive, bold and quick. Thus, R.E.M. has spoken.
