Miscellaneous, undated or unsourced snippets about R.E.M.

Handwritten caption: "Q 1/1999"

13. R.E.M.
Daysleeper
FROM UP (WARNER BROTHERS)

Peter Buck claimed he dreamt about the songs on Up before they were recorded... then he ended up in cute little jim-jams for the Daysleeper video Like much of Up, this sounds magically beamed from another, far more lovely dimension unlike most of Up - an album bursting with drum loops and steam-powered keyboards - it's a traditional lattice of graceful acoustic guitars and little else, with Michael Stipe in honeyed, heartbreaking vocal form "Circadian" you'll have to look up

R.E.M.
Up
WARNER BROS

After the stodge of Monster and the demos fest that was New Adventures In Hi-Fi they needed a proper album bristling with memorable moments Up is that very record. Phew.

(Handwritten caption:"Q 1/1999")

R.E.M.
Up
WARNER BROS.

In facing up to the twin pressures of an $80 million deal renewal and a vacant drum stool, R.E.M. turned in their strongest set of songs since Automatic For The People, an album - aside from the Roxy Music-flavoured Lotus - largely comprising dark lullabies and antique electronica. At My Most Beautiful echoed The Beach Boys and featured Stipe at easily his most skewedly romantic yet. Walk Unafraid boldly revived scratchy funk and You're In The Air was near-transcendental and plainly gorgeous.

Of course, as is the way of such things. Up will doubtless sell a million copies less than New Adventures In Hi-Fi.

IN A WORD ELEGANT

(Handwritten caption:"Q 1/1999")