Reckoning

"We didn't want it to be the same type of production, Reckoning is less of a mood record, more of a song record". Thus R.E.M. guitarist, Peter Buck on the reasoning behind Reckoning. For once, the pre-sell of the press-release contains the truth.

Though R.E.M. didn't wish to fall into one usual second album trap and make 'an inferior rehash of the first', Reckoning is typical of second albums in one way, operating off the energy, attack and self-confidence the first spate of touring can give a rising band.

They claim they recorded the first six tracks in two days and taped with the minimum of overdubs, Reckoning presents R.E.M. as a live band; taking their material hot and fresh from the stage. Reckoning is their 'rock' to the ruminative 'roll' of their debut, Murmur.

But 'rock' for R.E.M. never means grand-standing grandiloquence 'The biggest wagon is the emptiest is the noisiest' cautions singer Michael Stipe on the closing 'Little America' R.E.M. haven't lost their ability to hide those secret meanings and epiphanies in the recesses of their music.

Totally opposed to the pre-fabricated, obvious gestures of mass-manufactured music, R.E.M. compare with Talking Heads as dissidents not rebels, people who surreptitiously reshape notions of America while everybody's looking the other way. They know it's wisest to talk quietly and not be seen carrying a big stick unless it's a pilgrim's staff.

R.E.M. do not belabour their points. If U2's initial intention was to dramatically refresh "the primary colours" of rock, R.E.M. use the same basic elements of vocals, guitar, base and drums to create moodier, duskier shadings. Most intentionally their music requests you use your imagination to catch the play of shadows in the mist.

Certainly Stipe still requires a translator. Stray aphorisms like "There's a splinter in your eyes, it reads 'react' and 'a handshake is worthy, it's all that you've got", both from the opening 'Harbourcoat' sometimes rise from the speakers but mostly, his diction is opaque.

Instead, his calm tones, that bespeak certain reserves of hope and laconic integrity in the American spirit, carry the emotional message. Even though R.E.M. can no longer abide any further Byrds comparisons, I can't resist one last: Stipe very much reminds me of a later Gene Clark.

Meanwhile, even though one exhibit of his versatility is the reggae upstroke rhythm guitar permeating the aforementioned 'Harbourcoat' Buck mostly concentrates on adding the faintest touch of bitters to his guitar.

Despite Buck's contention, R.E.M.'s approach means they'd never be able to deliver a deliberately scattered song-album. Their forte is till mood, their ability to restrain themselves within carefully-chosen limits and ferment the tanniest of brews. So I won't cite Reckoning track-by-track beyond mentioning the fact that 'Rockville', their most conventional country-rock structured song seems the likeliest single bet.

First impressions are deceptive with R.E.M. since they're one of those rare acts whose records disclose new meanings at the twentieth hearing. But Reckoning even if I'm not completely convinced of the necessity for such a Spartan approach establishes that 'Murmur' was no fluke.

It certainly isn't 'an inferior rehash'. So many musicians beat their chest and screech their subversive intent. R.E.M. measure their target with a shrewder quality. These emotional surgeons certainly know all about heart by-pass operations.