'Around the Sun' is underrated, worth revisiting and actually a very good piece of work. Released in 2004, it was the first album since 'Green' in 1988 to fail to make the US Top 10 and was the first album since 'Fables of the Reconstruction' in the early to mid 80's to have no single make the Top 100 on The Billboard Chart. Although it fared better in The UK (No 1 album and No 5 single with 'Leaving New York') it is interesting to note that even a decade later it has still sold less copies in total than the albums released in the 90's ('Out of Time,' 'Automatic for the People' and 'Monster') did in their first 7 days on general release.
Even Peter Buck claimed it was just the band feeling tired with the material and going through the motions but it really does contain some lovely ballads such as 'Leaving New York'... 'Make it all Ok' and 'I Wanted to be Wrong' My favourite Two tracks however are 'The Outsiders' complete with the most mellow rap in history at it's culmination and the beautiful yet powerful 'Final Straw.'
It is anti Bush ('Who died and lifted you up to perfection') but still ambiguous enough to potentially address foreign policy and or homosexuality at the same time and all delivered in a somber, melodic yet driving folk inspired style. REM know ballads and this stands proud alongside their finest.