Reveal (R.E.M. album)
Reveal | ||||
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Studio album by R.E.M. | ||||
Released | May 14, 2001 | |||
Recorded |
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Genre | Alternative rock | |||
Length | 53:43 | |||
Label | Warner Bros. | |||
Producer | Patrick McCarthy and R.E.M. | |||
R.E.M. chronology | ||||
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Singles from Reveal | ||||
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Reveal is the 12th studio album by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on May 14, 2001, on Warner Bros. After having adjusted to former drummer Bill Berry's departure and releasing Up to mixed response in 1998, R.E.M. released the more upbeat Reveal, co-produced with long-time collaborator Patrick McCarthy. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics.
In 2002, R.E.M. allowed each track of the album to be remixed by different producers and members of the music industry. The resulting remix album, r.e.m.IX, was available as a free download from R.E.M.'s official website. In 2005, Warner Bros. Records issued an expanded two-disc edition of Reveal which includes a CD and a DVD, as well as the original CD booklet with expanded liner notes.
Music[]
After the electronic experimental direction of Up (1998), Reveal was referred to by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic as "a conscious return to their classic sound,"[4] although Matt LeMay of Pitchfork noticed that Reveal relies "more heavily on synthesized sounds than any of their past albums" with an "increased reliance on burbling, jittering synthesizers".[5] Erlewine himself later acknowledged the album is "heavy on keyboards,"[6] whilst Pitchfork's Stephen M. Deusner said it was "effects-heavy."[7]
The lead single, "Imitation of Life", became a UK Top 10 hit as well as the band's first number one single in Japan, but floundered at the bottom of the U.S. singles charts. Additional singles from Reveal were "All the Way to Reno (You're Gonna Be a Star)" and "I'll Take the Rain". Building on examples from their previous album Up, "Beat a Drum", "Summer Turns to High", and "Beachball" are musical homages to The Beach Boys, of whom both Mike Mills and Peter Buck are major fans.
Radiohead's Thom Yorke was going through a period of extreme depression during the late 1990s, which led to severe stage fright. Around that time, Yorke and Michael Stipe were close friends, and Stipe advised Yorke to tell himself: "I'm not here, this isn't happening" whenever he felt he was losing emotional control. This motto eventually became the chorus of Radiohead's "How to Disappear Completely", from Kid A (2000). In turn, this song supposedly inspired Stipe to write Reveal's "Disappear".[8] In a 2019 interview with NME, Stipe recounted telephoning Yorke after realizing the shared inspiration, apologizing for supposedly stealing the concept behind their song, only for Yorke to respond by stating that it was more R.E.M.'s song than Radiohead's upon hearing Stipe recite the lyrics to "Disappear".[9]
The album's opening track, "The Lifting", is a prequel to "Daysleeper" from R.E.M.'s 1998 album, Up, and features the same character.[10]
Critical reception[]
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 76/100[11] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | B[12] |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | 7/10[15] |
Pitchfork | 5.0/10[5] |
Q | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spin | 7/10[18] |
The Village Voice | B−[19] |
Initial critical response to Reveal was positive ("Probably because it's more melodic than the one before," remarked Peter Buck[20]). At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 76, based on 20 reviews.[11] Q Magazine gave high praise to the album, awarded it the full 5 stars, and listed it as one of the best 50 albums of 2001.[21] Kludge included it on their list of the 25 best albums of 2001.[22]
With early comparisons to Automatic for the People, the critical reaction to Reveal was warmer than the notices which greeted Up in 1998, particularly in the UK, where it reached #1 with healthy sales, reaching platinum status there. In the United States, Reveal peaked at No. 6 (with 10 weeks on the Billboard 200) and was certified Gold (500,000 units).[23] The album was also certified Gold in Canada (50,000 units) in 2001,[24] and Gold in Germany (150,000 units).[25]
In 2004, the German version of Rolling Stone ranked the album at number 483 in its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[26]
In April 2021, almost exactly twenty years after the album's release, Michael Stipe stated Reveal was now his favorite R.E.M. album.[27]
Track listing[]
All songs written by Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe.
- Chorus Side
- "The Lifting" – 4:39
- "I've Been High" – 3:25
- "All the Way to Reno (You're Gonna Be a Star)" – 4:43
- "She Just Wants to Be" – 5:22
- "Disappear" – 4:11
- "Saturn Return" – 4:55
- Ring Side
- "Beat a Drum" – 4:21
- "Imitation of Life" – 3:57
- "Summer Turns to High" – 3:31
- "Chorus and the Ring" – 4:31
- "I'll Take the Rain" – 5:51
- "Beachball" – 4:14
"The Lifting" mastering defect[]
In 2002, Warner Bros. released a DVD-A version of Reveal; containing a new 5.1 channel mix of the album as well as the stereo mix presented in "Advanced Resolution" 96 kHz/24-bit. The 96 kHz/24-bit mix however has a mastering defect. The defect takes place on the first track "The Lifting", in which the beat skips at the 0:29 mark. This defected DVD-A was used in the 2005 CD+DVD-A reissue, and the 96 kHz/24-bit mix is used on the HDtracks store as well as the iTunes Store and Apple Music service. In 2017, Apple removed "The Lifting" from the iTunes Store and Apple Music service due to the defect. In a 2018 Twitter post, Mike Mills acknowledged the defect as well as the removal and stated that the issue was noted and should be fixed soon. However, as of 2020, the defective-version of "The Lifting" has been added back to iTunes and Apple Music and is still present on the HDtracks store.
Reveal Advance 2001[]
The February 2001 master of Reveal differed from the March 2001 master of the album, which ended up being the final version. Compared to the official, the differences of the Reveal Advance 2001 disc include:
- Two tracks that never made it to the finished version: "Fascinating" and "Free Form Jazz Jam".
- An alternative version of "Beat a Drum" called "All I Want."
- A longer version of "Imitation of Life."
- A version of "All the Way to Reno (You're Gonna Be a Star)" with an alternate ending, and simply titled "Reno."
- Slightly different mixes and/or instrumental changes in "I've Been High" and "She Just Wants to Be."
Neither of the unreleased tracks or any of the alternative mixes have ever been released commercially. However, the band allowed the Murmurs.com fan community to offer downloads of "Fascinating," which had recently been covered by Fischerspooner. In September 2019, R.E.M. made a later version of the song "Fascinating" available to benefit global organization Mercy Corps' Hurricane Dorian relief and recovery efforts in the Bahamas; this version was rerecorded in 2004 at Nassau's Compass Point Studios.
Personnel[]
R.E.M.
- Peter Buck – guitar
- Mike Mills – bass guitar, keyboards
- Michael Stipe – vocals
Additional personnel
- Chris Bilheimer – art
- Pat McCarthy – production
- Scott McCaughey – guitar
- Ken Stringfellow – keyboards
- Joey Waronker – drums and percussion[28][29]
Charts[]
Weekly charts[]
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Year-end charts[]
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Certifications[]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[58] | Gold | 35,000^ |
Austria (IFPI Austria)[59] | Gold | 20,000* |
Belgium (BEA)[60] | Gold | 25,000* |
Canada (Music Canada)[61] | Gold | 50,000^ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[62] | Gold | 25,000^ |
Germany (BVMI)[63] | Gold | 150,000^ |
Italy (FIMI)[64] | Platinum | 130,000[64] |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[65] | Gold | 7,500^ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[66] | Gold | 50,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[67] | Platinum | 40,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[68] | Platinum | 300,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[70] | Gold | 415,000[69] |
Summaries | ||
Europe (IFPI)[71] | Platinum | 1,000,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
See also[]
References[]
- ^ "The ARIA Report: ARIA New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 16th April 2001" (PDF). ARIA. April 16, 2001. p. 23. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2002-02-20. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
- ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting July 23, 2001: Singles". Music Week. July 21, 2001. p. 27.
- ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting November 19, 2001: Singles". Music Week. November 17, 2001. p. 31.
- ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Reveal – R.E.M." AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
- ^ a b LeMay, Matt (May 14, 2001). "R.E.M.: Reveal". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
- ^ Around the Sun – R.E.M. | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic
- ^ "R.E.M.: Around the Sun". Pitchfork.
- ^ ne pas a.v.a.l.e.r. : how to disappear completely and never be found
- ^ Trendell, Andrew (31 October 2019). "R.E.M. looking back on their legacy and 25 years of 'Monster'". YouTube. NME. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
- ^ As stated by Michael Stipe on Later... with Jools Holland in 2001.
- ^ a b "Reviews for Reveal by R.E.M." Metacritic. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
- ^ Hermes, Will (May 18, 2001). "Reveal". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
- ^ Sweeting, Adam (May 11, 2001). "Shiny happy people". The Guardian. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
- ^ Hilburn, Robert (May 13, 2001). "R.E.M. Recaptures Sound to the Letter". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2012.
- ^ Long, April (May 21, 2001). "REM : Reveal". NME. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
- ^ "R.E.M.: Reveal". Q (177): 116–17. June 2001.
- ^ Sheffield, Rob (May 1, 2001). "Reveal". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
- ^ Milner, Greg (June 2001). "Out Of Time". Spin. 17 (6): 143–44. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (June 26, 2001). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
- ^ Q, October 2001
- ^ "The Best 50 Albums of 2001". Q. December 2001. pp. 60–65.
- ^ Perez, Arturo. "Top 10 Albums of 2001". Kludge. Archived from the original on July 22, 2004. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
- ^ "American album certifications – R.E.M. – Reveal". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2011-02-18.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – R.E.M. – Reveal". Music Canada. Retrieved 2011-02-18.
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (R.E.M.; 'Reveal')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 2011-02-18.
- ^ Acclaimed Music – Reveal
- ^ "Michael Stipe on R.E.M.’s Legacy and Writing Music Again | The RS Interview" – Rolling Stone's YouTube channel, April 1, 2021
- ^ Chris Jones (2008). "REM Reveal Review". BBC. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
- ^ "REM Biography". Contact Music. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
- ^ "australian-charts.com R.E.M. - Reveal" (ASP). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
- ^ "austriancharts.at R.E.M. - Reveal" (ASP). Hung Medien (in German). Retrieved 2012-01-25.
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- ^ "ultratop.be R.E.M. - Reveal" (ASP). Hung Medien (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
- ^ a b "allmusic ((( Reveal > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
- ^ "dutchcharts.nl R.E.M. - Reveal" (ASP). Hung Medien. MegaCharts. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
- ^ "finnishcharts.com R.E.M. – Reveal" (ASP). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
- ^ "lescharts.com R.E.M. – Reveal" (ASP). Hung Medien (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
- ^ "Album Search: R.E.M. – Reveal" (in German). Media Control. Retrieved 2012-01-25.[dead link]
- ^ "2001/21 heti Album Top 40 slágerlista" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
- ^ "italiancharts.com R.E.M. – Reveal" (ASP). Hung Medien. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
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- ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS – Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. 2001-05-20. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
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- ^ "The Official Charts Company – R.E.M. – Reveal" (PHP). Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
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- ^ "Classement Albums – année 2001" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2012-01-25.
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- ^ "The Official UK Albums Chart – Year-End – 2001" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-01-25.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
- ^ "Austrian album certifications – R.E.M. – Reveal" (in German). IFPI Austria.
- ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2001". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – R.E.M. – Reveal". Music Canada.
- ^ "Danish album certifications – R.E.M. – Reveal". IFPI Danmark.
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (R.E.M.; 'Reveal')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
- ^ a b "Brevi". la Repubblica (in Italian). May 22, 2001. p. 46. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
- ^ "New Zealand album certifications – R.E.M. – Reveal". Recorded Music NZ.
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- ^ "British album certifications – R.E.M. – Reveal". British Phonographic Industry.
- ^ Gunderson, Edna (March 11, 2007). "R.E.M.: A 25-year rockin' role". USA Today. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
- ^ "American album certifications – R.E.M. – Reveal". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 2001". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.
- R.E.M. albums
- Warner Records albums
- 2001 albums
- Albums produced by Peter Buck
- Albums produced by Mike Mills
- Albums produced by Michael Stipe
- Albums produced by Pat McCarthy (record producer)