REM's got a new album, and we do have a lot of fans here...

[incka]

What do you all think? Which other albums is it most like? Is it better than Around the Sun, Reveal and Up?

[Star_Anise]

Do we have a lot of REM fans here or have they moved on?

[Moon Shadow]

I'm a huge fan of R.E.m. and I love their new album, Accelerate. After the bands last two albums, the rather flat Reveal and the frankly boring Aroundthe Sun, Accelerate is a breath of fresh air.The sound is signature R.E.M. with a modern edge.

Mike Mills said about the album, "We tried not to overthink this one and tried to make it short and sweet."

At about 35 minutes long Accelerate is indeed short, and oh so sweet to this R.E.M. fan. There are bold political songs such as the Hurricane Katrina-inspired Houston" ('if the storm doesn't kill me the government will'), "Mansized Wreath" ('turn on the TV what do I see?/a pageantry of empty gestures all lined up at me'), and "I'm Gonna DJ" (about the 1999 World Trade Organisation riots in Seattle). There are mellow songs also, such as two of my favorites, "Until the Day is Done" and "Hollow Man."

Michael Stipe says the sound of the album "has to do with something much bigger, which happens to tie in with the album title. It's about ADD [Attention Deficit Disorder] and people's attention span and it's millennial. We're eight years into the 21st century and what does that mean? It's just flying by. So who has time for an extra two verses or three choruses?"

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41IXwginGKL._SS400_.jpg

The tracks are:

1. Living Well’s the Best Revenge
2. Mansized Wreath
3. Supernatural Superserious
4. Hollow Man
5. Houston
6. Accelerate
7. Until the Day is Done
8. Mr. Richards
9. Sing for the Submarine
10.Horse to Water.
11.I'm Gonna D.J.

I can't wait to hear the band perform these live in concert!