R.E.M.'s latest record, Accelerate, shot to No. 2 on the Billboard charts in its first week; a pleasant surprise for the band after the lukewarm reception for 2004's Around the Sun. The secret to their success just might have something to do with the way Accelerate was recorded, says guitarist Peter Buck. "I had no interest in making another record the way we'd been working -- book eight months in a studio and see what happens. I never liked that. I always complained and I always suggested that we work quicker and more spontaneously ... I think maybe the reception ['Around the Sun'] got kind of shocked [the rest of the band] and made them realize ... I was right, we can't work like this any longer."

Keeping with the trend of getting back to their roots, R.E.M. have also been dusting off a good amount of older material for their live concerts, pulling out favorites like "Second Guessing" and "Animal" on their last trip to Dublin. For Buck, playing the band's older songs has reminded him of where they came from, which he feels gives them all a comfortable retrospective. They'll be back on the road come May 23rd, kicking off a North American tour in Vancouver with some none-too-shabby supporting acts: Modest Mouse and The National. NYC-area dates are under the cut.

6/14 - Long Island - Jones Beach

6/19 - New York - TBA (Mysterious!)

So does this mean I can finally show off my ability to recite most of "It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)"? No?