Will check later, although R.E.M.'s later stuff is kind of strange so I don't know what to expect.

Strange? I think you meant boring

[double post]

Yeah, but it's still strange for them. Even my dad can admit he doesn't like their later stuff.

Yeah R.E.M. started sounding really lethargic toward the end of their career (except maybe on Accelerate)

There should have been a Stipeulation where he couldn't do solo albums after REM disbanded.

rem ended with an unfortunate thud. their drummer left and they decided they just couldn't continue as before without him! which was pretentious imo but that was the attitude. so they made the "Up" album. an album without a drummer on it, essentially. how the hell are you gonna be a rock 'n roll band without a drummer?

then came Reveal. more accessible then Up but still coming off like REM lite. then came Around The Sun. this album they thought was going to be another Automatic For The People. they meant to do it, and when the recording was done they were sure they had. it was mediocre, at best. and yeah, boring. by the time they got some swagger back for Accelerate it was all but lost

big thing was expectations, too. they had just signed a new record deal. one of the biggest in history! and they deliver shit thereafter

@someguest

I guess Gilroy paid him a big Stipend check to make music for his film.

Huh. Not expecting this to be good but what I hated about the last few albums was how safe they sounded, so ...

@someguest

I guess Gilroy paid him a big Stipend check to make music for his film.