Though R.E.M.’s lengthy career featured a more diverse output than people usually remember, it’s easy to tell that “Mine Smell Like Honey” is a departure from earlier days. Where prior works flipped a proud finger to war and society, “Honey” seems to focus on the individual, or perhaps a relationship. Musically, R.E.M. stays jaunty in a classically 80s manner, structuring the song with a hard backbone of drums while allowing an upbeat guitar riff to permeate the melody.
It has a very R.E.M. flavor to it, though this is not necessarily a good thing. While the riffs are attractive and catchy and the guitar solo is somewhat memorable, no lasting impression is made by the cyptic lyrics. For an introspective, or at least personal, song, “Mine Smell Like Honey” just doesn’t dig the hole deep enough.
R.E.M.’s Collapsing into Now hits shelves March 8th.
