R.E.M. - Accelerate
|
List Price: Our Price: $2.78 You Save: $11.20 (80%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Music Reviews of Accelerate
Music Review: Back to basics
Rating: 4 Stars
'Accelerate' is quite simply the best thing REM have done since 'New Adventures', and possibly since 'Automatic for the People'. Cynics might argue that's not saying much, but 'Accelerate' is a strong album and a welcome return to form for the band.
Rather than persue the over-produced art pop of their last three albums, REM go back to basics to reinvigorate themselves. They strip away the electronics, keyboards and heavy production, and push the guitars and vocals to the fore. The result is their most straightforward rock album since the late 80's. In many ways, 'Lifes Rich Pageant' and 'Document' are the templates for the album, both in the direct rock sound and the strident, often political, lyrics. Fans of these albums will find plenty to love on 'Accelerate'.
The one criticism I would have is that perhaps they've gone too far, stripping away not only the fuzzy electro influences of 'Up', but also the quirks that made up their signature sound. It's a very direct album, with little of the subtlety and detours of their classic work. As for the politics, I'd suggest it's not exactly brave or subversive to attack GWB when he's on the way out. Nevertheless, 'Accelerate' is a very good album; the comeback REM fans began to fear they'd never make.
Music Review: A perfect album for less-than-perfect times
Rating: 5 Stars
I don't fully get the "throwback" tag that so many people seem to apply to this album. Yes, this album is a rocker, and some of REMs other albums have been rockers, but I really feel like Accelerate could only have come out of the times we're in. 80% of the Americans think this country is on the wrong track and the rest of the world had lost a great deal of the respect they once had for us. What better way to deal with it than to turn up the volume and rock!?! And where past REM rockers have still noodled around a little, these songs start fast, get to the point, and drive it home with hardly a wasted motion.
Just like the tongue-in-cheek pop of "Shiny Happy People" and the angsty drama of "Everybody Hurts" were ideally suited to the national mood at the closing of the Reagan-Bush era, I feel like the loud and fast songs on Accelerate are perfect for the end of this disastrous Bush II administration. They seem to scream, "hurry up and get this sh** over with!"
While they may have missed the national pulse with their last few albums, I feel like Accelerate really hits home. Like most artists, REM seems to produce their best work when times are tough. If anything, I'd like to hear them play even louder and faster--maybe they could somehow speed up time until January 2009.
Music Review: A very good album from a great band.
Rating: 3 Stars
3 1/2 stars. I think this album is good in it's own right which is really how it should be judged. If you are a fan like me(since Fables) you can definitely see odds and ends from previous songs and of different styles from their past. Nothing really new here. Definitely not reminiscent of any one album. Absolutely love the energy of Living Well, Man Sized Wreath, and Accelerate. Houston, Until the Day is Done are reminiscent of classic slower tempo songs and are very listenable. Submarine sounds like one of better UP/Reveal songs and Mr. Richards is the closest thing to old IRS R.E.M. (in my opinion). The last two songs are just ok. If there were any songs that sounded like attempts to 'sound like R.E.M.' these would be my picks. That is my first impression anyway. You can just turn these up for the jam effect. Also, like many have mentioned the distortion in the recording is a little annoying at first. In particular the vocals get kind of lost in the distortion on the up tempo songs. I think Michael's voice has suffered at little through the years but still love it's distinctness and emotion. It's one of the things that make R.E.M. great. All in all I'm quite happy with this release. One more strong song at the end and it would have gotten 4 stars.Music Review: Are the mastering techs and bands completely deaf?
Rating: 1 Stars
This release is one of the worst recordings I have ever listened to. The music really could be amazing if they would not have turned it up so loud during mastering. If you are the typical MP3 only listener than stop reading this review right now as you are not a real music listener. Go away and listen to top 40 and crank it up until your ears bleed. I personally still listen to music in my car and on my home stereo and I only listen to uncompressed formats such as LP and cd. This cd sounds so bad. The mastering tech is catering to the MP3 crowd and trying to take part in some sort of loudness war. Loudness comes from turning up a stereo not from turning it on. If you try to turn this recording up past half way it will distort and ruin nice speakers over time. The music itself is wonderful if you see them in concert. They need to remaster this again from the original master tapes and tone it down a lot. What happened to the days when if a stereo wasn't loud enough you went and bought a bigger amplifier? Now kids throw little cheap buttplugs in their ears and cranking it up. Maybe the hearing loss and crashed hard drives that erase whole music collections will make them mad enough to demand better from bands and record labels. Bring back the LP and CD!Music Review: Best Post-Berry...
Rating: 4 Stars
I'm a little perplexed by some of the less-than-flattering reviews. I would never suggest that any accomplished band be given a free pass for a sub-par release or a self-indulgent return to one's roots, but I hardly think calling recording quality into question justifies a poor review for Accelerate. Everyone loved Franz Ferdinand's clever vibe, The Shins eclectic bent, the Killers raw simplicity. Are we to never again accept such endeavors from R.E.M. now that they can afford good mics, top engineers and endless studio time?
The truth is, an endless litany of club and college bands owe their far shorter-lived legacies directly to R.E.M. (I'm talking to you, Franz Ferdinand!). Accelerate is as good as anything these one-album-wonders have managed to write and better than most. After so many years, to be so inimitably inventive and undeniably relevant, R.E.M. are as brilliant as ever, and so is Accelerate.
So, be jaded and unjustifiably critical if you must. Just don't criticize out of context while regurgitating crap you read from Pitchfork elitists. It really is OK to like R.E.M. after all these years and if you're afraid enjoying Accelerate makes you seem simple, don't be. It just means you still have good taste.