R.E.M - 'Collapse Into Now' (Warner Brothers) Released: 07/03/11

Ah the dreaded 'return to form' pre-album release bluster. Much like Oasis with everything subsequent to '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?', Georgia-enormodome fillers R.E.M have proclaimed pretty much every release since their career commercial and critical beacon, 'Automatic For The People', to be their best yet.

Well once bitten, twice shy and all that - and with each subsequent release the law of diminishing returns has taken hold. And although 'Monster' and 'New Adventures in Hi-Fi' can still hold their own, some 15 years after their release the loss of drummer and über-melody penner Bill Berry appeared to have been a mortal blow.

So it was difficult to muster any semblance of real excitement when hitting the play button on their 15th studio release in 30 years. Yet when Peter Buck's frazzled guitars launch out of the stereo and Michael Stipe's enduring, engimatic vocals rally into view on openers 'Discoverer and All The Best' you do sense a statement of intent.

As unlike their contemporaries U2, they are still capable of re-hashing and refreshing that scuzzy, college-rock they originally forged their reputation on. It's definitely the stripped back, no frills record Buck is so fond of making. A quartet of lilting, contemplative ballads follow with the Hurricane Katrina homage of 'Oh My Heart', perhaps the best. Elsewhere, the maudlin 'Me, Marlon Brando, Marlon Brando and I' sees Stipe in truly reflective mood.

But perhaps it is 'Every Day Is Yours To Win' which stirs the most memories of their late '80s, early '90s heyday. It's REM's best melodic composition in aeons.

The comprehensive return to form Buck proclaimed then? Well, no - but there is enough here to bring REM fans old and new back to the fold. Alt-rock vocalists Eddie Vedder and Patti Smith chose wisely in guesting on this particular old pals' release.