Turning away from the sweet {\pop} of {^Out of Time}, {$R.E.M.} created a haunting, melancholy masterpiece with {^Automatic for the People}. At its core, the album is a collection of {\folk} songs about aging, death, and loss, but the music has a grand, epic sweep provided by layers of lush strings, interweaving acoustic instruments, and shimmering keyboards. {^Automatic for the People} captures the group at a crossroads, as they moved from cult heroes to elder statesmen, and the album is a graceful transition into their new status. It is a reflective album, with frank discussions on mortality, but it is not a despairing record -- {&"Nightswimming,"} {&"Everybody Hurts,"} and {&"Sweetness Follows"} have a comforting melancholy, while {&"Find the River"} provides a positive sense of closure. {$R.E.M.} have never been as emotionally direct as they are on {^Automatic for the People}, nor have they ever created music quite as rich and timeless, and while the record is not an easy listen, it is the most rewarding record in their oeuvre. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide