Reveal by R.E.M.

Pros: They're almost back from the dark side of the moon.
Cons: The fuel's out, we're gonna need a trampoline stat!

New Adventures in Hi-Fi was basically my "first" R.E.M. album, and at the time, reviews were pretty harsh. I always secretly liked it, and in recent years I have found that I wasn't the only one. Up came along, and I picked it ...

Pros: "Chorus And The Ring," "Beat A Drum," "Imitation Of Life."
Cons: Everything else, seriously.

Every now and then, I receive a serious disappointment from an artist I generally like. I mean, I don't think now I would have rated the Oasis album "Don't Believe The Truth" (reviewed at: ...

Pros: Back to basics, back to roots - God bless R.E.M.
Cons: The album has only 12 tracks...

It's been a long time, but R.E.M. have finally completed a project every bit as worthy as their masterpiece Automatic for the People. After hearing the incredible single from the Man on the Moon soundtrack Into the Great Beyond, I...

Pros: Four great and inspiring songs.
Cons: The album, unfortunately, falls flat as a whole.

As a long-time fan of R.E.M, I must confess that I was extraordinarily disappointed with R.E.M's latest effort "Reveal." After hearing all of the critics praise the album, I was excited when purchasing this album. Would my favorite band finally break...

Pros: A few of these songs are tremendous!
Cons: A few of the others are sleep-inducing!

Disclaimer: Those looking for a brief description of the album will find what their looking for in the "Review Body" section. The section titled "Track Reviews" is meant only for those who want to read detailed descriptions of the songs, and ...

Pros: gorgeously produced and an interesting variety
Cons: cold, distant, sterile, too "airy" and atmospheric

As a music fan, I can safely say I like it when bands don't settle for the "same ol same ol." I like it when bands experiment with their sound, when they bring in new instruments, new ideas, and most of all, a certain freshness to being a fan of that ban ...

Pros: Excellent Album from R.E.M.
Cons: None.

By the time R.E.M. entered the 21st Century, the alternative rock pioneers had just gone through one of their most difficult challenges by going forward without their drummer Bill Berry. 1998’s “Up” album didn’t sell very well though the album...

Pros: "Imitation of Life," "I'll Take the Rain," "She Just Wants to Be"
Cons: Too many sleepers

The '90s was a crazy decade for R.E.M., as they seemed to be going through stylistic changes with every album. The biggest surprise came with the heavy alt-rock of Monster, a sound that carried over into the more diverse and underrated New ...

Pros: R.E.M. continues to do what they do, but going a bit slower
Cons: The album tends can sound like one giant song that flows together

This is a rewrite – the original review was the first and only review I’ve had that was only a “helpful” plus looking back, it was pretty pitiful, so here’s a new version, which hopefully better reviews this album – but I still ...

Pros: REM begins to return to what they do best
Cons: A lot of filler, and the album has an icy feel to it

When REM first burst onto the music scene with their breakthrough album “Murmur,” the band imposed upon themselves a strict policy banning the use of synthesizers. This was done as an attempt to distinguish the band from the rest of the music of the...

Pros: Some amazing material
Cons: It sounds very half-hearted

As U2 and Radiohead prepared to release their latest efforts, both promised a return to a golden age, U2 said they would sound more like “The Joshua Tree” after the experimental “Pop”, Radiohead said they’d sound more like “The Bends” after the...

Pros: Some slightly jaded gems, clever wasteland of sound that's good for background music
Cons: Spacy, self-indulgent, swellingly obvious music that doesn't do much for this long-time fan.

It kills me to say this...really, really kills me...but R.E.M.'s latest contribution to popular culture falls a little flat of genius. In fact, it falls a little flat period. Prior to this release, I heard critics everywhere "oohing and aahing" over...

Pros: Modernism with melodies? Yes please!
Cons: One day, we won't have R.E.M. around to make records like this.

I was filled with expectation when I read that R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills had described “Reveal” as “a cross between “Up” And “Automatic For The People””, due to the fact that, in my humble opinion, the two aforementioned records are the finest that the...

Pros: Old School R.E.M. Sounds
Cons: Falls Short of Groundbreaking

After R.E.M.'s last three albums, Monster, New Adventures in Hi-Fi and Up, I had just about given up on any decent new music from this, one of my favorite bands. I figured Stipe had gone off the deep end after all, his comfortingly...

Pros: REM is back melodically.
Cons: Grows tiresome with time.

Let me start by saying that I'm not a big REM fan. Yes, I do admit in hearing them on the radio, but I was never the one to go out of my way to actually by their work. I've known their songs. I even liked some of them and yet abhorred others. Songs like...