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R.E.M.: Reveal

David Cavanagh, Q, April 2001

MONKEYS ROAM THE WHITE HOUSE and sheep fry in the British countryside, so let us phrase our words carefully. The 12th R.E.M. album will not save the world from malefaction and turpitude. It will not chase away spiders or make Ann Widdecombe any easier to like. But the hugely encouraging sign is that the band seem to have worked out why so many of their fans drifted away in the late '90s, and have set about bringing them back.

Total word count of piece: 1252

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