The just-released R.E.M. longform, Parallel, includes a rather

amazing video/short film for "NIghtswimming," directed by Jem Cohen.

Two version of Parallel have been released, one with the

uncensored version that includes some beautiful erotic footage of

women swimming. Like most of R.E.M.'s videos in recent years,

"Nightswimmming" is an art piece that brings a '90s sensibility to the

experimental film-making of the '60s. The piece seems to be about he

singular calm and sexual electricity of being with friends and lovers

in a rural environment, way out at the lake, amidst nature, where the

environment is pure and anything seems possible. Also included are the

videos for "Drive," "Man On The Moon," "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite,"

"Everybody Hurts," "Find the River," "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?",

"Bang and Blame," "Star 69," "Strange Currencies" and "Crush WIth

Eyeliner." These videos make the case for R.E.M. as one of the first

bands to have continuously used the video medium to do more than just

sell their latest single. These are brilliant short films; the group

pushes the medium in a challenging and provocative way. Also included

on this 70 minute work are excerpts from the short films used during

the group's current world tour, plus material from Rough Cut a

documentary about the group's preparation for the tour. This is the

future.