10 Underrated Albums By Huge Bands
2. R.E.M. - Up
Debate rages on as to when R.E.M. passed their peak, but a common marker is the departure of drummer Bill Berry. It’s fair to say things were never the same without the original quartet, but the final years of the Georgia band yielded some great results, most notably this inaugural Berry-less offering.
Up is a strange record in the band’s varied canon. With their drummer gone, they made the smart decision not to rush his replacement, instead implementing drum machines and relatively percussion-lite tracks. The ethereal “You’re In The Air” and ambient opener “Airportman” are the clearest departures.
There are tracks that fit with the classic sound, though. The impossibly catchy “Lotus” could fit the glam-grunge vibe of Monster, and “Daysleeper” is up there with the best lush R.E.M ballads.
The sound would get gradually more pedestrian as the band reached their twilight (though they never made an outright duff album), but the decline doesn’t start here - it’s a curious gem made out of necessity.