R.E.M. "Live at the Olympia"

I've been following R.E.M. doggedly throughout the latter two-thirds of their 27-year career, and have explained at some length in a review of this album on Amazon why I remain convinced that they are the greatest rock band in history (despite rhe impressive number of wrong turns they have taken since their popularity peaked in the early 1990's).

As expectations have sunk progressively lower with each new release, it has become increasingly tempting to write them off as an anachronism that should never have outlasted the 20th century. In fact it is a measure of how dismal and perfunctory most of the post-millennial releases have been, that last year's fairly good but infuriatingly short and brash "Accelerate" was welcomed as a triumphant return to form. At least they sounded like a rock band again.

It is therefore with pleasure that I can hail "Live At The Olympia" as an unqualified success that may be seen in the longer term as R.E.M.'s finest work. The sound quality is remarkable for a theatre recording. The performances have a glee about them that we all thought the band had lost for good. In fact, of the generous 39 tracks on the album, all but half a dozen are arguably superior performances to the studio versions. Michael Stipe's voice is in particularly strong and flexible form, and the chemistry between the permanent and guest musicians is the best I have heard.

The selection of material is another major plus, concentrating as it does on new songs and very old ones, largely sidestepping the over-anthologised greatest hits from the band's commercially successful middle period as well as their underwhelming post-Automatic releases. As the owner of a shiny new blog (something I incidentally said I would never do) I feel justified in being nerdy enough to give some statistics:

Chronic Town EP (1982):    4
Murmur (1983):                   2
Reckoning (1984):               6
Fables...  (1985):                 5
Life's Rich Pageant (1986):  2  (my apostrophe, of course)
Document (1987):                2
Eponymous (1988):              1
Green (1988):                       0
Out of Time (1991):              0
Automatic...  (1992):             1
Monster (1994):                    1
New Adventures...  (1996):   2
Up (1998):                            0
Reveal (2001):                       1
Around the Sun (2004):         1
Accelerate (2009):                 9  (pre-studio performances)
(Unreleased):                         2

This gives an intriguing insight into the band's shifting relationship with its own back catalogue. In favour are the straightforward crunchy or jangly rock albums which fit stylistically with the current musical direction. Out of favour are the pop, the folky and the experimental. This has allowed some exciting inclusions for long-term fans, especially the five songs included from the wonderful but (by some members of the band) under-appreciated third LP, Fables of the Recontruction, e.g. the Byrds-like "Driver 8", which one band-member allegedly once claimed they never wanted to play again. Without exception, these older songs are presented authentically enough to please long-standing fans, but they are made to sound fresh and modern enough to capture a new audience.

An appealing touch running through these 5 evenings in Dublin was the repeated warning that the performances were not shows but rehearsals (e.g. "We're R.E.M. and this is what we do [pause] when you're not here.") It allows a more relaxed interaction with  the audience and among the musicians, and makes it sound for the first time in years as though the band are enjoying themselves.

Destined to become a classic. Strongly recommended.