R.E.M. Going Old School

"It's sounding really great, very old-school," he said. "The first track had vocals which were mixed super low which I couldn't understand and I was like, 'Yes, a return to form.' Mike was on about pushing the vocals up and I was like, 'No, don't do it.'"

Mills, Michael Stipe and Peter Buck have finished recording their as-yet-untitled 15th studio album with producer Jacknife Lee earlier this year. Lee also worked with the band for 2008's acclaimed Accelerate. "What's cool about classic R.E.M. is that you have an electric and acoustic guitar coming along like The Byrds," Stringfellow said. "There's a lot of that in there, there's some piano songs too, but I didn't hear a lot of crazy, freaky keyboards and vintage drum machines in there like the period when I was with them." - more on this story

- Bryan Wawzenek of Gibson.com

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