R.E.M.’s latest LP release, “Live at the Olympia,” is a two-disc compilation of live performances in Ireland from the summer of 2007 that sacrifices some of the clarity and instrumentation found in the group’s studio recordings. However,  the energy of the stage and crowd makes up for any lack of precision.

The album puts a fresh twist on songs such as “Driver 8” and “I’ve Been High,” which go through a significant transformation in instrumentation and ambiance from the studio to the stage, becoming less acoustic and more hard-hitting.  

Songs on the album range from slow rock ballads to a driving alternative sound the band helped pioneer. They hold to a strict lineup of electric guitar, electric bass, drums and unedited vocals. In this way, these four musicians come across with a remarkable fullness to their live music without hitting the listener over the head with too many disjointed elements.