Music: New REM song on website

Leaving New York. Same vein of the last few albums: less rock, more keyboards, haunting melody, completely un-radio-friendly, a little feedback here and there, and that same catharsis you always get after an R.E.M. song, the feeling you get after hearing a song that's something special, even if you're not sure why.

The best band ever, in its twilight.

New album, Around the Sun, due out Oct 4 &5. Hopefully not their last.

I owe R.E.M. my life. I'm pretty sure I would have blown my brains out sometime around 6th grade if not for Automatic for the People. And I might still be a Republican.

Update: here's an article about the album: "It's about how it feels to live in America right now," abstract, moody, Fables/AFTP vein, they took out all the rockers. The US will hate it. The rest of the world will love it.