Review Summary: Not Up on this album.
Up is not so much a failure as it is a work that just wasn't completed. It has it's good moments, but they are too far and in between to make this album better. Here is a track by track analysis of what went wrong:
1. Airportman- the worst REM song ever. Is that a Casio Keyboard in the background? Skip this song.
2. Lotus- is a very good song and highly addicting. This is where the guys did it right on this album. If only more of the songs on this album were like this one. One can only dream.
3. Suspicion- another song that should probably be skipped. It some good ideas in it, but it just doesn't make it.
4. Hope- is definately different and new for the guys but isn't anything worth repeating many times.
5. At my Most Beautiful- is a good song that could have been one of the best REM songs ever, but it just doesn't grab your attention fully. It's a great B-side song but not a true hit.
6. The Apologist- this song at times is good, but could have been great.
7. Sad Professor- just a plain bad song like Airportman.
8. You're in the Air- here's another bright part of the cd. Especially that cool little guitar or whatever it is part after the second chorus it comes in at the 1:59 mark. It's pretty cool if only for that part.
9. Walk Unafraid- it's an alright song that could have been better.
10. Why not Smile- This song definately doesn't feel finished and some ideas missing in here.
11. Daysleeper- the biggest bright spot on the album. Reminds me of a song off "Automatic" so much.
12. Diminished- skip.
13. I'm not Over You- Actually this song is attached at the end of Diminished and worth skipping as well.
14. Parakeet- A good beginning, a very good chorus, but what's up with the lyrics, "you wake up in the morning to warm Pacific breeze where mean cats chew on licorice and cannot climb trees." Anyways it's a good song that could have been better.
15. Falls to Climb- an alright finale, but this song is kind of a let down. But then again so is the whole album so what a better ending to a album that loses its luster.
