REM capped off their first 15 years, and Bill Berry’s tenure in the band, with this long, road-recorded album that touches upon pretty much every vibe the band ever attempted, and they completely nail it on every track. This album always got swept away in the wave of Monster indifference but just one detailed spin will reveal this to be perhaps the purest example of REM that you could ever find. Every song is perfect and some of them (“New Test Leper”, “Low Desert”, “Leave”, “Electrolyte”, and the monumental “So Fast So Numb”) stand among the band’s finest work.
Following this album, drummer Bill traded in his sticks for a tractor and the band continued as a trio for another 15 years. They would go on to create some exquisite works (and some abysmal ones too) but they never did quite capture the spirit of the band in its original form. They were a force and New Adventures In Hi-Fi is, fortunately, one hell of a way to go out.
No comments:
Post a Comment