audio review : It Happened Today ( song ) … REM

What happened? Michael Stipe is too ambiguous a poet to say, but concept isn’t what matters here. It’s about the music, which stomps along a bassy drum beat, guitars, and what sounds like an array of tambourines. It’s the kind of folky dance vibe you haven’t heard in an REM song for a long time.

What’s unusual is how traditional word-based vocals; lyrical verses and bridges; are abandoned before even the halfway point. “Huh-huh” murmurs take over from there for what serves as the chorus section. It’s a celebration chant of sorts, layered with harmonious melodies, and one of the band’s all-time best.

my rating : 5 of 5

2010

audio review : Collapse Into Now ( album ) ... REM