Floor It

An amazing thing has happened: R.E.M. has returned from the dead! I am on my first listen of the new album, “Accelerate,” and the early reaction is that I actually, really, truly like it. I didn’t even bother with the last couple of albums and have been disappointed ever since I had my first listen to “Up.” It’s been a long time. I hope this is real and not just me wanting it to be so. But I think it is. Real, that is.