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"We're forced to bed, but we're free to dream"
Dana
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Fantastic! Thanks for the link!
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It's also up on Suprnova.org as a torrent download...I just got it. I can't wait to listen to it tonight at work!! For the record I downloaded the Hip's new album and Mark Knopfler's new album before their release dates but bought both. I just can't wait until the release date to hear music when I can get it sooner!
I'll give a review when I've heard it all...jsut search on Suprnova for "around the sun" and download the 1st copy that comes up (the 2nd has errors)
I just listened to "The Outsiders" and it has some annoying Reveal-esque bleeps and boops but overall it's an amazing song!! The songwriting on this record has really rejuvenated itself...
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Uh...forgive me for this in advance.
This is R.E.M.'s WORST...ALBUM...EVER. I used to be such a huge fan of the band; with this release I summarily conclude that R.E.M. will not make a SINGLE good album until they get a new producer. This reinforces my argument for why downloading is a good thing...I'd be sending letter bombs to the band if I'd paid for this hokum.
I know, I know, "you say that this is vitriol, no solution, spleen venting; but I feel better having screamed, don't you?" I just had to, as Comic Book Guy said, "register my disgust throughout the universe". The production here is HORRIBLE. It's like Reveal taken to new lows. And I hated Reveal. There are only TWO songs on this whole album I love (Leaving NY and Aftermath), and only two more where I can hear potentially good songs under that atrocious electronic production (Final Straw and the title track).
Peter Buck seems to have forgotten how to play guitar. Not a lick or hook anywhere in sight. Mike Mills finally gets a couple good harmonies, but they're far and few between, and lost in the swampy overdubbing. Does this band truly have no good songs left in them? Seems hard to believe, but I could not even put together a full length album of the songs I like from Reveal and Around the Sun COMBINED.
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Its so....boring. Theyve gone so ultra-mellow over the years, I really despise the direction they're heading in. Theyve had some decent singles in recent years (Bad Day, The Great Beyond), but other than that, I really hate just about everything theyve been putting out. Im sooo glad I didnt fork out $80 to see them.
Monster is still their only album I truly enjoy.
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Bob Dylan, Mark Knopfler, The Hip...I was on such a roll. All of my favourite artists were releasing albums among the bets of their careers after some miscues...I was SO hoping R.E.M. would be another for the list. So disappointed.
I have listened to the album half a dozen times through (I have 12 hours alone overnight at "work"!) and I hear a couple more potentially good songs under that atrocious, apalling production...but I could never like this album. It's like they consciously decided to make a techno-y album that would be popular with Japanese video game addicts.
