Evolution of R.E.M.

There is a huge gulf of age and outlook between the uncertainty and paranoia of “Up,” R.E.M.’s latest album, and the hopeful, jangling sound the group arrived with in 1982-83 on its first EP, “Chronic Town,” and its first album, “Murmur.”

Those records captured a youthful drive and idealism that gave rise to the 1980s independent, college-rock ethic. By the decade’s end, that sound was shooting into the mainstream, with R.E.M. still in the vanguard.

As grunge hit in the early ‘90s, R.E.M. went in the other direction, redefining its sound with acoustic instruments and a folk-style feel. “Monster” was the band’s rawest, and “Up” represents another new direction.

Guitarist-keyboardist Mike Mills says he won’t disown the alterna-rock baby that R.E.M. raised from its underground infancy to today’s place in the commercial mainstream.

“Any sort of music, once it starts to become popular, will become co-opted by the big boys anyway, and then it becomes less than what it was,” he said. “There’s still as much good music out there as there’s ever been. The business end is worse. It’s more restrictive; there’s a lot less room for growth among bands. . . . If your first record doesn’t sell a million records, you’re dropped. I think there will be another rise of indie labels.”