Around the Sun

Product description

NEW Combo BLUWAVS CD and FLAC FILE

Amazon.com

Having delivered their last great album with 1992’s haunting Automatic For the People, R.E.M. spent more than decade attempting all kinds of reinvention, from the pointlessly noisy Monster to the painfully dull Up. But with Around the Sun it feels like the band is getting its bearings back. Not only is it the Georgia trio’s most consistent album since the 1997 departure of drummer Bill Berry, but it also sees the return of the lush imagery and intricate playing of the band’s vintage years. There are trains, mandolins, and Man Ray skies. More importantly, it seems heartfelt. Witness the gorgeous disquietingly dark opener “Leaving New York,” the rapturous folk of “I Wanted to Be Wrong” and the solidly intense “Boy In the Well.” At 13 generous tracks, it’s far from perfect but–just when everyone thought R.E.M. was down for the count–Around the Sun is an unexpected bruiser of a comeback. –Aidin Vaziri

This expanded edition of the band’s return to form features a new bonus DVD that includes a revealing new 5.1 surround mix. Also included in that disc are a wealth of visual materials, including videos for “Aftermath” and “Leaving New York” and the band’s live performances of “Leaving..” and “Imitation of Life” at St. James Church, as well as a brief, previously unreleased promo documentary for the album and a gallery of still photos.