R.E.M.

In bleak news, the three-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina is approaching, which might have you feeling a bit concerned about the future of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. But don’t worry. The commercial alternative rock bands of the mid-1990s have it covered! Pitchfork reports that a slew of musicians, including R.E.M., Nine Inch Nails, Pearl Jam, the Indigo Girls and—wait for it—311, have signed a letter calling upon Barack Obama and John McCain to attend a Google- and YouTube-sponsored presidential forum in New Orleans on Sept. 18.

"Due to the nation's need for energy and dependable shipping lanes, we are losing a football field's worth of wetlands every 45 minutes to erosion.  read more »

CONCERTS

As if it wasn't exciting enough that power-duo Gnarls Barkley has released its much-anticipated followup to 2006's St. Elsewhere (just in time to get the hype rolling for some summer jams), now we get news that Messrs. Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse are playing the Highline Ballroom on April 10. Yes, that's one week from today! [On Sale: Friday, April 4 at noon]

So R.E.M. is making a comeback, huh. They've got a new album, a new look and a new tour with Modest Mouse and Brooklyn it-band The National, which comes to MSG on June 19. [On Sale: Saturday, April 5 at noon]  read more »

R.E.M. releases its 14th album, Accelerate, today. According to most accounts, it's a return to their Athens, Ga. roots. Spin writes rather breathlessly, "They haven't sounded this surprised with themselves since 1998's Up, haven't made an album this consistent since 1992's Automatic for the People, and haven't redlined so engagingly since 1986's Life's Rich Pageant." The emerging storyline is that like any long-lasting marriage, R.E.M. is surfacing from the depths of a dark period, one in which they admittedly did not talk to one another, and Accelerate is the make-up sex—fast, passionate, "surprising," and perhaps the best ever, because of it. The relief—and ecstasy—is palpable in the music and the reviews. "The best thing about Accelerate," writes David Fricke in Rolling Stone, "is that R.E.M. sound whole again ... [they're] complete in their bond and purpose." You may now kiss the bride!

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As late winter’s doldrums penetrate the city, it’s becoming harder to find a reason to leave the house at night. But what if we told you Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds were headlining the Plug Independent Music Awards tomorrow at Terminal 5? And then what if we told you it was only $10?  read more »

Dear Lower East Side: The 1990s called and said they want their favorite band back. Yes, R.E.M., the iconic Athens four-piece (turned three-piece) that sort of went out of style around the same time as 120 Minutes and Alternative Nation was apparently all over Rivington Street earlier this week shooting a video for the first single off their soon-to-be-released, 14th album (and possible comeback?), Accelerate, which comes out April 1 on Warner Bros., Brooklyn Vegan reports. The know-all indie blog picked up the news via the L.E.S. sex shop Babeland, which, much to the employees’ excitement, was one of the locations scouted for the shoot. R.E.M. is also slated to play this year’s SXSW festival in Austin.