New Adventures in Hi-Fi

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New Adventures in Hi-Fi
Studio album by R.E.M.
Released	9 September 1996 (UK) 10 September 1996 (U.S.)
Recorded	1995–1996
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	65:33
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer(s)	Scott Litt & R.E.M.
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Robert Christgau (A-) link Pitchfork Media (9.5/10) link Rolling Stone link Stylus Magazine (positive) link Sputnikmusic link
R.E.M. chronology
Monster (1994)	New Adventures in Hi-Fi (1996)	Up (1998)

New Adventures in Hi-Fi is R.E.M.'s tenth album, and their fifth major label release for Warner Bros., released in 1996. New Adventures in Hi-Fi was the last album recorded with founding member, drummer Bill Berry, who left the band amicably the following year. It was also their last record with long-time producer Scott Litt.

[edit] Details

The album was recorded during and after the tour in support of Monster in 1995. The material on the album mixed the acoustic feel of much of Out of Time and Automatic for the People with the rock sound of Monster and Lifes Rich Pageant. Guitarist Peter Buck said that the band tried so hard to be a rock band again with Monster, but it just didn't quite work out. They stopped trying, and they ended up putting together their most rock and roll record to date. They have cited Neil Young's 1973 album Time Fades Away as a source of inspiration.

The band noted that they borrowed the recording process for the album from Radiohead, who recorded some of the basic tracks for The Bends while on tour. The band brought along eight-track recorders to capture their shows, and used the recordings as the base elements for the album. As such, the band's touring musicians Nathan December and Scott McCaughey ended up appearing on the album with Andy Carlson only contributing violin to "Electrolite". After the tour was complete, the band entered their Seattle studio and recorded four additional tracks, "How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us", "E-Bow the Letter", "Be Mine", and "New Test Leper". Patti Smith came to the sessions and contributed vocals on "E-Bow the Letter". It is notable, that the last track to be recorded, "How the West Was Won..." served as the album's opener.

Although it reached #2 in the U.S. (whilst topping the UK charts), New Adventures in Hi-Fi began the band's sales decline in the United States. First single "E-Bow the Letter", which featured an appearance by Patti Smith, was cited as an unusual choice for radio. It subsequently received only modest radio airplay in the U.S. and peaked at #49 on the U.S. charts. In the UK, however, the single became the band's biggest hit, reaching #4. As of March 2007, New Adventures in Hi-Fi has sold 994,000 units in the U.S.[1]

In 2005, Warner Brothers Records issued an expanded two-disc edition of New Adventures in Hi-Fi which includes a CD, a DVD-Audio disc containing a 5.1-channel surround sound mix of the album done by Elliot Scheiner, and the original CD booklet with expanded liner notes. The CD (as with all in this series) was not remastered.

[edit] Critical acclaim

By most fans of the band New Adventures in Hi-Fi is regarded as one of their best albums and in the years following its release, the band calls the record one of its favorites. Despite the album's popularity, it began a phase of commercial decline of the band's popularity, which is considered a belated response to Monster. The band would continue the same pattern in the ensuing years - lackluster sales in the U.S., but continuing success in the UK and Europe.

Critical reaction however to the album was mostly positive. Several publications lauded the album for its rich diversity, including Rolling Stone, Q, and Mojo and Stephen Thomas Erlewine from allmusic says that "[with New Adventures in Hi-Fi] in its multifaceted sprawl, they wound up with one of their best records of the '90s." At the same time, however some publications including Melody Maker, criticized the album's empty and flat sound caused by recording in arenas. It garnered an extremely good result of 9.5 from Pitchfork Media, who had given R.E.M mediocre reviews in the past.

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe.

1. "How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us" – 4:31 Seattle Studio
2. "The Wake-Up Bomb" – 5:08 Charleston
3. "New Test Leper" – 5:26 Seattle Studio
4. "Undertow" – 5:09 Boston
5. "E-Bow the Letter" – 5:23 Seattle Studio
6. "Leave" – 7:18 Atlanta Soundcheck
7. "Departure" – 3:28 Detroit
8. "Bittersweet Me" – 4:06 Memphis Soundcheck
9. "Be Mine" – 5:32 Seattle Studio
10. "Binky the Doormat" – 5:01 Phoenix
11. "Zither" – 2:33 Dressing Room Philadelphia
12. "So Fast, So Numb" – 4:12 Orlando Soundcheck
13. "Low Desert" – 3:30 Atlanta Soundcheck
14. "Electrolite" – 4:05 Phoenix Soundcheck

[edit] Studio b-sides

The following non-album studio tracks were issued as b-sides on New Adventures in Hifi's singles.

• "Tricycle" – 1:59
• "Departure" – 3:35
• "Wall of Death" (Richard Thompson) – 3:07
• "Love Is All Around" (Reg Presley) – 3:04
• "Sponge" (Vic Chesnutt) 4:08

The Song "Revolution" was also released from these sessions... once version on the Batman & Robin soundtrack, another on the collection "In Time" (Disc 2).

[edit] Personnel

[edit] R.E.M.

• Bill Berry – drums and percussion, backing vocals on 10, acoustic guitar on 6, bass on 11, synthesizer on 6, ennio whistle on 1
• Peter Buck – guitar, bass on 1 & 9, banjo on 14, electric sitar on 5, mandolin on 1, bouzouki on 1
• Mike Mills – bass, backing vocals on 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10 & 12, guitar on 9, fuzz bass on 7 & 10, piano on 1 & 14, organ on 2, 3, 5, 8, 11, 12 & 13, mellotron on 5 & 8, farfisa on 7, keyboards on 6, 9 & 10, synthesizer on 1, moog synthesizer on 5
• Michael Stipe – vocals, synthesizer on 1

[edit] Additional personnel

• Patti Smith – vocals on 5
• Scott McCaughey – autoharp on 11, piano on 8, 12, 13, farfisa on 10, ARP odyssey on 6
• Nathan December – guitar on 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, slide guitar on 13, tambourine on 11, guiro on 14
• Andy Carlson – violin on 14

[edit] Technical personnel

• Adam Kasper – engineer, Bad Animals Studio, Seattle, Washington
• Sam Hofstedt – assistant engineer, Seattle, Washington
• John Keane – engineer, John Keane Studio, Athens, Georgia
• William Field – assistant engineer, Athens, Georgia
• Pat McCarthy – engineer, Louie's Clubhouse, Los Angeles, California
• Victor Janacua – assistant engineer, Los Angeles, California
• Scott Litt – mixing
• R.E.M. – mixing
• John Keane – mixing
• Joe O'Herlihy – tour recording engineer
• Jo Ravitch – tour recording engineer
• Jeff Wooding – tour recording engineer
• Mark "Microwave" Mytrowitz – technical assistance
• Bill Thomson – drum technician
• Eric Stolz – digital editing
• Bob Ludwig/Gateway Mastering – mastering

[edit] Charts

Album

Singles

[edit] Certifications