1. R.E.M.'s biography:
REM played their first concert in Athens, Georgia, USA, on 19 April 1980. Their line-up consisted of four drop-outs from the University of Georgia: Singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention because of Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's unclear vocals. By the early 1990s, when alternative rock began to experience broad mainstream success, R.E.M. released its two most commercially successful albums, catapulting them to international fame, Out of Time (1991) and Automatic for the People (1992). In 1997, Bill Berry left the band, while Buck, Mills, and Stipe continued the group as a trio. Through some changes in musical style, the band continued its career into the next decade with mixed critical and commercial success, despite having sold over 85 million records worldwide. In 2007, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. R.E.M. disbanded amicably in September 2011, announcing the split on its website.
2. Review
Another classic-in-waiting, the (on initial exposure) simplistic slow tempo melody pushing the same emotional buttons as Everybody Hurts, while sharing that song’s lyrical message of hope, strength and support: “I cannot tell a lie/It’s not all cherry pie/But it’s all there waiting for you...”.
Buck’s unfussy picked guitar line is doubled by Mills on what sounds like a glockenspiel, giving the track the feel of a reassuring lullaby. The repeated “Hey, yeah!” of the chorus cries out to be sang lustily by audiences, although early indications are that the band won’t be playing live to promote the album.
Terry Staunton
3. My Review
It is a song reminiciscent of old R,E.M.’s songs but it doesn’t sound very commercial. An atmospheric piece in which the band seems to say goodbye to his audience. It is a quite sad song, and I can’t find a clear relation between the lyrics and the title. Maybe it’s about things waiting for someone who is illusioned with the future, but both the song and the video are very banal.
4. Video Review
In the video we can see several young people expressing themselves (dressing up, da ncing, making antics, etc). It seems the lyrics talk about these young boys and girls, some of them quite extravagant, although most of them look very amateurish and banal. When the clip ends we can see a list of Names with their correspondent e-mails, like the credits from a movie, so this clip shows the way young people express themselves on social networks. It seems to be a homage to them.
