R.E.M.
Reveal

An album among the most mature, intimate, and relaxing recorded by the band from Athens.
That's how I like to define "Reveal," released in 2001 and signed by R.E.M..

12 tracks and 54 minutes of rare beauty, melancholic and captivating at the same time (you might say: but how is that possible? well yes, there are tracks that make this album exactly like that...). Some dared to say that after the release of this work, R.E.M. continued to be a great band, but by now almost out of ideas and creativity. Well, a respectable but very debatable opinion. This is absolutely not true, and the 3 singles extracted and the other 9 tracks that make up this album prove it.

"Imitation Of Life," the first single, represents a pop-rock that immediately strikes and captivates, also due to its extremely catchy chorus. "All The Way To Reno (You're Gonna Be A Star)" is a ballad in perfect Michael Stipe style, just like the wonderful "I'll Take The Rain," a semi-acoustic track of nearly 6 tear-jerking but simple yet memorable minutes.
Other tracks like "She Just Wants To Be" and "Disappear" also increasingly convince that this album is extremely introspective and intimate but not at all boring.

In 2003, the American band will return with a greatest-hits containing two rather rock unreleased tracks ("Bad Day," which seems like a copy of "It's the end of the world..." and "Animal," a decent song with a rather confusing sound), but this remains chronologically the last noteworthy work of the American group.

It is certainly one of R.E.M.'s best albums, released three years ago now but one that will hardly tire those who listen to it.