R.E.M.

If you missed it, R.E.M. did a great interview on NPR's Fresh Air on Wednesday, the podcast of which is here. And really, with major label dough to do the promotion, the band probably doesn't need the help of little blogs like this one for their latest disc Accelerate, but its so friggin' good I just have to give it a little love. The pride of Athens, GA is one of my all time favorites; they were an essential part of my awkward adolescent life's soundtrack. This was during the heady I.R.S Years, so it's little wonder that I feel connected to this latest release; an album that fits more with that catalog than anything they've released since Green. I knew good things were afoot last year with the release of the strong R.E.M. Live; it sounded like the band was ready to rock again...like they were letting Peter Buck (mercifully) steer the ship again. That jangly rock aesthetic is fully realized on Accelerate, and you can hear it on the first single "Supernatural Serious", (which also has a good little video). Not unlike U2's last two albums, this one might not be a creative leap forward, but for us slightly older fans, that's cool. We'll just take eleven strong songs and reminisce about ye goode olde days.