R.E.M. – Collapse Into Now

I grew up with R.E.M. When I first heard this record I could tell the band was saying goodbye to everyone that followed and loved them for their relentless rocking, their big hearts, their humility, and their amazing one-of-a-kind sound. I played this record today and realized just how much I miss them. I miss their spirit and ionate belief that music is a transformative medium. This pressing of their final album is well mastered. There is excessive surface noise between the tracks, but it does not diminish their performance as the music overtakes the surface noise quickly. I have cleaned my copy using a Degritter MK2. It may benefit from additional cleanings. I'll update my review if that turns out to be the case.

My copy is fine. Side 1 has very little background noise, in my opinion. Side 2 has more noise, but I'd say it is average for what comes out nowadays. No reason to avoid this, but it isn't perfect.

Excellent quality pressing from the steadily improving GZ Media, but disappointing that the original U.S. Stampers were not used? This will disappoint a lot of people as the fact that Kevin Gray mastered this for the 2023 vinyl reissue was a major plus point. Seeking out the U.S. pressing would be a lottery as Memphis Record Pressing is not a very reliable plant and therefore not an option for me. Has anybody been able to A/B both pressings from a sound quality perspective?

I was pleasantly surprised by the sound on this release. Nice and full. Good low end and balance. Also the record is clean, flat, centered and very quiet.

My copy arrived today 18/11/23 and has a Made in Czech Republic sticker on the back. There is nothing at all to indicate that it was cut by Kevin Gray.

The pressing itself was very good. Flat, silent and free of any flaws.

There is a lot more surface noise than there ought to be on my copy - bad enough to notice, but not bad enough to return. Overall sound is fine, although this is one of my least favourite REM albums.

I think mine is warped at the end of side 2. I have to check it out again tomorrow.

The music sounds fantastic. A lot of extra detail can be heard when compared to the digital version and the bass sounds more prominent. There is a little bit of audible surface noise between tracks.

This release sounds a lot better than the 2011 CD release . The CD always came across a bit dull to me, as did the digital release.
You definitely hear a bit more detail that gives new life to each track. Bass is much clearer and has a bit more of a punch to it. Piano is more distinct. Cymbals are a lot more noticeable. . Trumpet, trombone, and horn arrangements sound a lot less muddled. I can actually hear Mike Mills coming through on 'That Someone Is You'.

Wow wished they'd pressed it this way when the LP was originally released. Sounds so much better than the original pressing maybe it's the magic Kevin Gray voodoo in the cutting stages this time around? It's still overly Jack Knife Lee compressed for my tastes but, it's heads and tails better than the original pressing. A great final album from this band I grew up with. Super quiet pressing arrived clear and flat like it was supposed too. I'm looking forward to them doing a repress of Accelerate which was a great album ruined a bit by the pressing.