| Accelerate | 
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| Artist: R.e.m.
Label: Warner Bros / Wea
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $3.28
You Save: $15.70 (83%)
New (73) from $3.28
Avg. Customer Rating:  202 reviews
Sales Rank: 158
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.1
Dimensions (in): 5.4 x 4.9 x 0.3
MPN: 418620
UPC: 093624988588
EAN: 0093624988588
ASIN: B0013BNY2Q
Release Date: April 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: line drawn thru upc
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| Customer Reviews:
Solid album, gets better with a little age April 1, 2008
15 out of 22 found this review helpful
This is a solid REM album. The last several albums have had their moments but this one seems consistent. It also sounds in may respects like a classic REM effort.
At times it seems like I'm listening to Fables of the Reconstruction, at times it seems like Automatic. They even touch on approach Murmur and Reckoning a bit, not as much though it's there in some respects, but the enunciation is too much to really get the same feel.
The background vocals from Mills help to give that older feel while still remaining fresh. For some reason, the chorus of Man Sized Wreath makes me think of These Days from Lifes Rich Pageant - though I'm not really sure why.
I don't agree with some of the reviews about the lyrics. I think there's some good writing to be found. There's also several titles/references to older songs (e.g. think of feeling gravity's pull and the listen for it).
If you're an IRS REM fan or a WB REM fan, you should be able to find something to like.
 Accelerate(d) Demise April 1, 2008
8 out of 43 found this review helpful
Followed 'em since Chronic Town (that's ME in the corner, buying every album). This was recorded too loud (compare to Monster, a well-produced "loud" album)--everything is too up front on Accelerate. Lyrics...eh. 35 minutes of formulaic, bang-it-out rock. Maybe all good things come to an end, and perhaps REM should have permutated into different bands after Berry left.
 A C C E L E R A T I N G ROCK April 1, 2008
17 out of 29 found this review helpful
It's impossible not to be hypnotized by this album! Sounds like a dose of drug in your veins...
They sound young again April 1, 2008
18 out of 28 found this review helpful
So Michael Stipe is 48 years old? Doesnt sound like it here. And Mike Mills and Peter Buck both sound excited to be in a ROCK band again. Being beaten over the head with guitars has rarely felt this good. Sure, Stipe still tends to get a little preachy about politics, but that is who he is and at least he is fervently honest. He doesnt pick up a cause just because its cool.
The entire album spits anger and dismay about where we are and occasionally suggests where we need to be. The grinding and infectious rocker that opens the album, "Living well Is the Best Revenge" sounds better than anything off of Monster. "Until The Day is Done" is a brooding and pensive acoustic number that ranks up there with "Breathe" and "Drive" off of "Automatic for the People". "Hollow Man" alternates between a slow, keyboard driven pace and more anthemic, guitar driven choruses and features some of Stipe's best vocals.
My only complaint is that many of the songs are short (5 are under 3 minutes). The last song...I'm Gonna DJ...features a sarcastic look at the end similar to "Its The End of the World As We Know It" only a tad more angry. This song is one of the shorter numbers that I wish was about a minute longer...but maybe thats the point.
Overall, I think there a few REM cd's better than this one: Murmur, Automatic, Reckoning, Fables, and MAYBE Green. I also think New Adventures in HiFi had more good songs than people give it credit for. Accelerate is a very good CD but Im not sure if it will be considered an REM classic..we will need about a year to figure that out. But 2008 so far has given us a lot of great music releases from bands we still need to hear from, and this is no exception.
Rapid Guitar Movement April 1, 2008
22 out of 36 found this review helpful
This has to be the strongest REM album since their drummer quit. They weren't a bad band most of the 90s and early 00s, but they weren't a great one either. It's as if Peter Buck has rejoined the band. Peter getting front and center on the opening track sets the tone and this continues on through this entire exuberant, downright celebratory album.
Stipes got pretty pretentious with his lyrics the last few albums too and his sometimes borderline inane attempts are more tolerable on this one. (I even forgive him another reference to Electron Blue. Enough, Mike...)
I'm sure many fans will see this as a return to greatness of some sort.
This is may be true, but there just doesn't seem, to me, after you get over the shock of them being a rock band again, that many stand out tracks. Hopefully, like their stuff in days gone by, it will grow on me and I will change my mind.
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