From the opening strains of “How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us,” where the Old West’s twangy guitar meets the new West’s gangsta rap beat, it’s apparent that R.E.M.’s “New Adventures in Hi-Fi” is something extraordinary.
Assembled in assorted cities during the alternative quartet’s last concert tour, this is the rock album of the year. Perhaps R.E.M. should remain recording nomads.
GRADE: A+
