R.E.M.
Around The Sun
On Sale Now
For $13.75

On one hand, Around the Sun sounds like it was recorded in a black hole where the arrangements are stripped of light and ferocity. The passion is there but it’s tucked in the corridors of the skull. All the instruments have been untainted and come across as expectedly safe and even pedestrian. Some of the emotional context has been relegated towards ambiguity even as the quietest sting from Stipe’s understated murmur emerges, which feels replaced by a shiny, happy lobotomized simplicity and a sense of complacency. “Wanderlust” is an example of where R.E.M truly goes off the deep end, and wind up lost, drowning inside their trademark sound. Such detours come off as forced and insincere as when rapper Q-Tip tacks on a pseudo- rap during the otherwise engaging third track, “The Outsiders.”

On the other hand, it’s R.E.M’s most consistent effort since New Adventures in Hi-Fi, which was a record that veered off in all sorts of directions but contained some of their strongest material since their debut. R.E.M is one of those bands who have reached a certain summit in their career, in which there are no plans to really branch out beyond their relaxed alcove. They’re not going to really test fans with the kind of diversion that resulted with Monster. I had this feeling after the departure of drummer Bill Berry and with the release of Up, which is an underrated record, that they wouldn’t really turn up the amps anymore and bring forth an arrangement that would challenge the listener. Even as fans of Radiohead, they weren’t about to go all digital and make a dance record because they wear their age well. Their best record is still Automatic for the People, and nearly each album that has followed is a tip-of-the-hat to the best songs on Automatic, sometimes even recycling the same chord structures. They’re cozy and secure, in other words, with no aspirations other than to expound on what they do best: mid-tempo, laid-back, solemn little ballads that may stir yawns or subtle nods. Around the Sun is akin to soaking in the tub with glowing candles lit, gradually falling asleep while the warmth enfolds you. It’s meticulously melodious and mellow in a way that only R.E.M can accomplish.

As promised, it’s a more direct, political record in terms of lyrics. First single is indicative of the album and quaintly sets the tone. “Leaving New York” is a lovingly clear response to 9/11 and several songs that follow fit into to a similar archetype. The arrangements don’t always match the fire of Stipe’s words or hushed vocals which can be perceived as a negative attribute. “As I raise my head to broadcast my objection/As your latest triumph draws the final straw/Who died and lifted you up to perfection/And what silenced me is written into law” is a pertinent, relevant declaration at a time when just about every band has something to say about the current administration and the rather profuse wave of censorship. However, Stipe’s words are far from poetry at times. The abovementioned travesty of “Wanderlust” is dominated by unconvincing perkiness that should’ve been rendered to B-side oblivion. “I'm searching for a greatness/I smear it on my face/I want to bathe in grape must/Swim the length of the milky way.”

The record is at its strongest towards the end with the unyielding, anthemic victory of “The Ascent of Man,” where Stipe lucratively sings out-of-tune with the wall of chords. “High-Speed Train” is a vulnerable, profoundly sincere ballad that we’ve come to expect on nearly every record. “Aftermath” is another pristine example of R.E.M taking hold of their strengths like a runaway, ahem, high-speed train. But it’s also interesting to examine the fact that Mills or Buck don’t feel like dominant forces this time out. There are hushed keyboards and slightly strummed Strats, also the occasional mandolin, but they serve more as background accompaniment which is surprising to note. The harmonies aren’t there and they seemed to have gotten past their Brian Wilson homages. Around The Sun is a very good R.E.M record, better than their last, especially as it unwinds, but it all depends on how you’ve felt about their last two albums. If you’ve grown bored with their lack of sonic innovation and are simply tired of their darkly articulated melancholic milieu, then you’ll more than likely dismiss this in hopes they’ll return with a rock record (which their peers and the OTHER huge-stadium rock band, U2, has promised). This is a mature, easy listening record (not in the new-age-Enya kind of way) that should please fans, but it will not demand new ears to perk up and take notice.

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