Two weeks ago, Life’s Rich Pageant sounded to these ears like a formulated cop-out, an undignified retreat where previously REM had charged remorselessly forward. It’s as well that opinion wasn’t committed to newsprint because now…

After the mixed response to last year’s superb Fables Of The Reconstruction I was concerned that, with the introduction of Don Gehman (John Courgar Thingy, The Blasters) behind the desk, REM would resort to self-parody in, a bid to ultimately crack their native market and initial listens to Llife’s Rich Pageant seemed to confirm my worst fears. Whereas on Fables… they’d wandered off at sever tangents in their search for a personalised grail, bestowing glowing conclusions and puzzling curiosa in equal number, the introductory impression of Life’s… was that they’d effectively compromised their unique vision, remaining content to merely jangle their way out of any tight corners they found themselves hemmed into. But first impressions can be notoriously wrong...

Life’s Rich Pageant is a monument to the contradiction which lies at the heart of REM’s appeal. They’ve certainly never sounded more like they want to break the patent. What transpires, it emerged with repeated listening, is the most breathtaking exploration to date of the unique REM sound.

‘Cuyahoga’ recalls the historical regressions of Fables…, and conveys the same respect for the past as can be felt on ‘Savage Earth Heart-era Waterboys. “This is where we walked, swam, hunted, danced and sang” sings Stipe over one of the band’s most pristine melodies to date. And the effect Staggering.

‘Fall On Me’ is little short of glorious while ‘The Flowers Of Guatemala’ comes closer to folk music than anything they’ve done previously. Two oddities close each side, ‘Underneath The Bunker’ sounding like an Eno-fied Albanian wedding band on acid and ‘Superman’ being a cover of a garage psychedelic nugget. And you thought these guys were pofaced.

REM remain young despite the years and decidedly hopeful despite the times; and right now they’re more valuable than they’ve even been. Life’s Rich Pageant does nothing but add lustre to a burgeoning reputation. And it might just crack American market for good measure.