New Adventures in Hi-Fi
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2007) |
| Untitled | |
|---|---|
New Adventures in Hi-Fi is the tenth full-length studio album by the American band R.E.M. It was 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.
Details
The album was recorded during and after the tour in support of Monster in 1995. The material on the album mixed the acoustic, country rock, 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 and who were supporting the band in 1994 and 1995. 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 at that point, 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.
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. Michael Stipe says that it is his favourite one. According to Peter Buck, when Warner Bros. heard the album that was to take them to the top - Out Of Time - they were dumbfounded: “You think the one with the lead mandolin should be the first single?!”. On hearing New Adventures…, he says, the same people proclaimed, “Hey, there’s three Top 10 records on here!”. [1]
Despite the album's popularity, it continued a phase of commercial decline of the band's popularity, which began with 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.[citation needed]
Critical reaction 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 and soundchecks.
Track listing
All songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe.
- "How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us" – 4:31 Seattle Studio
- "The Wake-Up Bomb" – 5:08 Charleston
- "New Test Leper" – 5:26 Seattle Studio
- "Undertow" – 5:09 Boston
- "E-Bow the Letter" – 5:23 Seattle Studio
- "Leave" – 7:18 Atlanta Soundcheck
- "Departure" – 3:28 Detroit
- "Bittersweet Me" – 4:06 Memphis Soundcheck
- "Be Mine" – 5:32 Seattle Studio
- "Binky the Doormat" – 5:01 Phoenix
- "Zither" – 2:33 Dressing Room Philadelphia
- "So Fast, So Numb" – 4:12 Orlando Soundcheck
- "Low Desert" – 3:30 Atlanta Soundcheck
- "Electrolite" – 4:05 Phoenix Soundcheck
Studio b-sides
The following non-album tracks were issued as B-sides on New Adventures in Hi-Fi's singles.
- "Tricycle" – 1:59
- "Departure" – 3:35 (Rome soundcheck version)
- "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 – one version on the Batman & Robin soundtrack, another on the collection In Time (disc 2).
Personnel
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
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
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
Charts
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Billboard 200 | 2 (22 weeks on chart) |
| 1996 | UK Albums Chart | 1 (20 weeks on chart) |
| 1996 | ARIA Albums Chart | 1 (?? weeks on chart) |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "E-Bow the Letter" | Billboard Modern Rock Tracks | 2 |
| 1996 | "E-Bow the Letter" | Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 15 |
| 1996 | "E-Bow the Letter" | Billboard Hot 100 | 49 |
| 1996 | "E-Bow the Letter" | ARIA Singles Chart | 23 |
| 1996 | "Bittersweet Me" | Billboard Modern Rock Tracks | 6 |
| 1996 | "Bittersweet Me" | Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 7 |
| 1996 | "Bittersweet Me" | Billboard Top 40 Mainstream | 28 |
| 1996 | "Bittersweet Me" | Billboard Hot 100 | 46 |
| 1997 | "Electrolite" | Billboard Hot 100 | 96 |
| 1997 | "The Wake-Up Bomb" | Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 30 |
Certifications
| Organization | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| RIAA – U.S. | Gold | November 18 1996 |
| RIAA – U.S. | Platinum | November 18 1996 |
| BPI – U.K. | Platinum | September 1 1996 |
