Texarkana

One of those songs where I can't remember why I ever decided to cover it because I've never been a huge fan of Texarkana, although in covering the song I've grown to appreciate it more. I love the strings in the song, they're subtle but give the song real emotional depth and the slide guitar gives the song a nice country feel.

This is one of two songs where the band have recycled the riff from The One I Love, the other being All The Best, here it is featured during the "catch me if I fall part".

Just a quick note about Out Of Time as an album, I consider it as being one of three "messy" albums, the others being Lifes Rich Pageant and Collapse Into Now. But with the first two it works in providing a quirky selection of songs and a fun listen. Lifes Rich Pageant features a cover, a Mike Mills vocal and a general feeling of joyful inconsistency, with Out Of Time you have guest singers, an instrumental and two songs with Mike Mills on lead vocal. Unfortunately with Collapse Into Now the formula of bringing on guest singers feels less joyful and more an attempt to make up for the fact their singer's voice isn't what it used to be. Incidentally, it's ironic with Out Of Time that when Michael Stipe's voice is at it's ultimate peak he steps back and has less involvement with the album than he ever would do with an R.E.M. album again.