R.e.m. - Reveal by R.E.M. (2001) - Import

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• Reveal by R.E.M. (2001) - Import

Music reviews of Reveal by R.E.M. (2001) - Import

Music Review: REM at their most beautiful walking unafraid
Rating: 5 Stars

Reveal is the hands down the best album produced this millenium. It is a deep beautiful album that demonstrates that REM are unafraid to experiment and develop. As with all REM albums, and this seems to be a constant trade mark of theirs, Reveal contains a deeper theme and meaning. It is a reflective album that paints a thousand pictures in my head. It is beautiful, melancholy, nostalgic and joyous and has the potential to become as deeply a personal album as 1993's 'Automatic for the people'. Is is the kind of album that grows on the listener and after two weeks seems to become a classic.

It begins with the intellegent song 'The lifting'. A song about a pensive businessman. It is one of the strongest REM album openers ever. It is musically wonderful and its lyrics strike you like a brick wall disguised as a feather pillow. "Grounded, 5am/ the nitelite is comforting,/ but gravity is holding you.// once settled into sleep/ you have watched on repeat,/ the story of your life/ across the ceiling;/ and in review..."

The following track 'I've been high' and stunning and sensitive electronic ballade that seems to carry universal appeal akin to 'Automatic for the people's 'Everybody hurts'. It has Stipe asking " do my eyes/do my eyes seem empty?/I've forgotten how this feels//I've been high/I've climbed so high/but life sometimes/it washes over me." It already becomes apparent at this point that Stipe has maintained his lyrical brilliance and has created lyrics that could stand alone as poetry.

After the jangly "All the way to Reno" comes one of the albums definite highlights "She just wants to be" - a song that could and should have been released as one of the albums singles. It has a definite subtle rock and roll tone to and it is a definitive moment for Peter Bucks guitar as he tackles the solo's with renewed gusto and skill.

After 'Disappear', the memorable 'Saturn returns' and the melodic 'Beat a drum' - another highlight - we come to the hughly sucessful ' Imitation of life'. It is a stunning catching song that will have the listener singing the chorus in the shower for weeks. Here Peter Buck dusts off his 12-string Riefenbaker and takes us back to the REM style of old. It is surprisinlgy deep in its simplicity. It is destined to become a REM staple.

'Summer turns to high' and the poetic 'Chorus and the ring' follow and then the listener is treated to a song so stunning in its lyrics and so beautiful in its music that it will claim a place in ever listeners soul. 'I'll take the rain' is the pinnacle of the album and is a poetic ballade similar to 'Find the river' Nightswimming' or 'Perfect circle'. It is the nostalgic look at two lovers sharing summer days together. Its chorus is unparalelled. We hear as tender a Michael Stipe as we have ever heard, " I used to think as birds take wing,/ they sing through life, so why can't we?/ we cling to this and claim the best/ if this is what you're offering/ I'll take the rain ..." It will become a song that will touch each listener on a personal level.

All in all Reveal is as complete an album as REM have ever produced. It is an album that will not go donw with Westlife or Creed fans but for those of you who value music as art and can appreciate music with more of a folk rock feel then Reveal is for you. It is REM at their most beautiful, walking unafraid, showing the music world and U2 ( damn there commercial douls )how its done.

Description of Reveal by R.E.M. (2001) - Import

Alternative Rock CDs

• Music > Styles
• Pop
• Rock