R.E.M. - Accelerate Album Review

Accelerate by R.E.M., Album Review

Accelerate is the fourteenth studio album by American alternative rock band R.E.M., due for release on April 1, 2008 in North America, a day earlier in Europe and the rest of the world (though dates will differ in some countries). Work commenced in early 2007, and the album title was revealed by the band in an issue of Q Magazine. Unlike R.E.M.’s three previous studio albums, which all featured Pat McCarthy on production duties, Accelerate was produced by Jacknife Lee.

The first single from the new album, “Supernatural Superserious“, was released on February 11, 2008.

R.E.M. - Accelerate Track Listing

1. “Living Well Is the Best Revenge”
2. “Man-Sized Wreath”
3. “Supernatural Superserious”
4. “Hollow Man”
5. “Houston”
6. “Accelerate”
7. “Until the Day Is Done”
8. “Mr. Richards”
9. “Sing for the Submarine”
10. “Horse to Water”
11. “I’m Gonna DJ”

R.E.M. - Accelerate Editorial Review from amazon.com

Accelerate, the first studio album in four years from R.E.M., finds modern rock’s most acclaimed band returning to the stripped-down, guitar-driven power that first enraptured fans. Helmed by the band and, for the first time, Jacknife Lee (co-producer of U2’s ‘05 Grammy� Album Of The Year How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, The Hives and Snow Patrol), Accelerate puts the 2007 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame group once again firmly behind the wheel of alternative rock, a genre R.E.M. helped invent.

Since Bill Berry, former drummer and founding member of the band, declined to embark on a European summer tour in 1997 to promote their album New Adventures in Hi-Fi, the band has been wanting to tour again behind a “proper rock album”, with fast numbers with fewer mid-tempo songs.

R.E.M. announced a two-month North American tour over the summer to support Accelerate. Opening for R.E.M. will be Modest Mouse and The National. The first live date in support of the new record is scheduled for the Langerado Music Festival in Florida.

R.E.M. has been reluctant to pin down the style of their new album so as not to create wayward expectations. Michael Stipe has, however, described Accelerate as “a big change”.
The new material featured in the Dublin concerts demonstrated a much more stripped-down, guitar-driven sound than was featured on the band’s recent releases, and Mike Mills has indicated that these shows give a good indication of the band’s direction.

R.E.M. - Accelerate Album Info

Released Ireland March 28, 2008 (2008-03-28), Italy March 28, 2008 (2008-03-28), World March 31, 2008 (2008-03-31), Europe March 31, 2008 (2008-03-31), United States April 1, 2008
Recorded 2007
Genre Alternative rock
Label Warner Bros.
Producer Jacknife Lee and R.E.M.

source wikipedia.org