I was a little worried to see drummer Bill Berry bolt out of R.E.M. soon after the very dissapointing "Adventures in Hi-Fi" came out about 5 years ago. I didn't want to see this pioneering band dissolve so soon. R.E.M., the trio, released the promising yet mellow "Up" in 1998. Drum machines and light percussion took the place of Bill Berry's solid and unique style of drumming. The "old" R.E.M. seems to be coming back on the newly released "Reveal", but what do fans expect the old R.E.M. to really sound like? The wonderful quality about this band over the last 20 years was their ability to change and experiment with every release. They were willing to take chances and they succeeded in most cases. "Reveal", much like "Up", show the band trying to experiment with new sounds and song-writing approaches.
"The Lifting" starts this disc off in an eloquent way. Spacey keyboards and a polished guitar solo by Peter Buck replaces the minimilistic trademark sound that the band has been known for. Only Michael Stipes vocals give any clue that this is an R.E.M. song. This musical effect works here, as well as on "I've Been High". "All the Way to Reno" starts off sounding more like the theme to "Bonanza". Buck's twangy country tinged guitar ironically sounds more like his traditional playing here. The lazy sound on this song is rich with many different sounds, including steel percussion. It's an interesting contrast to hear Stipes higher pitched vocals accompanied by the deep and dark sound of the instrumentation. The experimentation in different sounds ends with "Dissapear". Buck's tradmark finger-picking blends in well with ambient keyboards played by bassist Mike Mills. This song also features lush double-tracked acoustic guitars which makes this possibly the most powerful release on the cd. Another stand-out on "Reveal" is "Chorus and the Ring". Simple guitar strumming alongside with a simple organ sound creates a nice atmosphere effect. The return of Stipe's obscure lyrics and drawn-out vocals creates another instrument that adds to the complete picture of the song. This was what R.E.M. was famous for doing on there first two releases in the early 80's. The drum machine makes its return on the final song, "Beachball". The addition of strings and horns make this the most mellow song on the album. It's a very beautiful way to wrap up a very low-key release.
Until I have some more time, there is really no way that I can analyze any of Stipe's lyrics on "Reveal"! It usually takes me quite a few listens to even get an idea on what he's talking about, and I get the feeling that other R.E.M. fans just like the general "feel" of each release. "Reveal" is quite a pleasant cd, but it would be nice to have heard at least a few tunes that rock out a little more. Consider this "cocktail lounge" R.E.M., and expect their next cd to sound nothing like this one!
