REM: Out of Time

You may accuse me of being wilfully contrary, and in other circumstances I might plead guilty, but I genuinely feel this is one of R.E.M.'s poorest albums. Well, poorest in the period 1986-1996, which is all I know of their work. I bought it on the strength of Green, a classic, and of Losing My Religion, a pretty decent single.

But beyond that single, there are only three songs that are in the same league as R.E.M.'s best: Half a World Away, Country Feedback and Me in Honey.

In the wake of their latest in more than a decade of 'returns to form', there's this neat little analysis of reviews of R.E.M.'s recent albums that goes in search of their low-water mark and discovers how elusive bad reviews can be.

And what was anyone thinking about with that hideous cover?

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