I definitely remember my roommate getting this album and being unimpressed. Sounded like they were running out of steam, and running out of hooks. I agree with Scott, the rockers should have been more rockin'. I am curious to hear the coming episodes because to me REM basically ended here. I liked a couple things on Up and then I stopped listening. Seeing them live in 2004 in a theater they were very much in late-career rock band mode, trying to slip a couple new album tracks into what otherwise was very much a greatest hits show.