"We're sick of being jerked around, we all fall down."
My friend Sid was recently extolling the pleasures of Fall nights spent shimmying to classic REM and I really must second this. If anyone were to walk in on me while I'm listening to "Can't Get There From Here" or "I Believe"...well, let's just say that Michael Stipe, Peter Garrett from Midnight Oil, and Tim Booth from James taught me how to dance...toss in a little Morrissey flouncing. It ain't fit for viewing.
So I caught REM performing a new song on Letterman last night. It's called "Bad Day" and my first impression was that the flow of the lyrics was too similar to "It's the End of the World As We Know It" but it still had a nice energy to it. And harmonica. I watched it again and the lyrics started jumping out at me. This song is obviously aimed at the freakshow that's driving this country and the lyrics are more effective than on the anti-war song they released in the Spring. I've decided I like it in an angry kind of way. The guitars are loud. This song rocks like something from Monster but more direct.
Anyway, extra points for the New Wave face paint! Electric blue stripe across Mike's eyes like cheez-punk sunglasses. Like Annie Lennox, and Bjork's mohawk days. I want to see more of this. Boy George may be taking it a little far lately, but have you ever known him to be subtle?