R.E.M. at the BBC [Box Set]

Though repetition of "Losing My Religion" and "Man on the Moon" exhaust, there's a mighty pop to R.E.M. at the BBC.

While it may feel like there's no more to say on the subject of R.E.M.'s music, there's certainly plenty more that's worthwhile to listen to here.

Freed from the studio sheen that bogged down much of the material in the post-Berry years, the songs are given the room they need to breathe, and make a case for R.E.M.'s second act being filled with overlooked gems.

We get to see and hear almost all the stages of R.E.M.'s woozy path to superstardom on At the BBC. ... For the slightly more conservative R.E.M. fan (or those of you unwilling to spend the time or the cash on negotiating your way through hours of R.E.M. live material) there's a double CD, which bolts together a healthy selection of the archive. ... There is a ton of great stuff here. It's time to retire those hissy bootlegs and remind yourself how great this band were.

This may be familiar to the dedicated whose allegiance never wavered, but for those who believed R.E.M. faltered after Berry's departure, R.E.M. at the BBC is a gateway into the band's last act.