A simple prop to occupy my time

I've been meaning to mention this for a while. Our colleague Matthew Perpetua over at Fluxblog has been writing a great R.E.M. blog, where he analyzes and critiques R.E.M., one song at a time. He's very insightful, but he also writes from a personal perspective, making each song seem fresh as you read about them.

This, for example, is what he says about "Sweetness Follows," one of my favorite R.E.M. songs:

"The guitar feedback is the most emotive element in the song. The part threatens to break out into a solo during the bridge, but it chokes on its own emotion like a person fighting to hold back their tears. Peter Buck’s performance is subtle but exceptionally moving, and lends a gentle complexity to a song that might be nothing more than a cloying tear-jerker in less capable hands."

The great thing about the blog is that he gives every song equal attention, so he dissects "Airportman" (Wednesday's song) with as much care as, say, "The One I Love" (in which he explains why you don't want that track played at your wedding).

Give the site a read, even if you're not an R.E.M. fan. The comments sections are especially insightful.