Approached this one with a mixture of (mild) anticipation and (greater) trepidation. REM are a band that I’ve followed for nearly 30 years, from their indie-pup days (I bought Murmur because of a review that read “welcome the American Gang of Four”) through the world-conquering 90s to their current ‘are they still going?’ status. The generally-held view seems to be that they jumped the shark when drummer Bill Berry left in 1997 and that they haven’t produced anything of real worth since. OK, one could argue that no entire collection since New Adventures in Hi-Fi has been a totally compelling set but it’s easy to forget, given the band’s longevity, that there have been real highlights since their realignment to a 3-piece core; obvious examples: The Great Beyond, Daysleeper, Bad Day, Imitation of Life, Leaving New York, Supernatural Superserious. I can think of many highly-rated bands who would like ‘duds’ such as those in their back catalogue.
Still, I have to admit that my slight apprehension was based upon a nagging feeling that REM have spent the last decade or so either treading water (the far-too-sombre Around the Sun) or trying too hard (the all-out-rock-attack of Accelerate). Reveal was a good-ole pop album but (with the exception of the aforementioned Imitation of Life) the tunes just weren’t from the top drawer. I have a lot of time for Up (which is probably the most disliked album of their career but, for me, generates a chill-out mood missing from most of their work and was, at least, adventurous) - but it’s hard not to agree with the perception that they haven’t been ‘essential’ for quite some time.
So… it’s 2011, 3 years on from Accelerate – is Collapse into Now worth the wait? Opening track Dicoverer isn’t bad at all – swirling echoing guitar hook with a slight Middle-Eastern feel and chanting vocals – and then comes the rockier All the Best, which would sit nicely on Life’s Rich Pageant. ÜBerlin seems to be a fairly meaningless plea to escape the daily drudge (some wittering on about changing stations & meteors) but does deliver a classic mid-period REM change of pace and has a typical quirky video to enhance the overall effect.
Oh My Heart is probably the only overt ‘social commentary’ song on the album – it’s obviously a paean to post-Katrina New Orleans – and includes a lovely horn/accordion/mandolin backdrop, but this was the first track that made me think ‘REM by numbers’. It Happened Today carries on in the same vein as the preceding 2 tracks and, while not entirely unpleasant, I was hoping for a change of tempo to maintain interest.
Just as I was settling into a feeling of ‘pleasant but not compelling album’ along comes Every Day is Yours to Win. This is even slower and mellower but… it’s a complete gem! The guitar intro is very simple but wonderfully evocative, the lyrics and Stipe’s phrasing (the mid-line breath gaps particularly) click immediately, the vocal soaring on the short & simple chorus brings to mind Find the River from Automatic for the People - but this song doesn’t deserve to be pigeon-holed as a sound-alike; for me, it is up there with the very best work they’ve ever done. Michael even manages to slip in some of his trademark mild sarcasm without it sounding contrived or smug:
“With the warp and the wooze and the subterfuge, does it all look bitter & blue? Well I’m nothing but confused, with nothing left to lose – and if you buy that I’ve got a bridge for you.”
From this marvellous mid-point the album moves back up a gear. Forthcoming single Mine Smell Like Honey fairly bops along; while the chorus is yet another retread of Bad Day that’s not really such a bad thing. Walk it Back is very similar in tone to the earlier Oh My Heart but not quite as intense – I defy you to not be singing along to the chorus by the last refrain. Alligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter might just be the album’s only total misfire; this really is a virtual rewrite of Animal and wastes guest star Peaches.
That Someone is You is jangly and much better, with some neat verbal tricks (“Sharon Stone Casino, Scarface Al Pacino, ’74 Torino”). It certainly lingers longer in the memory than Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando And I – another slowing of pace with a melody so forgettable that I had to check the track-listing to remember it was there!
Then we’re at the closer – Blue – which is potentially the most interesting track here. A fuzz-drenched soundscape is the backdrop for Michael to let loose with what seems to be a stream-of-consciousness tone poem, while further guest Patti Smith (used far more effectively) supplies backing vocals which almost seem to be in harmony with Stipe’s speaking. This really is a departure from the norm and shows that there’s experimental life in the old dogs yet ;-). The track ends with a reprise of the riff from opener Dicoverer, which plays the common (but still quite neat) trick of bringing the album full circle.
Collapse into Now is not likely to make any new converts but it definitely has flashes of magic. It’s noticeable that every resemblance that any of these tracks has to anything else is from their own back-catalogue – in fact, if I had to compare the entire album to a previous one the closest in tone & feel is probably Green.
Trepidation assuaged and anticipation reasonably rewarded – by no means perfect, but this is quite a good un.
Collapse Into Now is available now from stockists (if any still exist in the digital age) or for download from all the usual places.
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