With the albums and REM grew into a mega band in the early nineties. Many fans and (especially) critics nevertheless keep a soft spot for the rougher sound from before that time, when REM was not yet embraced by the masses. Those people are served at their beck and call with Accelerate, the successor to the blank Around The Sun from 2004. The solid up-tempo rockers with which the record opens are
… reminiscent of , the melodic songs (Hollow Man, Until The Day Is Done, Mr. Richards) halfway through, especially recall Life's Rich Pageant. It is a style that sounded fresh at the time (in the late eighties), but in 2008 mainly evokes nostalgic feelings. The excitement in the media about Accelerate may be a bit exaggerated, but the fact is that REM has not sounded so eager and passionate in years. (MS)more
