auto

The new album is out October 4 on Warner Bros. Records and is entitled "Around the Sun". The first single is "Leaving New York".

Tracklisting:

1. 'Leaving New York'
2. 'Electron Blue'
3. 'The Outsiders'
4. 'Make It All OK'
5. 'Final Straw'
6. 'I Wanted To Be Wrong'
7. 'Wanderlust'
8. 'Boy In The Well'
9. 'Aftermath'
10. 'High Speed Train'
11. 'The Worst Joke Over'
12. 'The Ascent Of Man'
13. 'Around The Sun'
_________________________

from REUTERS/BILLBOARD

NEW YORK (Billboard) - R.E.M's next album will be titled "Around the Sun," according to the group's official Web site (http://www.remhq.com).

The Warner Bros. set will be released Oct. 4 internationally and the following day in North America. First single "Leaving New York" will be released commercially Sept. 27 outside North America.

"We wanted to say something immediately about our displeasure with the invasion of Iraq," R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills told radio host Al Franken Wednesday about "Final Straw."

The release of "Around the Sun" will come in the midst of the just-announced Vote for Change tour, which will find the band teaming with Bruce Springsteen, John Fogerty and Bright Eyes for five shows in U.S. presidential election battleground states. The artists will play Oct. 1 at Philadelphia's Wachovia Center, Oct. 2 at Cleveland's Gund Arena, Oct. 3 at Ann Arbor, Mich.'s Crisler Arena, Oct. 5 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., and Oct. 8 at the TD Waterhouse Center in Orlando.

Tickets for the shows go on-sale Aug. 21 to the general public; it is unclear if members of the R.E.M. fan club will have special pre-sale opportunities, which will be available to members of liberal group MoveOn.org, which is sponsoring the tour. Organizers told reporters Wednesday that Springsteen had personally invited the other acts to join him at the shows.

"It just shows you how desperate times are," Mills told Franken. "(Defeating President Bush) is a life or death matter. (But) we're trying to keep it on the high road as much as possible. We can still make our point and do it with some class and dignity."
__________________________

I can't wait. Might have to pick up tix to the Crisler Arena show in Ann Arbor.

ChrisKnudsen

cool

atlantamoi

How strange it is to barely give a passing glance to a band that practically change my life (musically speaking that is). I'm about as interested in this recording as what bowl of cereal I'm about to go eat.

We interviewed Mike Mills on Headlines last night. 10 years ago I would have been excited about it. I didn't care at all last night (not agreeing politically doesn't really hurt that much though...)

DJLinus

I hear ya. I used to loooooooove R.E.M., but they lost me around Automatic For The People. I just lost interest. My brother's kept up with them, though, and he said that Reveal was a good album (almost a return to form), so I may hunt down a used copy of that someday. But I'll have to hear this new album before I buy it. I really don't like my R.E.M. so blatantly political, so I may just pass.

There was a short clip of Mike Mills on "Nightline" last night. The show was about the upcoming concerts. Eh, I think I'll skip it when/if it comes to OH (a battleground state). It'll most likely be not enough artists that I have an interest in and way too much preaching for my tastes.

The "Nightline" reporter who did the intro report brought up a good point in that all of these concerts and events may just be preaching to the choir and not actually getting anybody to join the party. While it may motivate some to vote who weren't going to, it sounds likely that the audience would vote for Kerry anyways. Your thoughts?

C-Mart

I still buy every album they put out, but I hardly listen to them any more. Also, this time around seems way too preachy for me. Sometimes I don't like not having any political interest. If I did I could either agree or disagree and be done with it. This way it is like I can either buy their album because I like their music, but I will also be supporting a cause that I don't really care about. Is there a band "for the President"? I could buy that one too and they would cancel each other out.

auto

Same here. Reveal was the my first real disappointment in an R.E.M. record. Even "Monster" came out at a time in my life when I needed to rock out to some big, dumb songs. That being the case, I'm still excited about this release and their return to "political" rock.

For those who care.......

from remhq.com
NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES

R.E.M.'s tour of North America is set to commence on October 13th in Los Angeles at the Greek Theatre, continuing on through the United States and Canada for a total of twenty-nine dates. The band's show at the Greek will come fresh on the heels of a weeklong stint (October 1-October 8) with Bruce Springsteen and Bright Eyes on the Vote for Change Tour.

R.E.M. North America Tour 2004

October 13--Los Angeles--Greek Theatre--9/12 on sale
October 14--Santa Barbara--Santa Barbara Bowl--8/28 on sale
October 15--San Francisco--Greek Amphitheatre--8/29 on sale
October 16--Irvine--Verizon Amphitheatre--9/12 on sale
October 19--Saint Louis--Fox Theatre--8/28 on sale
October 20--Indianapolis--Murat Theatre--8/28 on sale
October 22--Nashville--Ryman Auditorium--8/21 on sale
October 23--Atlanta--Gwinnett Arena--9/11 on sale
October 25--Chicago--Chicago Theatre--8/21 on sale
October 26--Chicago--Chicago Theatre--8/21 on sale
October 27--Akron--Thomas Performing Arts Hall--9/11 on sale
October 29--Boston--Fleet Center--9/11 on sale
October 30--Atlantic City--Borgata--9/10 on sale
November 1--Washington DC--DAR Constitution Hall--9/11 on sale
November 4--New York--Madison Square Garden--9/18 on sale
November 5--Uncasville, CT--Mohegan Sun Arena--9/18 on sale
November 7--Pittsburgh--Palumbo Center--9/18 on sale
November 9--Toronto--Humminbird Center--9/17 on sale
November 10--Toronto--Hummingbird Center--9/17 on sale
November 11--Ottawa--Ottawa Civic Centre--9/11 on sale
November 12--Montreal--Bell Centre--9/11 on sale
November 14--Thunder Bay--Fort Williams Gardens--TBD
November 15--Winnipeg--Centennial Concert Hall--9/17 on sale
November 17--Calgary--Saddledome--9/17 on sale
November 19--Seattle--McCaw Hall--10/2 on sale
November 20--Seattle--McCaw Hall--10/2 on sale
November 21--Vancouver--Orpheum--9/17 on sale
November 26--Salt Lake City--E Center--9/18 on sale

MurraySiskind

I'm looking forward to this one and the tour. October should be a great REM month for me, the album release, then the atlanta date on the 23rd. Can't wait.

Hiro11

Up was pretty awful and completely turned me off to REM, I'm not sure I care about this. Hearing Mike Mills spout off that "Bush is the worst president ever" (I don't particularly like the guy, but that's ridiculous hyperbole) just puts the final nail in the coffin.

auto

That's a bit harsh. True, "Up" was a departure for the band after the excellent "New Adventures in Hi-Fi" but upon repeated listens I learned to really enjoy many of the songs such as Suspicion, Hope, Walk Unafraid, Daysleeper, Diminished, Falls to Climb......

Not a great album, but an enjoyable one nonetheless from a band so advanced in their career. As I said above, It agreed with me much more than "Reveal" which seemed tired and (dare I say it) boring, IMO.

Lamont

Seems like a pattern here. I too used to love R.E.M., but they lost me after they left IRS, Document was the last album I thought was good start to finish. The only 2 I bought since then was Monster and Hi-Fi.
As far as the Bush comment, I was living in Athens, GA in 1988 and they released Green on election day '88 and for months before that day Stipe and Mills were out loudly campaigning for Dukakis and passing out flyers saying buy Green and Vote for Dukakis...they even took out a full page in Rolling Stone saying the same. Yes I hate it when a band I love (BECAUSE OF THEIR MUSIC) comes out and essentially alienates arguably half of their fan base. I dont have a problem with lyrics I dont agree with...words are words and you have to think for yourself, but I do have a problem with a diatribe during a show. Shut up and play your songs...we dont care what your politics are.

SAShepherd

I'll echo everybody else here... R.E.M. used to be incredibly relevent to me, but starting with "New Adventures," they only spoke to me (musically) in the occasional song.

Since the fans for some of the bands (maybe not Bruce and R.E.M., but DMB and MMJ, for example) probably skew young, and young people have always been the most apathetic in voting, motivating people who agree with you to actually vote for you is probably not an insignificant component of this tour. In addition, to the extent that this moves some people from the "I'll vote" to the "I'll go knock on some doors or volunteer at a phone bank" camp, that's also a good thing from the organizers' perspective. I doubt there's going to be much attempting to get people to change their votes going on.

BDB

I have never listened to them more.

And am listening to them on teh Ipod today. I really like Up and New Adventures and I would rank those as my favorite REM CDs, and I too grew up with them and had the excitement of a new release to look forward too.

I think they have a lot of longevity and while the songs may not drag you in right away, over time they are fantastic.

atlantamoi

I admit to really liking a few songs off their last two discs, but overall they aren't like they used to be. I guess every band sort of turns into the Rolling Stones if they stick around long enough. To me, it even already started with U2. I find myself much more interested these days in the whiper-snaper bands with young blood.

C-Mart

Now now, lets not drag U2 into this. They can do no wrong. All That You Can't Leave Behind is second only to Joshua Tree, and I am eagerly anticipating their next Album. I liked Pop in a time when U2 fans for some reason hated it. It was a nice escape from their usual style. There is nothing I hate more than a band that doesn't change... which is why I don't really listen to Green Day or 311. ALL of their music sounded the same.

Hiro11

Hold the phone, don't go putting Green Day in the "never change" category. "Warning" sounds nothing like "Dookie" and both are great.

shaggy

Don't let the politics get in the way. Just enjoy the music. Bruce, REM and Pearl Jam are three of my favorites, but all three don't their head from their @sses when it comes to politics and foreign policy. I'll probably check out a few of the shows and wear a Bush in 2004 t-shirt just for fun.

atlantamoi

Well, we've gone over this a million times in the past few years, but just so you'll know I thought ATYCLB was easily one of the worst U2 recordings they've ever done. I dislike it for the reason of treading in safe territory after the wonderful "Pop" disc that too many people found unsavory. I still don't understand why. Granted, I'm more curious about them than most long standing artists. I'm hoping they will be a tad bit more creative on the upcoming recording... and that Bono's voice and lyrics are back to form.

Here's how I see U2:

1 Joshua Tree
2 Achtung Baby
3 War
4 Unforgettable Fire
5 Pop
6 Boy
7 Zooropa
8 Rattle and Hum
9 ATYCLB
10 October

(I'd put both Wide Awake and Blood Red above ATYCLB as well)

Brain Stew

Achtung Baby is the best. Joshua tree is overrated IMO.

auto

No. No. No. The best U2 album is...

Hey.....wait a minute. Back it up here. This is an R.E.M. thread. R.E.M.!!! Back on topic people!

dolphinboy

New Adventures is brillant, it was after that album that they kind of became a bit more ordinary.

SAShepherd

Different strokes, I guess. New Adventures onward has generally left me cold.

Hiro11

I agree. About four great songs and a boatload of fluff/filler.

lostatmidnight

yeah, unfortunately, I pretty much grew up with REM too. I always remember anticipating a new release. Now....eh. I sold most of my REM collection off a long time ago and have only kept a few---not my collector's editions though, those are some nice sets. After 'New Adventures' and Berry left, I feel the dynamics of the band became fainter and with that their ambition blurred...

U2? Never was a big fan of them, but I'm huge fan of the more ambitious, experimentalistic U2 (achtung, pop, discoteque..the only ones I own) I felt All that you... was just trite populist rubish. and they succeeded handsomely---awards, money, what not...which they have already have. great, smart, intelligent guys should be making better music than that. I guess they don't want to become like Pearl Jam and follow their own strange muse...

FrozenMetalHead

www.remhq.com is streaming the first single - Leaving New York.


After two listens, it's not bad. It may grow on me more. I'd like to hear it in context of the album.

Brain Stew

I just listened to it. It ain't bad. I may just buy the new album.