Hopefully Bill Berry will join them as he did the last time they played here. Definitely one of my top concert going experiences!

I hope the new album is good. They did "I'm Gonna DJ" in the encore the last time I saw them (2004), and I really liked it.

Anyways, I plan on going to Jones Beach and the NYC show.

from pitchforkmedia:

Geared up to Accelerate and readying themselves to pal around North America with the youngsters in Modest Mouse and the National, R.E.M. have announced their big plans for the summer. The band will head to Europe in July, August, and early September, with more festival appearances and a full UK trek to be announced shortly.

But before any of that, the band will play a one-off show in London on March 24 at the legendary Royal Albert Hall. It's a benefit for the ICA.

Accelerate drops March 31 in the UK and April 1 in the U.S. from Warner Brothers. And like any major album these days (and a lot of minor ones), it will be available both as a regular ol' CD and a special edition. The latter is a CD/DVD combo featuring "special Amray package with a 64-page booklet inside" and, on the DVD, " a Vincent Moon 48 min. film of behind-the-scenes footage, and performance pieces of various songs on the album." And if all that wasn't enough, you also get two bonus mp3s: "Red Head Walking" (ooh ooh, Beat Happening cover?!) and "Airliner".

Also, they have a stream of the first single.

initial listen = . thanks - maybe this will be a turn away from around the sun.

The audio from last night's (3/12) R.E.M. concert from SXSW is now archived on npr.org -

Here's the set list - they did 11 (out of 12) songs off the new album.

Living Well is the Best Revenge
Man Sized Wreath
Second Guessing
Drive
Hollow Man
Animal
Auctioneer
Mr. Richards
Fall On Me
Great Beyond
Houston
Electrolite
Accelerate
Until the Day is Done
Final Straw
Bad Day
Horse to Water
Walk Unafraid
-----
Supernatural Superserious
Imitation of Life
I'm Gonna DJ
Man on the Moon

Wow no Losing My Religion. Never thought they'd drop that one. AUctioneer is a big surprise.

Kind of weak setlist overall. I may miss this tour if that's what they're going to play.

It has leaked.

It is definitely rocking, and the best of their albums since Berry left.

Only listened once so far, but songs seem good. I have never cared for I'm Gonna DJ, but I liked the rest on first listen. I really like Sing For The Submarine. It has a little jam in the middle that is very un-R.E.M.-like.

Nice. Not sure I dig every tune, but it's definitely a revert back to what made me like this band in the first place. You know Pete Buck probably has one of the coolest record collections which really made me question what the hell happened to them on the last album. I see they took notice, gladly.

Not the return to form I was hoping for but definitely the first time I've enjoyed listening to an REM album since New Adventures in Hi Fi. UP and Reveal were a labor to enjoy and I never listened to Around the Sun.

Man Sized Wreath is my favorite song so far.

For those wanting a free (legal) peek, iTunes has a video up as a free download. It is for Living Well is the Best Revenge (Vincent Moon Version). I like it. Its a decent acoustic song... I haven't heard the regular version yet, but I'll be getting this when it hits stores.

Now official - 6/19 NYC is MSG

OK, I HAD to reply to a statement above. I know it came from Billboard.com so no one where wrote it, but I still had to repy to it:

"Nobody would ever confuse R.E.M. for Metallica, but..."

Wow, that's a bold statement. Stated as fact, speaking for the general public of music listeners. Huh. Well, in my humble opinion Metallica isn't a great band. They're pretty good, but not great (in my opinion.) They have a heavy, bold sound and a solid production quality. There isn't anything good or bad about that, that's their style. But, it doesn't make them great. I 've listened closely to their music, given that my girlfriend loves them and I've known others who have, but I just don't hear their inspiration, their artistry, their soul-deep vibe. I don't feel it.

Now, I'm not saying R.E.M. is so much greater than Metallica, but in my artistic opinion R.E.M. is a better band on the whole. Mainly because they are artistic, from-the-heart, innovative, I really feel their music, and sometimes it does get soul-deep. I might have said, "No one would ever mistake Metallica for R.E.M., but..." only I would never state that in a public review as fact, because I'm speaking for too many people I don't know.

Anyway, sorry but I had to get that off my chest.

Actually, they have both been pretty much shit for the last few years.

The original quote is referring to nobody mistaking REM to Metallica in regards to how hard they rock. It seems rather obvious unless you take it out of context and somehow assume it refers to quality.

Alright, here's the new album available for a (legal) listen.

http://ilike.com/artist/R.E.M.

Anyone know when tickets are going to go on sale for these shows? It's been a while since they were announced...

I'm looking for onsale info for the MSG show...

Downloaded this morning and I'm in the process of listening to it. I got the iTunes exclusive with 5 extra tracks on it. I really like it. It's fast, upbeat, and just generally sounds good. I keep thinking of New Adventures in HiFi while I listen to this... but I havnen't listened to that one in a long time, so I can't actually compare the two. I think I'll rip all of my REM albums tonight so I can get them onto my iPod and listen to them for once.

Like many others the last album didn't do much for me. I won't say it was horrible, but I don't think I've listened to it more than once. This one is rerally good and I can see myself listening to it many times.

Yeah, it wasn't a hack job, just way sub-par for REM and very bland. If Matchbox 20 had put it out, it would be the best thing they would ever do.

I think we have certain expectations with bands like REM. When bands show us they can put out really good stuff, it is a disappointment when some of their efforts do not live up to their best stuff.

How are the 5 extra tracks - I'd rather not buy off of itunes if I can help it.

I love me some "Mr. Richards"~!

Anyone have a clue who this song is about? It sounds like it might just be a composite of all the political crooks and deviants that have passed our way over the last 7 years.

That's what I was thinking.