R.E.M.: Live at the Olympia

R.E.M.: Live at the Olympia

Extended live lap through rarities and new ephemera

Measured in raw commercial reach, R.E.M.’s appeal may be getting more “selective,” as the euphemism goes, but on this new live double-disc their edge feels recently sharpened. Staged across five nights in Dublin in advance of Accelerate, the set reels off sketches from the then-forthcoming album, including some that never ultimately made the cut. Juxtaposed with a subtle cherry-picking of their earlier work, it’s a coy but endearing alternative history of the band, who seem thoughtful curators. “New Test Leper,” “Cuyahoga” and “Electrolite” flow by as a gorgeous triplet, while the finale is a reverent take on “Gardening at Night.” While the recording and performance are at times a little ragged in voice and tone, the band’s earlier semi-punk instincts ring through and its taste remains impeccable.

 
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