Live Daily — If anyone was wondering how R.E.M. [ tickets ] went from the brooding, disappointing murk of 2004’s “Around the Sun” to the urgent, clarion call, return-to-form of 2008’s “Accelerate,â�... more info

Live Daily — Plus: Foo Fighters [ tickets ], Andrea Bocelli [ tickets ], more * * * Carrie Underwood [ tickets ] "Play On" (Sony) The multiplatinum country star, who came to fame by besting the competition during the fourth season of "American Idol" in 20... more info

Chorus.fm — *Ian Crawford (http://myspace.com/iancrawfordmusic)* (formely of *The Cab (http://myspace.com/thecab)*) has posted a cover or *REM's (http://remhq.com)* "Losing My Religion" on his myspace (http://myspace.com/iancrawfordmusic) Submitted by Hannah95 more info

NME — The REM frontman watches the band in Paris more info

Pop Tarts Suck Toasted — In the next few weeks there will be some ridiculous Greatest Hits collections going on sale. I have no problem with the Foo Fighters getting one, they've been doing their thing for a while now and have had some very solid singles over the year, and t... more info

LargeHeartedBoy — R.E.M.'s live album, Live at the Olympia (2-CD), finally hits stores tomorrow, along with Devendra Banhart's major label debut What Will Be and The Swell Season's Strict Joy. From what has already been sent my way, I can strongly... more info

Live Daily — Plus: Brian McKnight [ tickets ], Pink Martini [ tickets ], more * * * R.E.M. [ tickets ] "Live at the Olympia" (Warner Bros.) The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame act follows last year's acclaimed studio set "Accelerate" with a live offering. "Liv... more info

LargeHeartedBoy — The Wall Street Journal reviews Chuck Klosterman's new essay collection, Eating the Dinosaur. Another media critic, Neil Postman, once argued—in the title of one of his books—that we are "amusing ourselves to death." But Mr. Klosterman'... more info

Stereogum — They've enlisted the NSA to uncover records detailing how loud music is used as an interrogation tactic. Previously unearthed documents suggest NIN, Drowning Pool (they're flattered), and RHCP were blasted along with the Meow Mix jingle. More here. more info

Pop Candy — Check out Whitney's pop-culture links for Friday, Oct. 23. more info