Out of time (Out Of Time - R.E.M.)

Member Name: davepridd

Product:	Out Of Time - R.E.M.
Date:	30/07/00 (34 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great songs, very accessible, quite varied

Disadvantages: Few

This album contains REMs two best known, and most contrasting hits, 'Losing my religion', and 'Shiny Happy People'. The rest album seems to be at these two extremes also; there are a lot of bouncy pop songs, but there is also a lot of melancholy folk music. The overall sound is much more gentle and pop orientated than other REM albums, and there are a lot of guest appearances, to such an extent where there are just 4 tracks where Micheal Stipe is singing lead vocal; Mike Mills sings 2, Stipe duets with the B-52s on 2 and with rapper KRS-1 on 1, 2 tracks are instrumental. REM also experiment with a full string and brass section for the first time.

With all of these elements 'Out of time' probably has more widespread appeal than any other REM album, and this is shown in its 5 time platinum sales. The quality of the music is fantastic, and this is probably one of the best pop albums that was released in the 90s. All of the melodies are very memorable, the lyrics are intriguing with a certain surrealism about several songs - especially those such as 'Low' where Stipe is singing as a character. The instrumental tracks are also very good; they are very easy going and have quite a pastoral feel. 'Country Feedback' is a sort of twisted version of country music with a beautiful pedal steel solo, and Stipe sounds sad and desperate which suits the mood of the song.

My favorite tracks on the album are 'Country Feedback', 'Half a world away' which has a very baroque harpsichord line, and 'Shiny Happy People' which is just one of the most happy pop songs ever written. The only weak track is 'Radio song', which is beginning to sound a bit old fashioned thanks to the KRS-1 rap.

Summary: