Matt and Andrew's CD a Day project

Tuatara are a class of reptile only living in New Zealand and relatively unchanged since the age of the dinosaurs. Tuatara the band are a horrible mishmash of world music and jazz that I bought because Peter Buck from REM was a member (along with the drummer from the Screaming Trees; there are also guest appearances from a couple of the Pearl Jam guys). I think it's great that Buck moved to Seattle and got involved with the music scene up there; I'm not sure that it's great that Epic decided to put this supergroup's album out. The whole thing sounds like those bumpers NPR uses in between their news stories. There are a couple of songs where Buck is using a weird six-string bass-guitar tone that cropped up later on Up, but otherwise this thing is background music, and slightly maddening background music at that.
Peter, I think you're one of the great guitarists of the last 20 years. But you don't have to do every side project thrown your way. Why not spend your spare time going through REM's outtakes and b-sides for a box set? I would much rather listen to that than more stuff like this.