R.E.M.: Reveal
Adam Sweeting, The Guardian, 11 May 2001
THIS IS THE SECOND ALBUM REM have made since the departure of drummer Bill Berry, and (on disc at least) it finds them settling into a convincing identity as a trio. Where its predecessor, Up, came precariously close to being the soundtrack to a band falling to pieces, Reveal exhibits a coherence the combo haven't often achieved. The puzzle is how to fit the born-again REM into their own 20-year legacy. While Reveal undoubtedly reveals an REM, it might not be the one you thought you were looking for.
Total word count of piece: 706