By Chris Willman 03.24.91 Los Angeles Times Like most of the group’s earlier album titles, R.E.M.’s new “Out of Time” has any number of possible meanings–the most ironic and self-deprecating one being that perhaps the quartet from Georgia thinks its salad days of being recognized as the great American alternative rock ‘n’ roll band are [...]
By Greg Kot 03.24.91 Chicago Tribune R.E.M.’s full-length debut, Murmur (IRS, 1983, 4 stars), is arguably the most influential guitar-rock album of the ’80s, a stirring combination of the familiar and exotic. Although its sources are obvious-the Byrds, Velvet Underground, Wire-the band merely uses them as touchstones for its gentle melodicism, jangling guitars, less-is-more arrangements [...]
By Greg Kot 03.24.91 Chicago Tribune For the better part of the ’80s, R.E.M. helped define the parameters of so-called “alternative” rock. The Athens, Ga., band’s homegrown simplicity and uncompromising intelligence, combined with a steady rise in popularity, helped galvanize the independent, underground scene in America, a loose network of noncommercial radio stations, small record [...]
By David Fricke 03.23.91 Melody Maker The world is collapsing / Around our ears / I turned up the radio / But I can’t hear it. These are the first words out of Michael Stipe’s mouth on this, R.E.M.’s “difficult” seventh album, and they ring with a truth he could not have possibly imagained when [...]
By Larry Smilg and Jeremy Hylton 03.22.91 The Tech Thanks to YbeeXiv@aol.com for this article. Maybe after a two-and-a-half year hiatus, REM thought people would forget what they sound like. It is easy to forget that their new album, Out of Time, was actually created by the same band that recorded Murmur and Life’s Rich [...]
By Parry Gettelman 03.22.91 Orlando Sentinel The long-awaited Out of Time is a lot better than 1989′s Green, which brought R.E.M. its biggest commercial success but disappointed many longtime fans. There are some real cool songs here. And the band makes some interesting experiments with more varied arrangements. Guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and [...]
By Terry Staunton 03.16.91 New Musical Express Rating: 10/10 With their last album ‘Green’, REM reached an important turning point. In the space of six short years and over as many albums, the group had reached a natural peak; from humble indie college campus roots to masters of the musical universe. Where could they go [...]
03.15.91 Chicago Tribune Has R.E.M.’s time as a hit band run out? A good part of the answer to that question will come with the response to its new album, “Out of Time” (Warner Bros.). R.E.M. has been one of the most successful bands to come out of the early ’80s jangly new Southern rock [...]
By Parke Puterbaugh 03.14.91 Rolling Stone Yes, it’s a departure, but no, it’s not so radical a departure that it is unrecognizable as R.E.M. “Out of Time” moves this unconventional band another step forward, a discernible connection to past records remains, but it is not constricting. The point is that R.E.M. has done it again: [...]
03.08.91 CMJ Magazine While Green paved the way for stadium storming and lucrative songs ripe for TV show themes, Out Of Time is definitely not the type of album you’d expect as a follow-up. Quiet, reserved, introspective and downright pretty in spots, it’s an overt emotional and musical turnaround from the grandstanding and global eco-political [...]