R.E.M. rocks the vote [View All]

[seemslikeadream]

By Sarah Rodman
Saturday, October 30, 2004

Apparently new habits die as hard as old ones.

R.E.M. may have finished up the Vote For Change tour recently with politically like-minded artists like Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam, but they were still trying to get out the vote last night during their show at the FleetCenter. In addition to a custom Red Sox jersey, frontman Michael Stipe sported a T-shirt with Vote inscribed on it and encouraged the crowd to fulfill its civic duty on Tuesday.

Although he promoted voting regardless of party affiliation, the Kerry-supporting singer, alluding to the winning ways of the hometown team, voiced the hope that the Hub-centric streak would continue through next week.

While Stipe kept the speechifying to a minimum, ardent fans likely read between the lines of the rich, two-hour setlist that included a slew of politically informed oldies including the meditative ``World Leader Pretend,'' the energetic lament ``Welcome to the Occupation'' and the spare, wriggling ``Exhuming McCarthy.'' Newer protest songs like the churning, Dylan-esque acoustic rocker ``Final Straw'' contributed to the urgency. Those last two represented part of the hefty portion of songs played from the band's most recent release Around the Sun.

Some songs doubtlessly convinced members of the two-thirds capacity crowd to check out this underrated release, while others supported the notion of it being something of a mid-tempo snooze.

Supplemented by three backing musicians, the Georgia alt-rock trio hit a high point with the intricately arranged ``Boy in the Well.'' Stipe, in terrific, impassioned voice all night swooped through the song's hypnotic melodic bits with bassist Mike Mills ably backing him on high harmonies and a brief melodica solo produced shivers.

http://theedge.bostonherald.com/musicNews/view.bg?articleid=51654

You're beautiful more beautiful than me
You're honorable more honorable than me
Loyal to the Bank of America

It's a sign of the times
It's a sign of the times

You're sharpening stones, walking on coals
To improve your business acumen
Sharpening stones, walking on coals,
To improve your business acumen

Vested interest united ties, landed gentry rationalize
Look who bought the myth, by jingo, buy America

Enemy sighted, enemy met, I'm addressing the realpolitik
Look who bought the myth, by jingo, buy America

"Let us not assassinate this man further Senator,
You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir?
At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"

We're sharpening stones, walking on coals
To improve your business acumen
Sharpening stones, walking on coals,
To improve your business acumen

Enemy sighted, enemy met, I'm addressing the realpolitik
You've seen start and you've seen quit
(I'm addressing the table of content)
I always thought of you as quick
Exhuming McCarthy
(Meet me at the book burning)
Exhuming McCarthy
(Meet me at the book burning)
Exhuming McCarthy
(Meet me at the book burning)
Exhuming McCarthy
(Meet me at the book burning)