Stereogum — Last night, former R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe played a rare solo set at New York's Carnegie Hall, as part of a Pathway To Paris climate-change benefit. Stipe played a quick four-song set that consisted entirely of covers; he sang Nat King Cole's "... more info

DrownedInSound — Is Automatic for the People R.E.M.’s best album? It’s a best R.E.M. album more info

Stereogum — This week we reviewed new releases by Fever Ray, Converge, Sam Smith, and 21 Savage/Offset/Metro Boomin. We picked Weezer's best songs since Pinkerton and worst songs since Rivers Cuomo was born. We celebrated Halloween with our metal column and a li... more info

Stereogum — Ever since R.E.M. amicably split in 2011, the individual members have remained resolute regarding their disinterest in a reunion, and have kept active otherwise. Most recently guitarist Peter Buck has played in Filthy Friends, his new band with Corin... more info

Stereogum — On October 30, 1997 -- 20 years ago today -- Bill Berry left R.E.M. And on September 21, 2011, R.E.M. announced they were "calling it a day as a band." During the 14 years between Berry leaving R.E.M. and everybody else leaving R.E.M., the band relea... more info

KEXP Seattle — First Aid Kit returned last month with the new single “It’s A Shame,” and today they’ve announced that a forthcoming album will be released early next year. Entitled Ruins, the album was recorded in Portland with Decemberists/My Morning Jacke... more info

Stereogum — Protomartyr put out their very good new album Relatives In Descent last month, and now the Detroit post-punkers are back with a video for advance "Don't Go To Anacita." Inspired by Polish filmmaker Zbigniew Rybzynski's "Stairway To Lenin" and R.E.M... more info

Stereogum — The lush, folky Swedish duo First Aid Kit released their new single "It's A Shame" last month, and now they've announced that they've got a new album called Ruins coming out early next year. The duo recorded Ruins in Portland with My Morning Jacket/D... more info

Stereogum — Following their debut EP, Dusk Of Punk, LA-based grunge band Goon approaches their latest EP release, Happy Omen, experimenting within the parameters of their genre. Where Goon has shown strength in their lo-fi fuzz, they have also wandered into more... more info

Uncut — Robert Plant, REM, Tom Petty and King Gizzard feature in the new issue Robert Plant, REM, Tom Petty and King Gizzard feature in the new issue The post This month in Uncut appeared first on Uncut. more info