R.E.M. nearing completion of new studio album

Billboard reports that R.E.M. is approaching completion of its new album, likely to hit shelves next spring. In an interview with the site, Mike Mills noted that overdubbing will be minimal.

Mills' comment that "there isn't a whole lot of overdubbing on this record" supports reports -- as well as aural evidence from recent "working rehearsal" shows at Dublin's Olympia theater -- that it will be a guitar-dominated, hard-rocking record. For now, however, Mills says that he, Stipe and Peter Buck "made an agreement we weren't going to say what it is or not because we don't want to have expectations out there in any direction. But, of course, you can go on YouTube and listen to some of the Dublin shows and get a pretty good idea of where we're going."

You sure can:

"Horse to Water"

"Accelerate"

And don't forget, the Athenians' first live album, with the spartan title REM Live, drops Oct. 16.

Related links:
REMHQ.com
R.E.M. on MySpace
Billboard: R.E.M. reluctant to pin down new album direction.

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