“The first few seconds of R.E.M.’s Around the Sun nearly retrace the opening to rock’s archetypal power ballad, Aerosmith’s "Dream On." As the song, "Leaving New York," continues, R.E.M. sound remarkably like multiplatinum-era early-Nineties R.E.M.— the band that knew how to combine diffuse lyrics and sonics with hooks and primal rock grooves better than anyone […]”
“R.E.M.'s first album since 2001's effects-heavy Reveal doesn't totally strip away their recent fondness for digital production, but manages to return them to a more natural sound. Guests include Scott McCaughey (Young Fresh Fellows), Ken Stringfellow (Posies), and Q-Tip (A Tribe Called Quest).”
