Listen to R.E.M.'s <i>Collapse into Now</i> on Exclaim.ca

BY Alex HudsonPublished Mar 1, 2011

Back in 2008, R.E.M. revitalized their career with the fast and fun Accelerate, which was hailed for its noisy guitars and brisk, punchy songwriting. For their 15th studio album, Collapse into Now, the band have moved away from that garage-brewed style, instead opting for a sound that they have described as "expansive."

Collapse into Now officially drops on March 8 via Warner. Luckily, you won't have to wait until then to hear it, as the album will be streaming all week exclusively in Canada at Exclaim.ca. Go here to listen.

R.E.M. achieved the lush sound of Collapse into Now with the help of a number of high-profile guests: Eddie Vedder lends his vocals to "It Happened Today," while legendary punk poet Patti Smith appears on "Blue." There's also some Canadian talent, as both Peaches and Hidden Cameras mastermind Joel Gibb make appearances.

The band went international while recording the collection, entering studios in New Orleans, Berlin and Nashville. These sessions were captured by returning producer Jacknife Lee, who also helmed Accelerate (as well as releases by U2, Weezer and many more).

Collapse into Now builds on styles R.E.M. explored on past releases, as tracks like "Discoverer" and "Mine Smell Like Honey" combine the direct, infectious songwriting of Accelerate with the sonic depth of 1992's Automatic for the People.

You can make comparisons of your own after you listen to the stream here at Exclaim.ca, but only until March 7.

Stay tuned for these future full-album streams on Exclaim.ca:

Mother Mother Eureka March 8 to March 14
J Mascis Several Shades of Why March 15 to March 21
Mountain Goats All Eternals Deck March 22 to March 28
Timber Timbre Creep on Creepin' On March 29 to April 4

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