Word: stipe
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...really depressing too. At least that's the inescapable impression conveyed by Automatic for the People, R.E.M.'s follow- up to its 1991 critical and commercial smash, Out of Time. The record gets off to a somber start with Drive, a dirgelike number featuring lyricist and lead singer Michael Stipe, and continues its downward spiral with a string of songs that meander into a morass of hopelessness, anger and loss...
...disc reaches its emotional nadir with Sweetness Follows, in which Stipe ponders the death of loved ones, and Everybody Hurts, an anti-suicide lullaby. Clearly ambivalent about his and the band's new status as pop icon, Stipe seems to be mourning nothing less than a loss of innocence. "I'm sure all those people understand/ It's not like years before," he sings in Nightswimming. "The fear of getting caught/ The recklessness of water/ They cannot see me naked...
...down totally in such melancholy musings. Proving that a so-called alternative band can keep its edge after conquering the musical mainstream, Automatic for the People manages to dodge predictability without ever sounding aimless or unfocused. Buoyed by a lush weave of chiming guitars, muted strings and oboe, Stipe's moody vocals float over the music like leaves drifting across a dark pond. The songs, which tend to start slowly and build momentum, shimmer and swirl with bittersweet melodies and riffs that gather rather than hook. Nightswimming, which circles around a cascading piano part, and Find the River, which resonates...
Look at the sucess Sting and others have had raising environmental awareness. By proselytizing against the dangers which threaten South America's rain forests, Sting has brought his personal crusade home to many. Michael Stipe of REM rarely lets a public opportunity go by without attempting to address gun control, abortion, or the environment. Similarly, U2 concert-goers must often wonder if they have purchased tickets to a rock concert or a Bonoled pro-Ireland rally...
Sorrow, Yearning and longing are central themes on Automatic for the People. The album's last song. "Find the River," offers a dose of reserved optimism, with a hopeful piano and comforting guitar--strumming and lyrics. Stipe's last line is the happiest of them all: "All of this is coming your way." And he does send a lot our way in the most intense 49 minutes of music R.E.M. has ever recorded. Automatic for the People is not to be missed...