REM – Reveal
I finally came round writing the review, sorry that it took so long and got so long as well.
The first thing that strikes the eye with REM's new record Reveal is the cover. It must be one of the most horrid covers ever produced in the history of cover art. It pictures a lawn in the midday sun with some ducks in the distance moving towards a pond. As the photo is overexposed the predominant colour is yellow. The photography seems to be taken against the sun, but the photographer's shadow can be seen in the left corner in front, so that the sun must be behind. So actually he has taken a picture of himself (self-referential , how smart!) in an artificially (either via mirror reflections or via a spotlight) bright looking landscape. And then there is R.E.M. in big capitals with orange circles near the "M." in the right corner in front. The upper part of the cover is in plain yellow with the song titles in font 5 on the left and the album title in capitals on the right. A really tasteless creation, looking awfully cheap. It shocks the eye. A title which would have fit much better with the cover art would have been Disguise instead of Reveal.
Speaking of the title, is it by chance that Stipe has just had his official (we have known it for a long time) coming out when the album was published? Another revelation is the inclusion of a lyrics sheet for the first time as far as I know. Before Stipe was never proud enough of his lyrics to publish them. REM seem to have arrived where they always wanted to be. They have become adults, they really have matured. The music is now on such a high level, it is pure magic, very calm and very self confident but nevertheless melancholic. We should be happy that Stipe’s voice will never sound happy.
The most frequent words on Reveal suggest a new direction in their song writing : eyes, cry, high, gravity, fly, sing, light, summer. The songs are airy, very light and can be compared to a delicate blossom. The old college rock days are definitely gone. There are several songs where Stipe seems to literally take off (also with his voice).
Maybe Stipe is right when he said that this is the perfect music for housewives to do the cleaning and washing to. On the other hand this must have been ironical, the production of Reveal (especially the strings) is so perfectionist, Stipe has become really cool to say something similar about REM’s chef d’oeuvre.
When listening to the album what strikes the ear most is a certain ease. This can certainly also be explained by the more ample use of samples and electronics than usual. Already the gorgeous New Adventures in Hi-Fi was pointing in this direction, Up was even more experimental but did not succeed. The departure of their former drummer seems to have given REM a means to redefine and liberate their sound and to adjust it to modern contemporary pop music.

Some short impressions track by track:

you’ve said the air was singing (the lifting)
Already the title of the first song „The Lifting“ sets the theme of the record. It is a perfect opener, a lush production with symphonical support. Michael even welcomes us with „good morning, and how are you?“. My favourite part comes just before the end at the climax when Stipe sings „never“ for 19 times and it is like a song in a song.

but life it sometimes washes over me (i’ve been so high)
Somber keyboards and a dark drum machine rhythm and then the lighting up with one high keyboard chord. Loads of strange electronic noises and a string section complete this good song.

you’ve dusted the non-believers and challenged the laws of chance (all the way to reno)
Light and optimistic song. Slight country touch with pedal steel sound. Additional electronic „bubble“ sounds.
String section is in the background. Stipe’s voice reaches quite high when he sings „you know who you are“.

and now is greater than the whole of the past (she just wants to be)
A more classic and conventional REM tune. Nice simple guitar intro and outro. A song with lyrics like “it’s not that she wasn’t rewarded with pomegranate afternoons of mingus, chet baker and chess“ cannot really be bad. The string arrangement and the Knopfler like guitar make this track nevertheless a little too close to schmalz for my liking.

the only thing worth looking for is what you find inside (disappear)
Slightly experimental dissonant electronic start. Some banjos, some dark electronic string-like noises, Peter Buck’s guitar and the music suddenly has the typical REM classic sound. Most average song yet but not really bad.

easy to take off harder to fly (saturn return)
A ballad with sprechgesang. Strange beginning and atmosphere with dark electronic sounds and whistles. Suddenly Stipe’s voice and the piano set in. Stamping drum-machine rhythm. Then some electric guitars in the background. Some electronic experiments. At the end Stipe‘s voice too high when he sings „harder to fly“.

i knocked my head against the sky (beat a drum)
A brighter song. Piano driven. Rhythmic piano play. The start „the sun reflected in the back of my eye“ is the clue to the strange lighting conditions on the cover. A line like „the dragonflies are busy buzzing me“ sets the tone. There still is melancholy, but it is serene: „halfway from coal, halfway to diamond“. After 2:50 a beautiful magic horn entry for ten seconds. A great song musically and lyrically.

no one can see you cry (imitation of life)
The single. Typical REM sound. Buck’s guitar is predominant. Nice synthie after 2:00 with bell-like noises.
This song will be killed by airplay this summer.

the fireflies and time move like syrup through the evening (summer turns to high)
Atmospheric beginning with keyboards and sprechgesang. Another allusion to the cover: „i won’t step on my own shadow“. Most average track yet, too repetitive, melody not really hooking.

the machine of god singing (chorus and the ring)
The low point of the album. Sprechgesang and no melody. Just terrible. Stipe’s singing not à la hauteur. The end when Stipe repeats „sing“ a couple of times embarrassing. Skip!

and summer’s song it fades to memory (i’ll take the rain)
Strong guitar intro. Melancholic lyrics, singing and melody. One of the top three songs of the album. After 3:15 bass line. Best chorus of the album: „i used to think, as birds take wing, they sing through life, so why can’t we?“. Near the end guitar line. Somehow this song reminds me of the beautiful psychedelic Beta Band rain song Dry the Rain.

this life is sweet we’re dancing in the street (beachball)
Perfect closer. Ballad. Very relaxed atmosphere with accordion and horn section. String section a little too sugary. „good mood“ song.

This is one of those records which I am afraid of to listen to too often. I fear that the beauty will fade with each listen. This is what happened to Out of Time. I heard it everywhere during the spring and summer of 1991 and I loved it to death, the music wore out. From my point of view right now REM’s best album. Before it used to be Automatic for the People. But there is definitely more filler and kitsch on that album.