Reveal is the twelfth album by the American band R.E.M., released in 2001 on Warner Bros.. After having adjusted to former drummer Bill Berry's departure and releasing Up to mixed response in 1998, R.E.M. released the more upbeat Reveal, which was co-produced with long-time collaborator Patrick McCarthy.
In 2002, R.E.M. allowed each track of the album to be remixed by different producers and members of the music industry. The resulting remix album, r.e.m.IX, is available as a free download from R.E.M.'s official website. In 2005, Warner Bros. Records issued an expanded two-disc edition of Reveal which includes a CD and a DVD, as well as the original CD booklet with expanded liner notes.
Music
The lead single, "Imitation of Life", became another UK Top 10 hit as well as their first number one single in Japan, but floundered at the bottom of the U.S. singles charts. Further singles from Reveal are "All The Way To Reno (You're Gonna Be A Star)" and "I'll Take The Rain". Building on examples from their previous album, 'Up', "Beat A Drum", "Summer Turns To High" and "Beachball" are musical homages to The Beach Boys, of whom both Mike Mills and Peter Buck are major fans.
The opening track, "The Lifting", is a prequel to "Daysleeper" from R.E.M.'s 1998 album, Up, and features the same character.[1]
Reception
Initial critical response to Reveal was positive. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 76, based on 20 reviews.[2]
Although it was promoted as a return to form, with early comparisons to Automatic for the People, the critical reaction to Reveal was warmer than the notices which greeted Up in 1998, particularly in the UK where it reached #1 with healthy sales. In the United States, Reveal peaked at #6 (with 10 weeks on the Billboard 200) and went gold, still selling below expectations. As of March 2007, Reveal has sold 415,000 units in the U.S. [3]
"When a band that's been around as long as R.E.M. are still doing their best work, that's really unusual," said U2's Bono in 2003. "I think Reveal is one of the best records they've ever made: beautiful melodies, beautiful singing, and really evolved songwriting."[4]
Track listing
All songs by Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe.
- "The Lifting" – 4:39
- "I've Been High" – 3:25
- "All the Way to Reno (You're Gonna Be a Star)" – 4:43
- "She Just Wants to Be" – 5:22
- "Disappear" – 4:11
- "Saturn Return" – 4:55
- "Beat a Drum" – 4:21
- "Imitation of Life" – 3:57
- "Summer Turns to High" – 3:31
- "Chorus and the Ring" – 4:31
- "I'll Take the Rain" – 5:51
- "Beachball" – 4:14
Reveal Advance 2001
The February 2001 master of Reveal differed from the March 2001 master of the album, which ended up being the final version. Compared to the official, the differences of the Reveal Advance 2001 disc include:
- Two tracks that never made it to the finished version: "Fascinating" and "Free Form Jazz Jam".
- An alternative version of "Beat a Drum" called "All I Want".
- A longer version of "Imitation of Life".
- A version of "All the Way to Reno (You're Gonna Be a Star)" with an alternate ending, and simply titled "Reno".
- Slightly different mixes and/or instrumental changes in "I've Been High" and "She Just Wants to Be".
Neither of the unreleased tracks or any of the alternative mixes have ever been released commercially. However, the band allowed the Murmurs.com fan community to offer downloads of "Fascinating", which had recently been covered by Fischerspooner.
Charts
Album
Singles
References
