I always liked the stories of how Madonna took her younger, gay brother to dance class with her so he could hook up with sexual predators. And their relationship in Truth or Dare is so touching. It makes me want a sister.

Up and Ray of Light could be siblings. Siblings that are all grown up and busy with their own lives, but meet up for lunch as often as they can. Up runs its own business, is a 40-something man who still lives in a **** pad (albeit a tastefully decorated one) and is enjoying being afluent, unattatched and **** hungry. Ray of Light has nannies raising her kids, so she's still able to tirelessly climb the corporate ladder. Formerly one of those rare ****s who are bursting with self esteem, she has long since kissed her sex drive goodbye but doesn't really mind.

"Airportman" and "Mer Girl" are hard to live with. "Hope" is bedded on a less enthusiastic "Ray of Light", but the family resemblance is unmistakable.
The drums on "Lotus" fall over themselves like those on "Sky Fits Heaven". "Walk Unafraid" concludes all vibey and reminds me of "Paradise (Not for Me)" which isn't actually on Ray of Light, but that's okay.

These albums also contain some of each artists blandest songs. Actually, they only start out bland. It takes time for all the little intricacies to pop, and then you can't imagine what you were complaining about in the first place.

Up is a better album, but only because it has a ****.

I've been listening to Up while reading lately, and it's completely grown on me. Nine years later I love it.

I always liked it, as R.E.M. don't seem capable of releasing anything that goes so far as to suck. But now I'm all over it, licking its feet, sucking it off while it sits on the can, not carrying on with other albums.

Other than possibly "The Apologist" there isn't a not great song on this thing.