I hate seeing the continued references to this being R.E.M.'s "comeback album". First off, with the exception of the 2004 dud "Around The Sun", I've enjoyed the band's post-Bill Berry work. I don't care if it didn't sell well, 1998's "Up" is one of my favorite R.E.M. albums, even if it was quite the musical departure from their earlier work. 2001's "Reveal" was much less subdued and another overlooked release in their discography.
Besides, we already heard a lot of this 'comeback' talk over their last release, 2008's "Accelerate". With the help of producer Jacknife Lee, R.E.M. certainly rocked harder than they had since "Monster", but the solid tunes were still there as well. It got them back on U.S. radio and kept all the wolves howling the band was creatively spent at bay.
So that brings us to their latest, "Collapse Into Now". Lee is back behind the boards and after the success of "Accelerate", you'd think that would bode well. However, there is something missing here and its tough to put my finger on it. I've given this album numerous plays and it just falls flat every time.
There are certainly strong moments. "Uberlin" is a lovely ballad with that recognizable acoustic sound that screams "Out Of Time" era. It's the best track on here. "Every Day Is Yours To Win" carries an uplifting message with a lullaby like guitar line. As a matter of fact, the ballads are the strongest points on the album. The waltzing "Oh My Heart" and piano led "Walk It Back", with a wonderfully vulnerable vocal by Michael Stipe, are the other keepers here.
Less impressive to me are the rock tracks. The opener, "Discoverer" comes across as bland, "That Someone Is You" doesn't even clock in at two minutes and feels every bit a toss-off, and "Alligator Aviator Autopilot Antimatter" is as silly as its title, with a guest vocal by Peaches no less. I'd almost rather have KRS-One appear on an R.E.M. song again before a Peaches guest spot. I said almost.
"Collapse Into Now" is certainly not a dog like "Around The Sun" was. I can see how it would appeal to long time fans of the band as many of the styles and sounds R.E.M. has utilized and perfected are here. Taking the album title literally, they're taking everything they're known for over their long, often brilliant, career and updating them for 2011. I'll come back to a number of the songs here as well, there are certainly great individual tracks. There is just too much weak material, for my tastes, to make a cohesive, enjoyable album from start to finish. I know this is getting a lot of fawning reviews. Sorry, I'll take "Accelerate", (or "Up" and "Reveal"), as better overall, latter day R.E.M. albums. Too much of this just feels forced to me.
"Collapse Into Now" was released in the U.S. March 8, 2011 on Warner Bros. Records.
Comments