REM's new album is about 2/3 complete, according to the Mike Mills, officially the band's official spokesman. Official, that is. Speaking to Billboard.com, the bassist said: "We've got another three weeks of recording and singing and what little overdubbing we're gonna do. Michael's got a bunch of singing and I've got some backgrounds to do, and we've got a couple songs we hope Michael will finish. And then after the next three weeks or so is the mixing phase".
The band have been playing some of the new songs live while working on the new record which, Mills claims, he wants to be kept as secret as possible. Though, as he attests, having played some songs live gives a pretty clear indication of what it's going to sound like. The new album is expected to be released sometime next year.