FFWD Weekly
Copyright © 1998 All Rights Reserved.
| CD REVIEWS At the beginning of their career, R.E.M.'s critics and fans alike complained that Michael Stipe's lyrics were impossible to understand. Despite releasing 12 albums, the band never once printed a sheet of lyrics. When the eccentric Stipe began posting his completed lyrics on the walls of the studio during the recording of Up, the band decided to put an end to their old habit and publish their first set of lyrics in the liner notes. The band has commemorated the end of this long silence by publishing a limited edition version of Up. Designed to showcase the written word, the package consists of a coil-bound book encased in a cardboard box and wrapped in a printed cellophane wrapper. The core of the booklet consists of Stipe's lyrics overprinted on bold, often cartoon-like images. Mostly typewritten, Stipe's hand written revisions illustrate his creative process. The remaining pages of the book consist of abstract photographic images of organic material, and finally distorted images of the trio. Nestled right in the middle, between two pieces of card, is the CD itself. Their are only 2,000 copies being sold in Canada (for around $50) and fans of Stipe's mighty words might want to hurry before they're snatched Up. |