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R.E.M.'s new disc, "Around the Sun," drops Tuesday (Buy it! ) It is inevitably being described as a comeback, return to form, etc. You can listen to it now on the official site.

I am probably in the minority in defending their other post-Bill Berry albums, "Up" and "Reveal." Although neither is a masterwork, both have their moments and show that these guys can age more gracefully than, say, the Rolling Stones or the James Bond franchise. This was further evidenced by last year's tour.

Therefore, I will inevitably say that R.E.M. never went away.