Review of R.E.M.'s "Up"

Up (1998) by R.E.M. is an album that seems to promise so much, but ultimately leaves the listener feeling a little disappointed. Despite reconfirming the talent for melody that the band have demonstrated over so many years and so many albums this is an album that never seems to go anywhere.

The main reason for this is that so many of the tracks on this album have an irritating blandness about them. They seem to be tunes floating in mid air with nothing concrete to pin them down and make an impression. There is a definite laziness about R.E.M.'s performance on songs like "Diminished" and "The Apologist," not to mention many others.

Only on a few songs to R.E.M. seek to offer up any variety. "At my Most Beautiful" is one of these. Despite suffering from the same dullness that pervades Up it is at least a different type of dullness - a piano ballad to be specific. "Lotus" and "Hope," guitar-driven rock songs, are further evidence that this is still a band with ideas. The former, with an edginess about it that makes it stand out from the rest of the album, is probably its best song. The latter clearly shows the band's reliance on studio effects.

But none of this is enough to dispel the notion that Up promises so much but delivers so little. As a generalisation the fourteen songs clearly show potential, but just seem frustratingly unfinished. As R.E.M. is a band with eleven previous albums under their belt it is difficult to give them the benefit of the doubt on this issue.

RATING: 5.5/10

Go To Page: 1

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic