"We spent less time making this record than we have in 20 years…I feel like there's a confidence in the material and a communication between the three of us which hasn't been there for some time.

"When we started working with Jacknife Lee, the first thing I asked him was 'what do you want to hear from REM? What do you want this record to be?' and he said 'I want it to be thrilling.'"

Michael Stipe - December 2007