Long before alternative became a household words and entire floors of music companies were devoted to finding the new Nirvana/Pearl Jam, Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe were recording music that appealed to the discerning listener. Whether it was "Radio Free Europe" at the University of Georgia, "Superman" at Brown University or "It's The End of the World As We Know It" at Stevens Institute (well before it became a "chic" fraternity song), R.E.M. has has a long line of music which has its base firmly planted in the college campuses of this country.
As these students graduated, and R.E.M. bucked the trend by continually moving the playing field, major labels noticed this core group of fans growing both abroad and in the United States. Accordingly, the band was offered larger platforms for their music, and with it, a bigger share of the financial pie. But with the release of their latest album New Adventures in Hi-Fi, R.E.M. not only reinvent the art of the soundcheck, but bring back the spirit of earlier alternative albums such as Murmur.
Ah yes, the soundcheck. Most of these songs were recorded on the road during soundchecks. So, there's plenty of contributors on New Adventures who aren't the featured foursome - Patti Smith, Scott McCaughey, and others. And, in keeping with the experimentational aura of soundchecks, the instrumental "Zither" was recorded in a Philadelphia dressing room.
The first single, "E-Bow The Letter", is absolutely awful. Even Patti Smith's guest vocals can't save this song, which sounds like the leftovers from the "Drive" sessions - why the band chose to include this on an otherwise strong album, much less release it as the first radio single, is beyond me.
In some regards, this is almost a look back at R.E.M. through the years. "Departure" wouldn't sound completely out of place on the band's B-sides collection, Dead Letter Office - except that they've learned since then how to really perfect a song. "Electrolite" could have come from a session that spawned "Nightswimming", and "Binky The Doormat" almost is pre-Murmur, from those fraternity party days, with its CCR-like guitar riff looped over and over - but, just as with all other R.E.M. songs, the unexpected is the norm.
Listeners looking for potential singles won't find any top ten selections here, a la "Losing My Religion" or "Stand", but will find R.E.M.'s strong point - plenty of *songs*. Don't be fooled by "E-Bow" - there's some solid rock tracks here. "Bittersweet Me" is one of the top tracks, and "So Fast So Numb" is also sure to be a fan and modern rock favorite.
This disc *will* require repeated listenings before completely "getting it". At first listen, mainstream accessibility seems to escape the Georgian quartet - but by a second and third playing, New Adventures in Hi-Fi can be more readily accepted. People who just tuned in to R.E.M. from their pop hits on Green and Out of Time might be advised to stay away from this one, but there's plenty of fans who won't be disappointed.
Eighty million dollar contracts afford a band plenty of luxuries, as long as success follows - and with New Adventures in Hi-Fi, R.E.M. has garnered another level of success while still tweaking their nose at the musical establishment.
