Title: 2 1/2 Stars
Product review: The band's commercial breakthrough and artistic lowpoint, OOT takes too many chances, goes in too many directions and comes up short in almost all of them. R.E.M. doing rap is scary indeed. Mike Mills and Bill Berry are great backup singers behind Stipe, but make them lead vocalists and the results are dire."Belong" rips off Aerosmith of all bands for it's "Sweet Emotion" style riff. Classical instrumentation abounds to negative effect. and Kate Pearson reaffirms herself as a vocalist best seen and not heard on the tracks where she adds to the clutter.Only the hit "Losing My Religion" (which is a hands-down classic), the repetative "Low" and "Half A World Away" are up to the usual standard.Unfortunately, R.E.M. would never be the same again.
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