Largely overlooked as a minor REM opus this is probably their best release by far. Superlative in every way, it discloses a change of direction for the quartet, in the final album before the departure of Bill Berry. Ironically one of the tracks on the album is actually called "departure".
Readers will recognise the names of the lead singles from this release - that is E-Bow The Letter, Electrolyte and Bittersweet Me.
Electrolyte in particular is a classic of its genre - a millenium song long before the year 1999. With vivid percussion and haunting melodies it is unique.
Powerful and reverberating songs on the album which merit special attention include the romantic How The West Was Won and Where It Got Us as well as the rock-edged So Fast, So Numb.
A truly great album - buy it.