R.E.M.
Out Of Time (Warner Bros.)
Reviewed by Sherman Wick

---

Out of Time is one of R.E.M.'s greatest commercial successes. Originally released in 1991, the band, which was known for extensive touring, opted to hone their musical skills in the studio. After exhaustive touring of Green, they delayed hitting the road until Monster (1994). For a group that built its fan-base via touring during its first decade, it seemed like commercial suicide; however, the opposite happened - the band's commercial career skyrocketed.

The band expanded its sound even further from the major label debut Green. And for the first time, guest musicians and orchestration appeared on a record. The results were mixed - but well received by commercial radio, especially on their most recognizable hits such as the mandolin heavy ballad, "Losing My Religion" and the sing-along "Shiny Happy People." The latter, in a slightly different version, would receive regular play on Sesame Street - a level of musical omnipresence fans would have never imagined just a few years earlier. However, it's a dynamic record, and not just a collection of poppy hits. There is also the bare beauty of "Low", a muted guitar accompanies sustained organ chords as Michael Stipe assumes a brood and muses as well as the melancholic pop on "Belong," "Country Feedback," and "A Half A World Away."

It's a fine record - if not as experimental in the pop idiom as their best music - but the tunefulness of the songs makes it easy to understand its commercial success. For the reissue, a video documentary is included.

© 2005 - Sherman Wick