Not quite a year after R.E.M. split, guitarist Peter Buck, a great sideman who had intimated that he’d never become a frontman, is unexpectedly first out of the gate with a self-titled solo debut. It’s a curious thing: a vinyl-only release on Portland’s Mississippi Records, which specializes in old blues and folk reissues. Limited to 2,000 copies, the album is sold exclusively through independent record stores and online retailers, although there are rumors of a digital release sometime in the future. Since it was announced earlier this year, we’ve had months to wonder what a Peter Buck solo album would sound like, but we’ve had 30 years to wonder what his singing voice sounds like.

I recommend reading the Pitchfork album review.