For the Record - "Collapse Into Now"

About thirty years ago, R.E.M.’s debut single “Radio Free Europe” sparked a garage rock revival in the American underground, essentially marking the transition from post-punk to alternative rock. Over the next fifteen years, they tweaked and developed their signature jangle-pop sound, giving us a string of ‘80’s and ‘90’s classics like Life’s Rich Pageant and Automatic for the People. Recently, however, new R.E.M. releases have sounded less like the familiar Athens, Georgia band and more like a bunch of has-beens trying to be adventurous and hip. And so we get their fifteenth LP, Collapse Into Now, a twelve-song restoration of the dusty forms that made them rock icons in the first place.

Unlike their previous five albums, Collapse Into Now sounds like, well, an R.E.M. album. In fact, it sounds like several R.E.M. albums. Over the course of 41 minutes, the band mimics the ragged rock of Monster (“Discoverer”, “Alligator Aviator Autopilot Antimatter”) and the melancholy ballads of Automatic (“Oh My Heart”, “Walk It Back”), while still maintaining a cohesive flow. Although long-time drummer Bill Berry left the band in 1997, Collapse Into Now still incorporates signature elements from the rest of the band, like Michael Stipe’s cryptic lyrics, Mike Mills’ Beach Boys-inspired harmonies, and Peter Buck’s familiar mandolin work.

But despite all the comparisons to their previous work, Collapse Into Now certainly stands as a solid album in its own right. “Mine Smell Like Honey”, with its jangly guitars and infectious pop hooks, is a perfect choice for lead single, while “That Someone Is You” features some of Stipe’s best vocal work in years. But the real highlights here are the slower, more intimate tracks. The gorgeous “Oh My Heart”, for example, showcases stately horns and antiquated warmth, creating just the right atmosphere for a dedication to post-Katrina New Orleans. And for fans that pine for the elegance and grace of songs like “Nightswimming”, “Walk It Back”, with its gentle piano strokes and expansive vocals, offers a similarly reserved and mature option.

Despite these successes, Collapse Into Now simply can’t compete with the albums from R.E.M.’s glory days. “All The Best”, structured as a rock anthem, comes off as dull and lifeless, while “Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando and I” always feels like its on the cusp of an arresting chorus that it never quite reaches. Even Stipe’s lyrics flounder at times: “Someone has to make the first move. That someone is you.” Awkward and uninspired, this line gets lost among the explosiveness of an otherwise exceptional track. On “It Happened Today” Stipe croons, “It happened today. Hooray! Hooray! It happened. Hip, hip, hooray!” Listen Michael, you’ve been doing this for thirty years. What in God’s name made you think that that was a clever line?

So while Collapse Into Now may not be R.E.M.’s best effort, it’s still an excellent album, maybe even their best since New Adventures In Hi-Fi. There’s nothing groundbreaking here, but the group just feels more comfortable, more cohesive and more like R.E.M. Despite some weird detours over the past few years, it seems that the band is finally back on the right track, capturing the jangly college-rock sound that so heavily defined their early classics.