Album – New Adventures In Hi-Fi (1996)
Highlight – The Wake Up Bomb
Reason – During their world tour of 1995, REM sent recordings to long-time producer Scott Lit to mix for what they planned to be an album of new songs played entirely live. As it turned out, with various illnesses besetting each member of the band (the brain aneurysm of drummer Bill Berry easily the worst) the band booked some studio time to end up with roughly two-thirds concert songs and one-third recorded. It’s the sound of an accomplished band confidently playing through the different styles of music they’d picked up through their career, but more importantly it’s a band frazzled through constant touring and displaying the first signs of pulling apart. It makes for fascinating, haggard music though, with How The West Was Won And Where It Got Us, Leave & Electrolite as good as anything the band produced. But the fizzing, high-tempo rollercoaster of ‘Bomb (debuted on the MTV Music Awards) just takes it. The aggressive sound of a band with just enough life left to carry on regardless.
Stipe Gayness Factor - 7. New Test Leper, another stand-out, recounts the singer’s musings on the relationship between a TV studio audience and the guest with something to say but unable to convey it effectively. Something you want to tell us? In an interview Michael said he disliked being put into pigeon-holes and stereotypes on Gay, Straight or Bi, much less be a spokesperson for a civil rights movement. “I'm an equal opportunity lech” he said. He’s almost there.
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