Did we talk about the new R.E.M.?
 

It's a pretty straightforward, typical R.E.M. album. It sounds like they tried to take Accelerator and infuse the sound of the Out Of Time/Automatic For the People era. The fast and heavy songs are pretty good but the ballads all fall flat. Accelerator was interesting and unexpected in a lot of ways because it is so much more aggressive than any other R.E.M. record, and Collapse Into Now kind of has that... but it also has a lot of rehashed weirdo pop that should have stayed in 1993. Overall it is an enjoyable listen and it is still a lot better than the first few albums after Berry left, but nothing new or groundbreaking is happening here.

I agree with you. It seems almost like an earlier incarnation of R.E.M. at first, although somehow the songs seem a bit forced and yeah, flat in some extent. I like it way better than Accelerator.

Enjoyable.

yeah it's really good

I have listened to it 4 times now. It's not really growing on me. I really liked Accelerator. This sounds like that meets rehashed Automatic For the People. The more I listen the more it doesn't seem so great.

nevermind 4/20 changed my perspective on this shit I love it

The best new REM record is The King is Dead by The Decemberists.