R.E.M. - "Collapse Into Now"

[auctioneer69]

Official preview on youtube featuring snippets of seven songs:

 

 

Also, full version of "It Happened Today"

 

http://ozonlaag.tumblr.com/post/2388392119/it-happened-today-r-e-m-collapse-into-now

 

Liking these a lot: definitely lots of classic, trademark R.E.M. elements.

[remphish1]

Everyone..."Listen, listen to the Auctioneer"!

 

 

Can't wait...if you couldn't tell by my screen name!

[solace]

 

this album is sounding REALLY great so far

[Rusty Shackleford]

I officially have my hopes up for the new album now.

 

The snippets sound like classic R.E.M., without trying so hard to be aggressive (I'm looking at you, "Acclerate.").

[Vacant Horizon]

not a huge fan, but this looks great. i love studio footage. makes the music come alive.

[auctioneer69]

Everyone..."Listen, listen to the Autioneer"!

 

 

LOL ...you have me pegged. I am really excited for March too. R.E.M. have only make one bad record in three decades ("Around The Sun"). Something tells me that this new album might have been considered a bit formulaic (judging by the seven song preview) if they hadn't taken so many musical detours over their career. "Collapse Into Now" certainly sounds like it has more commercial potential than any REM album for a long time. It will be interesting to see how well it is received, if at all, by a wider audience than established REM fans.

[calvino]

I thought it looked good, too. Looking forward to it as I am with all their releases.

[remphish1]

All depends on airplay which is non existant these days....I guess that means the same one who bought Accelerate will buy this album...REM's popularity really has fallen off a cliff since 96-98 and I guess that is ok with me as long as they keep making albums and touring. Of course I wish them success but it would shock me if anyone notices the new album.

[SunkenKamera]

Sounds good so far. The guy who reviewed every R.E.M. song on his blog has some info on the songs not heard in the trailer. Link

 

FYI- Song reviews and Stipe answering fan questions about songs here

[dtram]

Even though I really like accelerate and think its the best batch of songs they had since maybe automatic, I've been of the opinion that maybe this should be the last record, before they turn into U2 and just make "R.E.M." records for the rest of their career. Say what you want about Up and Reveal but at least they were trying new thigs, I actually thought Up was great.

 

The 2 songs released already and this trailer have me thinking differently though. While they clearly aren't breaking new ground (at least with what we've heard), these are really good songs and if this record is up to the level of these 2, then why would they stop.

 

I still hope they have some agreement with Bill that when they are ready to make the last record, the 4 of them convene in Athens and "make one the way they used to", then fold.

[calvino]

I actually thought Up was great.

 

I thought Up was great, too. They kinda of lost me after that, but I still look forward to their releases. The Live at the Olympia is a great set, also.

[auctioneer69]

Even though I really like accelerate and think its the best batch of songs they had since maybe automatic, I've been of the opinion that maybe this should be the last record, before they turn into U2 and just make "R.E.M." records for the rest of their career. Say what you want about Up and Reveal but at least they were trying new thigs, I actually thought Up was great.

 

The 2 songs released already and this trailer have me thinking differently though. While they clearly aren't breaking new ground (at least with what we've heard), these are really good songs and if this record is up to the level of these 2, then why would they stop.

 

I still hope they have some agreement with Bill that when they are ready to make the last record, the 4 of them convene in Athens and "make one the way they used to", then fold.

 

 

I agree with most of what you say. Ironically, from what I have heard in the previews "Collapse Into Now" sounds like it could be a Bill Berry era R.E.M. album. Apart from the turkey that was "Around The Sun I have admired and lobed or liked everything they have done. After "Out of Time", "AFTP" and "Monster" continued world domination was theirs for the taking. To some extent they are to be admired for following their own instincts as opposed to trying to repeat past successes. I am sure the people at Warner Brothers don't feel that way after the massive contract they signed in the early/mid nineties. At their core R.E.M. have maintained an ambivalent view towards selling tons or records or making tons of money (very unlike their peers from Dublin - U2). Their good fortune was that while their commercial success peaked domestically in the early nineties their overseas success continued in a upward trajectory for another ten years or so. I'd be curious as to what the band's expectations are around this record. Swan song or one last attempt at greater commercial success everywhere before entering a twilight part of their career without a large record label and where they release more esoteric music every few years or when the mood takes them.

[dtram]

I thought Up was great, too. They kinda of lost me after that, but I still look forward to their releases. The Live at the Olympia is a great set, also.

 

It's funny, there's a lot of discussion on the R.E.M. boards about the decline in quality over the years, Stipes lyrics etc. They clearly aren't the same band as they once were and I think much of that is attributable to the loss of BB, how the dynamic changed and how inevitably they are different people from who they were. It's kind of sad that that Reveal and especially around the sun don't measure up to the earlier stuff but there are good songs on both. The question as a fan is, do you want them to stop or do you like getting a new REM record every 3 years with at least some songs you dig?

 

Accelerate really was a make or break thing for them because if it sucked they would have called it a day. I thought it was great but I kind of feel the same way going into CIN, if it isn't really good, do I want REM to go on being mediocre just to have them around or should they die with dignity so to speak. So far from what I've heard, I think it will be good but it doesn't excite me the way they used to (although that 2 minute coda to It Happened Today did make me perk up in the same way hearing Belong or Me In Honey or Nightswimming or Finest Worksong did.)

 

It will be interesting to see where they go from here. The WB contract is up. Will they renew, will they do what Wilco is doing, will they stop?

 

I do hope they do one more with BB although if my hunch is correct, it be awesome and we will be left to think what could have been looking back on all the records without him.

[dtram]

After "Out of Time", "AFTP" and "Monster" continued world domination was theirs for the taking.

 

I actually think Monster was the end of their world domination. I remember the used CD racks being full of them in the months after it came out. My friends who liked REM for OOT and Automatic were put off and really never came back and i think that was a case for a lot of those early 90's REM fans. It's not that it was loud, it just wasn't very melodic and quite frankly, wasnt that good. I also dont think it helped that by the Fall leg of the '95 tour they were playing 5 new songs per night that no one except the diehards knew along with the Monster stuff. They stay off the road for 5 years and then tour with a new record that people dont love and lop on 5 new songs that people don't know, while maybe playing 5 pre OOT songs per night. Not a recipe for the casual fan that will keep them coming. You may argue, who needs the casual fan but they are the ones that take you from 15,000 capacity sheds to 3 nights at the spectrum.

 

Maybe this was calculated on their part, they didn't want to turn into U2 and be a colosuss so they became difficult, who knows. I do suspect that had a record as accessible as Accelerate come out in '94, they may very well have kept that high level of fame.

[Moss]

I liked Accelerate way better than I thought I would and this new one is looking like it could be really good. I am ready for a new REM album and I have not said that in a long time.

[auctioneer69]

I actually think Monster was the end of their world domination. I remember the used CD racks being full of them in the months after it came out. My friends who liked REM for OOT and Automatic were put off and really never came back and i think that was a case for a lot of those early 90's REM fans. It's not that it was loud, it just wasn't very melodic and quite frankly, wasnt that good. I also dont think it helped that by the Fall leg of the '95 tour they were playing 5 new songs per night that no one except the diehards knew along with the Monster stuff. They stay off the road for 5 years and then tour with a new record that people dont love and lop on 5 new songs that people don't know, while maybe playing 5 pre OOT songs per night. Not a recipe for the casual fan that will keep them coming. You may argue, who needs the casual fan but they are the ones that take you from 15,000 capacity sheds to 3 nights at the spectrum.

 

Maybe this was calculated on their part, they didn't want to turn into U2 and be a colosuss so they became difficult, who knows. I do suspect that had a record as accessible as Accelerate come out in '94, they may very well have kept that high level of fame.

 

 

Good points. I think you are exactly right. Had they done something more commercial than "New Adventures in Hi-Fi" after Monster they might have recovered a lot of their casual fans. I agree that "Monster" isn't very good. They seemed desperate to put out a rocky album but after not touring since 1989 the efforts seemed forced or weak with a couple of exceptions. I think R.E.M. had always had good counsel in Bertis Down and Jefferson Holt (until '96). Their contracts always seem to have given them complete freedom. I know more casual fans would have enjoyed more records that sounded like "Out Of Time", "Automatic For the People" , "Green" or even "Document" but I am glad they have always followed their own muse. The evidence for this in the contrast with U2. Since the relative commercial and critical disappointment of "Pop" in 1997 they have played it safe for the most part with mostly disappointing results. While few would argue that "Up", "Reveal" or "Accelerate" are R.E.M.'s best work they contain more interesting and enjoyable stuff than U2 have released in the same period. Looking forward to March.

[Rusty Shackleford]

It will be interesting to see where they go from here. The WB contract is up. Will they renew, will they do what Wilco is doing, will they stop?

 

It's been hard to stay interested in R.E.M. over the last 10 years, especially since the band seemed to lose interest in themselves. Reveal was an okay album, and one that I think they sincerely put a lot of effort into, but they followed it up with a non-essential greatest hits album (that, to be fair, was accompanied by a pretty great tour), the lousy "Around the Sun," and the insultingly bad "R.E.M. Live," which does not get nearly the hate that it deserves. With the RRHOF induction, the Olympia residency and "Accelerate," the band seems energized again, and I'm hopeful for the new record, but I would not be shocked if this were the end of the road.

 

Personally, I still look forward to their new records, but more because it means they might tour again than because I expect the albums to be great. But once WB's not paying them $80 million to make records any more, I'm not sure they keep going. I just hope if it is the end, they go out in style.

[dtram]

Good points. I think you are exactly right. Had they done something more commercial than "New Adventures in Hi-Fi" after Monster they might have recovered a lot of their casual fans. I agree that "Monster" isn't very good. They seemed desperate to put out a rocky album but after not touring since 1989 the efforts seemed forced or weak with a couple of exceptions. I think R.E.M. had always had good counsel in Bertis Down and Jefferson Holt (until '96). Their contracts always seem to have given them complete freedom. I know more casual fans would have enjoyed more records that sounded like "Out Of Time", "Automatic For the People" , "Green" or even "Document" but I am glad they have always followed their own muse. The evidence for this in the contrast with U2. Since the relative commercial and critical disappointment of "Pop" in 1997 they have played it safe for the most part with mostly disappointing results. While few would argue that "Up", "Reveal" or "Accelerate" as R.E.M.'s best work they contain more interesting and enjoyable stuff than U2 have released in the same period. Looking forward to March.

 

I think had they done HiFi instead of Monster things may have taken a different track. I personally don't care how many people love them as long as I like what they are doing so my points aren't a lament that they didn't stay popular but more my feelings on why they lost their popularity. The made their worst album (up to that time) at the height of their popularity and didn't follow it up with a tour of greatest hits and a record that sounded like the ones that made them big, then suffered the inevitable drop. E-Bow wasn't the smartest first single if you're trying to bring back lost fans, expecially with Undertow, Departure and Electrolite on the sidelines. Maybe if they toured HiFi that would have helped mitigate the decline but I doubt it. If they had shortened Up by a few songs, they would've had a masterpiece on their hands. Still, no one would have bought it but we'd know what it was.

 

Pop is exactly what I was thinking of when I mentioned U2. They got really interesting there with Actung and Zooropa, laid an egg with Pop and have made safe "U2" records ever since without doing anything really interesting, and the public eats it up.

[remphish1]

Pop is exactly what I was thinking of when I mentioned U2. They got really interesting there with Actung and Zooropa, laid an egg with Pop and have made safe "U2" records ever since without doing anything really interesting, and the public eats it up.

 

Call me crazy but Pop I feel is very underated. I love Pop..just bought on LP in fact this month. It is a fun late night driving album. It is my 3rd fav after Achtung and Unforgettable Fire...Pop has unusual songs not replicated since by U2...I kind of lost interets with U2 after that but POP really stuck with me as it was a real grower and it was also the first time I saw U2 live and something just clicked!

[Analogman]

I was watching a video of them covering Wichita Lineman the other day. Good stuff. I doubt I will get the new album, but I will listen to it online before I make a final decision.

 

I can't see Warner Brothers making a deal like that these days.

[dtram]

It's been hard to stay interested in R.E.M. over the last 10 years, especially since the band seemed to lose interest in themselves. Reveal was an okay album, and one that I think they sincerely put a lot of effort into, but they followed it up with a non-essential greatest hits album (that, to be fair, was accompanied by a pretty great tour), the lousy "Around the Sun," and the insultingly bad "R.E.M. Live," which does not get nearly the hate that it deserves. With the RRHOF induction, the Olympia residency and "Accelerate," the band seems energized again, and I'm hopeful for the new record, but I would not be shocked if this were the end of the road.

 

 

See that's the question, I'm not sure they lost interest in themselves or just made a bad record. You're absolutely right about Reveal, A for effort. They tried to make a sunny pop record and kind of succeeded. They lost their way with ATS but not sure if it was due to lack of interest or the way they made Up and Reveal stopped working. I'm one of the biggest REM completists out there and I dont even have that REM Live record.

 

Right on both counts about the greatest hits record although I think that was due to WB more than anything. That tour was great. Saw it 3 times but the last was at George Mason U. It started an hour late due to I think concerts not being able to start until classes ended which gave Peter an extra hour to drink. By the time it started you could tell he was rocked. Btwn songs, Stipe went off on a political thing and Peter walked by his mike and shouted "George Bush is a fucking asshole." Very funny. They played McCarthy and I Believe that night and I had been waiting to see those again since '89 so I was in my glory. There's a good Aud of this that went up on Dime a while ago. If it's still on the tracker and anyone wants it, let me know and I'll seed for you.

[dtram]

Call me crazy but Pop I feel is very underated. I love Pop..just bought on LP in fact this month. It is a fun late night driving album. It is my 3rd fav after Achtung and Unforgettable Fire...Pop has unusual songs not replicated since by U2...I kind of lost interets with U2 after that but POP really stuck with me as it was a real grower and it was also the first time I saw U2 live and something just clicked!

 

I will revisit it, although whether you or I like it, the reaction scared them of any future experimentation

 

 

I was watching a video of them covering Wichita Lineman the other day. Good stuff. I doubt I will get the new album, but I will listen to it online before I make a final decision.

 

 

I love that too. It was a b-side to one of the HiFi singles. I think they also covered Galveston in the Rough Cut documentary but that has not been released.

[Analogman]

I will revisit it, although whether you or I like it, the reaction scared them of any future experimentation

 

 

 

 

I love that too. It was a b-side to one of the HiFi singles. I think they also covered Galveston in the Rough Cut documentary but that has not been released.

 

Right - there was a brief video of them doing that one also. I recall reading about them doing those songs.

[pillowy star]

I thought Up was great, too. They kinda of lost me after that, but I still look forward to their releases. The Live at the Olympia is a great set, also.

 

Couldn't agree more. (not about the Live record though, which I don't have and don't intend to buy either)

[Rusty Shackleford]

See that's the question, I'm not sure they lost interest in themselves or just made a bad record. You're absolutely right about Reveal, A for effort. They tried to make a sunny pop record and kind of succeeded. They lost their way with ATS but not sure if it was due to lack of interest or the way they made Up and Reveal stopped working. I'm one of the biggest REM completists out there and I dont even have that REM Live record.

 

Right on both counts about the greatest hits record although I think that was due to WB more than anything. That tour was great. Saw it 3 times but the last was at George Mason U. It started an hour late due to I think concerts not being able to start until classes ended which gave Peter an extra hour to drink. By the time it started you could tell he was rocked. Btwn songs, Stipe went off on a political thing and Peter walked by his mike and shouted "George Bush is a fucking asshole." Very funny. They played McCarthy and I Believe that night and I had been waiting to see those again since '89 so I was in my glory. There's a good Aud of this that went up on Dime a while ago. If it's still on the tracker and anyone wants it, let me know and I'll seed for you.

 

I went to that show at the Patriot Center--it was fantastic. They played plenty of stuff from the Document/LRP era that they don't play much any more, which was great. I've never seen it on DIME but would love to get my hands on a copy.