A New R.E.M. Album. OK....

Is it just me, or am I the only one that is totally underwhelmed by the fact that R.E.M. is releasing a new album?

I used to be a big fan. Murmur was an amazing listen, and in 1983 (year of release) it's garagey-jangle-alterna-pop was a welcome antidote to the bands that were on the radio at the time: Toto, Journey, Def Leppard, Bryan Adams, Flock Of Seagulls, etc.

But somewhere around 1988, when they released Green, I lost interest. Each subsequent album seemed less interesting, sonically, than the last and Michael Stipe was, quite honestly, getting on my nerves. He was SOOOO alternative, SOOOO righteous and too damn smug. The way he looked (what the HELL was that Blue Man look he was sporting all about, anyway?) irritated me to no end, and that ageing hipster mumble of his made me want to stick an ice pick in my ear. I never wanted to smack anyone upside the head with a pipe wrench as much as I did him at that time.

I think the years of lukewarm and downright scathing reviews have humbled the boys, but at this point it's too late. The damage was done, the interest gone.

So now they're releasing a new album and I really couldn't care less. I mean, if someone threatened to waterboard me I suppose I'd give it a listen. But other than that...