Reveal
by R.E.M.

This is my favourite post-Bill Berry REM album. Yes it's mellow but just as I was the right age for their upbeat stuff in the 80s, this album came along as I was entering middle age and looking precisely for mellower - and yet positive and uplifting - tunes. I am still not tired of it after listening to it now for almost 20 years. I've Been High and Imitation of Life are two of my favourite REM songs. And Beat a Drum is the sleeper here - the song that simply keeps getting better in my mind year after year.

Not an amazing album, but not hard on the ears at all. I liked "Up," unlike most people, I guess, but I do think pursuing a Beach Boys sound, in retrospect, was not a great idea for this band. I think at the time there was a lot of excitement for "Pet Sounds" and REM got on board with that. But REM is better as a guitar band doing their own unique sound. They continue to have a great knack for melody on this album, and most of these songs would still have sounded good without electronics and extra instrumentation.

From RoundTheBend 06/05/2016 20:08 | #167968

My least favorite R.E.M. album.

REM's 12th album, and second without Bill Berry. It's a much warmer album than it's predecessor, up. In fact, you could probably call it REM's summer album. It was preceded by the single, imitation of life, which is ok, but it's a bit throwaway by REM standards, and feels a little out of place on the LP. The album opens with, the lifting, one of the best tracks, and that's followed by the beautiful, I've been high. There's a lot of sound affects on this record, loops, etc, like the band are trying really hard to make their songs sound more interesting and it feels a little forced at times. There's certainly nothing bad here, all the way to Reno, disappear, and, chorus and the ring, are all excellent. Saturn return, beat a drum, and, beach ball, are also good. Summer turns to high, is another of the band's beach boys inspirations, and, she just wants to be, has an almost bluesy feel. All in all, it's a good album, but it hasn't quite got that edge that the band used to have. Although we didn't know it at the time, REM would never be great again.

There's a couple of tracks that I never really cared about but there are some really good stuff on this record. I find it underrated among R.E.M. fans. Good album...

From Eastwood 03/03/2015 20:14 | #136065

Very good alternative rock/pop rock album. Best 10 songs average is 90,0/100 and the album can get very good 90/100. Best songs are "All the way to Reno" and "Imitation of life" both 95/100, followed by "I've been high" and "I'll take the rain" both 90/100. All other songs pretty good 80-85/100. Favourite!

From sssvnnn 01/08/2014 13:31 | #100217

I feel the album is growing.
First I was dissappointed, but now I realize that it`s full of good melodies.

From Bach 11/15/2013 11:42 | #92572

Their last great album, and truly underrated.
Best tracks: I'll Take the Rain, I've Been High, The Lifting, Beat a Drum, Disappear.

Its ok but continued R.E.M.s fall from the top. A good record by your average band's standard but not not a good R.E.M. record.

From drivebytornado 02/25/2013 23:33 | #66129

A big-time recovery after the career-worst "Up" released in 1998. "Reno" - "Chorus & The Ring" and "I'll take the Rain" are my favorite tracks here.