REM's breakthrough came with the masterful trilogies (1988), (1991) and (1992), as well as the hits Losing My Religion and Everybody Hurts. Apparently the formation around singer Michael Stipe did not know how to deal with the new status of superstar, because all the time they started experimenting with hard guitars (on the CD ) and electronics ( ). Musically, the group reached a dead end. With
… Reveal, REM proves to be on the way back. The power of the melody comes first again, so that the urge to experiment has been pushed somewhat into the background. The fans of the first hour will have to bite into the guitar distorters and computers in The Lifting and Saturn Return, but the familiar REM sound can be heard in the prize songs Beat A Drum and All The Way To Reno (You're Gonna Be A Star). The cheerful single Imitation Of Life is a bit like Shiny Happy People, but not too much. Other highlights are the two ballads I'll Take The Rain and Chorus And The Ring, on which we hear that Michael Stipe has started to sing better and better over the years. (MvP)more
