When first released in 1986, ‘Life’s Rich Pageant’ kick started a run of five peerless classic R.E.M. albums up to 1992’s ‘Automatic For The People’. They didn’t lose it then either; ‘Monster’ may have been a forced grunge-rock effort to build a tour around but it still hit the mark most of the time. ‘Hi-Fi’ nearly kept the creative spirit alive by gestating on tour while ‘Up’ cleverly stepped into Beach Boys sonics at the exact moment a key band member jumped ship. 2001’s ‘Reveal’ is inaccurately flagged as the start of a real decline and that’s a shame, its’ gorgeous summer feeling vibes simply melt all over you. Even ‘Around The Sun’ had a couple of moments even though it’s fairly identified as a low point; yet with the stirring touring of their ‘Best Of’ in 2003 few could convincingly argue that R.E.M. were finished at that point. Even 2008’s ‘Accelerate’ mostly re-captured the energy of their earlier college-radio form. Maybe though I’ve been willing to give them too much rope during the leaner times; duped by that incredible sequence of records from ‘Life’s Rich Pageant’ onwards. In 2011 however, over 30 years into their career lest we forget (does anyone seriously think The Beatles would have still put out great albums in 1992?), I have finally found myself wishing R.E.M. would call it a day.
This years’ ‘Collapse Into Now’ seemed to get charitable reviews written by people desperate for a kind word to say about a cherished act. While nobody I read hailed it a master work; nor did any go as far as to dismiss it as a stinker. But someone should have, because it’s a rotten work put together by a collective with absolutely no glue left as a unit. I found it hard to listen a second time, sitting through a turgid new release by a band passing off their old ideas for want of anything new. There’s one-hit-wonder Patti Smith (yes I know, punk icon blah blah blah) with an identikit offering of her original R.E.M. cameo from 1996. There’s the one that sounds exactly like ‘Drive’, the one that sounds exactly like ‘Country Feedback’ although neither come close to the magic of the songs they emulate, intentionally or otherwise. A sense of tokenism lingers around other guest slots, probably at the behest of Stipe networking at some exhibition or other, from Peaches and Eddie Vedder. They even have the nerve to align one song, ‘Me Marlon Brando Marlon Brando and Me’, with Neil Young’s classic ‘Pocahontas’. The front of them!
In 1998 R.E.M. announced there would be no tour around the release of ‘Up’. That albums’ reception and sales were rather lukewarm and the band quickly u-turned on the no tour idea; they knew they had a half decent record to push. I don’t think ‘Collapse Into Now’ will inspire a similar change of heart, instead within a matter of months camp R.E.M. are selling us this deluxe edition of ‘Life’s Rich Pageant’, a staggering reminder of how great they once were. Here was a band in the Beatles mould, where each of the four members brought a vital element to the table. For the next ten years they would stand at the head of planet Rock, representing all that was good. U2 blatantly took stagecraft notes from the ‘Green’ tour; Nirvana remained vocal to the end in admiration for the songcraft. This album is the dawn of their golden age; to some the college-rock urgency still at the core qualifies this is as the actual peak. It’s a record to cherish undoubtedly (not so the deluxe edition bonus tracks, inessential demo icing mostly that offers little in the way of enlightenment). So R.E.M. will you please knock it on the head now?! Rest your reputation on essential albums like ‘Life’s Rich Pageant’. There’s no shame in being dried up as a creative unit after three decades. The Kinks and The Beach Boys both petered out naturally after a similar length of time. The Rolling Stones may tumble on but honestly, the public don’t exactly hit fever pitch at the announcement of a new album do they? Come back in ten years and tour the hits if you want. The UK will welcome you with open arms; we’ll marvel at how Stipe hasn’t aged, laugh at Buck’s attempted OAP scissor kicks and cringe at Mills’ geeky stage patter just like before. And no one will have to pretend that 2011’s ‘Collapse Into Now’ was any good.
Essex Boy Rating: 9/10
