I'm tapping this out as the demo version of "The Lifting" plays in the background. This song alone could make this a 5 star album--one of the most beautiful rock song versions I've ever heard. And that's track 11 on the second CD...

Any "best of" type album from a band worthy of putting one out is going to be sniped at for leaving off personal favorites of the reviewer. That is the main criticism levelled here, and although I could do the same, it seems pointless. The first disc, the actual best of, is selected and sequenced brilliantly. The juxtaposition of "Kenneth" with "All The Way to Reno" is just brilliant. Similarly, the closing three songs (Everybody Hurts, At My Most Beautiful, Nightswimming) in sequence sound....perfect. The two new songs (Bad Day and Animal) are both good, though neither measure up to their best. As for the rest, it's hard to argue with the band itself when they say it is a "best of" and not a "greatest hits." Interesting that Peter Buck, in the liner notes, finally says something a lot of people always believe--"Man on the Moon" IS the quintessential REM song. The first disc, as a survey of some of their best work, works terrifically both as a summation of the last 15 years and as an introduction for those who don't know the band, or those who know them only casually.

The second disc is, for me, a bit more hit or miss. Frankly, I think that is to be expected, and anyone who's read the liner notes for "Dead Letter Office" will chuckle at Buck's comment that the album should be like browsing through a junk shop. Highlights for me include the demo version of "The Lifting," as noted above, the acoustic version of "Pop Song 89," the live versions of "Drive," "Turn You Inside Out," "The One I Love," and "Country Feedback." The version of "Star Me Kitten," where William Burroughs does the vocal, can't be explained any better than by Buck's liner notes--he says the idea to have Burroughs do it doesn't just cross the line between genius and insanity, it took a running leap into la-la land. Exactly right, and also exactly why REM remain such a vital and interesting band--they're not afraid to try anything.

That courage to try anything is, perhaps, the best reason to buy this album. Even the "worst" songs here are better than almost ANYTHING coming out today--a very depressing thought, but also very true... All in all, a terrific, even inspired album in spots. Listening to this as an album restores faith in the idea that creativity in popular music is far from dead.

Quite a number of interesting selections on this BEST OF (read: NOT Greatest Hits) album. As the band has said, these songs represent their favorites since the release of their previous best of cd, Eponymous. Although I do suspect that their label had something to do with adding 2 previously unreleased tracks. I was most surprised at the addition of Nightswimming, just because it happens to be my favorite REM tune. All the Way to Reno, Sidewinder and Electrolite are also surprises. I like the fact that these are the songs that the composers enjoy. Any fan of this band will be sure to enjoy this album. There's not a bad song in the bunch.

I think it is difficult--if not impossible--to argue with the band's own selections for a best-of album. Most of the lukewarm reviews here simply snipe at the selections, and say other songs should have made the list, instead of concentrating on what actually IS here.

And what is on the album is terrific. The selection and sequencing is inspired, and as a result it sounds like a great album--far more so than the typical "best of" or "greatest hits" releases. The juxtaposition of "Kenneth" with "All The Way to Reno" is simply stunningly brilliant, and the closing trilogy (Everybody Hurts, At My Most Beautiful, Nightswimming) is perfect.

The two new songs are both good but not great, with my preference strongly for "Bad Day," as a direct descendent from "It's the end of the world..."

In summary, this is a great selection of their best work, and track for track is better than almost ANYTHING new. As a whole, a terrific collection of songs and a magnificent introduction for people who are either casual fans or those who haven't heard REM before.

Unless you're talking about a band that's clearly singles-based rather than album-oriented, almost any best-of album is bound to disappoint someone. When it's for a band like R.E.M., who have released seven albums and numerous non-album songs in 15 year period covered, it's almost inevitable that some fans would be disappointed. For my own part, I'm surprised at some of what's here and what's not. I wonder why "Automatic For the People" is represented by four songs, when "Out of Time" and "Monster" are limited to one each.

That said, a review should turn on what's there more so than what's not, and what's here is really quite good. Kicking off with their twin Andy Kaufman tributes ("Man on the Moon" and "Great Beyond"), "In Time" maintains a high-level of quality all the way through, making a strong case for R.E.M.'s already secured place in the rock pantheon.

Is it a perfect collection? This reviewer would say, no. This is not just because of missing personal favorites ("Half a World Away" and "World Leader Pretend") but also for the aforementioned lack of balance between how albums are represented here. It's hard to argue that "Up" or even "Automatic for the People" are really that much better than "Monster" or "Out of Time."

Then again, any compilation reflects the bias of its makers, just as a listener's reaction to it reflects theirs. By any objective standard, though, "In Time" is a good attempt to give a feel of what post-IRS Records R.E.M. is about. Plus, it sounds really good with the volume up.

As usual when it comes to compilations, fans of the band (whose true love for the music could probably be called into question) are gonna gripe about the song selection. For an album-based band like REM who doesn't release that many singles, a truly "representative" collection is impossible. Sure I would like to see more selections from my favorite albums *Monster* and the criminally neglected *New Adventures* but if I feel like complaining about that, I might as well just listen to those albums. Therefore this collection is useful if you're looking for a mix of classic REM tracks in one place, and if you're in the mood for listening to songs from several different albums in one sitting - in fact the seven different albums from the Warner Brothers years plus a few soundtrack items. A fun bonus is the so-called new song "Bad Day" which is actually a new recording of an old song from the mid-80's, which was probably rejected in favor of the very similar "It's the End of the World...". Also, these tracks are not presented in chronological order, which may be confusing for the historically-minded, but I feel that the sequencing allows you to appreciate both the consistency and variety of REM's work over the years. A winning compilation, regardless of the quibbles every single person will have about the song selection. [~doomsdayer520~]