Murmur

REM are the godfathers of indie rock. They were the epicenter of what was then called college rock, which would then mutate into alternative, and finally become indie rock as we know it today. I feel like people take them for granted now, partially because their sound was pretty much completely absorbed by others in their time, and partially because they don't have a particularly aggressive sound - something that I actually appreciate them for. I get tired of rock and roll having to be cranked to 11 all the time. This is easily one of the most important and unique debut albums of the 80s. The jangly guitars, melodic basslines, and toe tapping beats are certainly nice, but I think the real secret sauce is in Michael Stipe's poetic lyrics and seemingly casual but subtly emotive vocal delivery.

R.E.M indeed. This is a snore fest.

Still my favorite REM album, though Reckoning comes damn close. This albums ringing guitars, impossibly tight rhythm section, beautiful backing vocals, soaring melodies and just general youthful exuberance cement this as their best album. REM are a great band and became more mature and polished but they never again matched their early period for pure excitement. Wow! 5 🌟

Highlights: Laughing, Talk About The Passion, Striking Through Before they were shiny and happy and lost their religion, before everybody hurt, before they crushed with eyeliner...it was Murmur. The breakout album by R.E.M. that reignited America's love with sweeping guitar rock that was increasingly becoming punky- metal- glammy- and loud. R.E.M. would have fallen victim to the loudness wars if not for their just getting everything right, paving the way for acts like Live and Radiohead.

Depending on who you ask, this is REM’s best album. A debut that contends with some of the best debuts ever. I really enjoy this album. Hooky basslines, jangly guitars and weird lyrics that burst into catchy sing a long choruses. This album laid the groundwork for what was to come later in the 80s underground music scene and how big REM was about to become with albums like Document and Automatic for the People. Favorite song: Radio Free Europe Least favorite song: Shaking Through

Couldn't get into this one. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood but it just seemed so instantly forgettable

One of the best debut albums of all time and it’s probably not even their best album. Great melodies, great harmonies, great guitar, GREAT bass, great drums. Just all around great. R.E.M. are The Beatles of indie/alternative rock.

Interesting to hear an early REM album from the eighties. The music was okay, but did not blow me away either.

-major keys -jangly clean guitars -the same fast, aggressive drumming on almost every song This is feel good music. It's definitely not a chore to listen to. However, listening to this album further cemented my opinion that REM is a band that does one thing well and that thing is not particularly memorable or original. My favorite track was 9-9.

warm guitars, sometimes naive sometimes deeply melancholic. feels like walking with band t-shirts, my headphones connected to my walk-man under a sunny campus, green paves the way.

For whatever reason, I’ve never kicked the tires on Murmur. Monster would be my go-to and I like Green is fair enough, too. This is pretty great, especially as a debut. Didn’t realize they had their shit together like this from the get-go. Dialed back a bit sonically, but that’s to be expected; what’s unexpected though is how tight the songwriting is. Stipe sounds great as usual and Buck’s playing is understated but still carries great weight. I don’t think this’ll change anyone’s mind about REM, but this is an awesome change of pace record for me personally as a semi-fan. Very cool. 3.5

I know some later R.E.M. (Losing My Religion) but found this pretty boring. The songs blurred together a bit, and I got the impression of a less dynamic Tragically Hip.

Rock.

This debut album is pleasant enough. Good early indie music with a nice vibe that foreshadows even better things to come from this band. However it gets repetitive very soon.

Bop K admittedly i was zoned out for a lot of it but it was just banger after banger Relistened to it driving home in the dark and ive never felt more like an irresponsible teen that will grow into a girl dad

Two R.E.M. records in a row! What are the chances?! This is a formidable debut. The band feels so fully formed and distinctive right out of the gate. My personal preferences for jangley guitar make this a really nice listen. It's a sparer version of the R.E.M. that would come to dominate the airwaves in the 90s, and I appreciate what it reveals about the band's musical dynamic. It's right in my wheelhouse. Some interesting range here, too. I'm hearing more of a post-punk vibe than I expected from R.E.M. on tracks like "9-9" and the triumphant piano-powered "Shaking Through". Of course, Stipe's vocals and lyrics are characteristically personal, introspective, and haunted throughout. I feel like this record gets a little lost in R.E.M.'s long career. If this was all they ever made, it would be a cult classic. Favourite songs: Radio Free Europe, Talk About the Passion, Moral Kiosk, Sitting Still, Shaking Through Rating: 4.5/5

Great album. Probably my second fav REM. Early REM is the best REM!! 4.5/5

Personally, Murmur was one of those life-changing records that shifted the direction of my music tastes. R.E.M.'s sound was refreshing and much needed. Around this time I discovered other like-minded bands, the Replacements, Husker Du, Violent Femmes, etc. ,bands outside mainstream radio (college rock) and this music was the reason the 80's actually had some great music. I'll always have a special place for the first four R.E.M. records (especially the first two) in my collection and all of them are essential listens!

I would listen to this album all day, every day and never get tired of it. A top three R.E.M. album, flawless from top to bottom.

One of the most important and significant Alt Rock records of all time

Perfect R.E.M album, as I guess everyone knows..

Top-notch record, recorded by nobodies in a nowhere town that shot them into the spotlight (beating out Thriller!!). The only issue I have is the sometimes too-clean composition that reflects a band piecing together in a studio rather than REM's legendary stage presence and ensemble. The key to the band in my opinion is there meticulous knowledge and reverence of the history of rock music. The Byrds, Patti Smith, Television, Wire, Neil Young, and local acts like Pylon and B-52s are all here, though in a fresh way that uses nods rather than outright plagarism. Moral Kiosk, Laughing, Radio Free, it's clear these young men from Athens had something that no one else did.

Excellent album. A delight to be reacquainted with it.

I love this record. Moral Kiosk is one of my favorite REM songs.

Great album! Very nice rhythms. Good for vibing

They knew what they needed to sound like.

I didn't know that post-punk became alternative rock but now I do.

Really good album

It's been a while since I got a really good album. Although I've never heard of the album before, it pleasantly surprised me. The instruments and vocals make songs that are creative and come together nice. The drums are especially good. The only song that wasn't great was, "We Walk" but otherwise definitely a good album to hear. Glad I got to listen to this album, 4/5

Some albums in this project pop up like an unexpected visit or call from an old friend. How are you doing REM? Where have you been? Keep in touch. I miss you.

I liked it, a less obvious recommendation than expected

Can see how its influential Alt Indie rock but it took me a couple of listens to start to get it. A real grower that I get more out of the more i play it. Given its release date this must have been one of the first crossover records from the Alt-Rock scene which exploded in the early 90s. 4/5

Uno de los primeros álbumes que dio a luz a lo indie?? Estaba bien pero nada particularmente interesante 🤔

Nothing stood out good or bad

Sorta background rock. Unremarkable to me but not bad

Jangly and catchy, but not exactly memorable

Overall kinda bland to me

I liked Moral Kiosk but can't speak much about the rest.

Love the REM sound, brings me back. I'm wavering between 3 and 4 stars having just listened to it. I will think a little on it but I think 3 overall. Solid but nothing too spectacular.

Murmur has not helped me decide whether I find R.E.M. boring. I certainly find them boring some of the time, but ‘Radio Free Europe’ is exciting. Rest cheerfully slided past my ears without residue on first listen. Then I listened to this in OUR NEW CAR and they made more sense. The passion one stood out in particular. Is this car music? I still have trouble remembering most of the record, but I felt happier when it came on automatically when I worked out how to start the engine again. Maybe the connection is boredom: driving is boring at its best, a good kind of boredom. This is an important record, and I respect how they manage to pin down a distinctive aesthetic straight out of the gate. Calling their first album "Murmur" is gloriously on the nose, vaulting past the introductory, peak and self-parody phases straight to the post-modern. Feigned kindness has me refrain from repeating Chris Morris's cruel dark mirror description of Stipe, but I mention its existence in case it reminds S or anyone else here of it to bring a nasty smile.

Surprised R.E.M. has more than one on the list and this not being my second choice I may be very surprised they have 3 on here

I forgot about this while I was listening to it.

I historically have been pretty ambivalent towards REM. They're one of those bands whom I respect for what they have contributed to the world of music, but I don't choose to listen to. This album was a pleasant surprise. No standout songs, nothing to make it GOOD per se, but Michael Stipe is less whiny here than my audio memory of him would indicate.

Ehh

Ehhh

A little prom bandy

I don’t think I understand this band

What are they singing about

So I genuinely have very little to say about this. I kinda sorta liked some of the songs, but not much at all. The songs sounded the same to me and I was very bored. It was kind of a chore to get through this album if I’m being completely honest. Perfect Circle might be one of the most boring songs I’ve ever heard. Maybe I’m just tired, but these songs are seriously unbearably boring to me. The cover art is kind of intriguing. I think my neighbors have started to smoke. I keep smelling weed really strongly whenever I go out at night or open my window. This project has introduced me to a few songs I really like like Bigmouth Strikes Again by The Smiths, but now I’m just starting to realize that music critics and snobs hate to have fun and only like boring music. I’m so bored with listening to this album that I’m talking about other groups and personal matters in the notes. I’m only like 10 albums in though, so hopefully they will get better.

A groundbreaking gem of a debut. Paved the way for just about every 'indie' rock band.

80s rock perfection.

Iconic album

Great album

All the songs seem to run together and I didn’t vibe with the first half. However the second half of the album does pick up and get better. This album requires you to be in a certain mood to fully understand and enjoy it, and it really strikes a chord when it does hit. The musicianship is excellent though and the guitars sound fantastic.

Pulled out the Vinyl for this one, cooled down the beers, and let Hank (son) hear what pure unadulterated rock n roll sounds like. Thoroughly enjoyed it, as I do every time. Not a song on this I don’t love. Perfect.

This one was a staple in my house growing up. Parents were big time REM fans. Hard for me to listen to this objectively. First thing that I noticed this time through was the bass, and shocking I didn’t think of this before. It’s way up in the mix, in some cases the intro to the song, treble up and used more like a guitar or piano are used. The bass/drums are in a way what really creates this REM sound and then everything else on top of that. Big fan of this album. There really isn’t a bad song on here. Production is also pretty great. I may just have Steely Dan on my mind, but REM is the Steely Dan of alt/indie music? Very ambitious/serious and setting the bar a generation musicians.

Loved this album. The first five tracks are hits in my opinion - talk about the passion and moral kiosk were my favorites The next few tracks were interesting enough, but nothing super sticky. This is probably where my only negative feedback comes from. The drums began to sound really non inventive and just your standard 4/4, hi hat, snare drum sound with basic fills. 9-9 is a bad song 😂 All in all, this album was fantastic. The vocals harmonies were always on point and each song had the identity of REM. I can’t believe this came out in 1983. My brain cant compute how this was coming out alongside Poison, Motley Crue and Guns N Roses… it sounds so much more like 90s rock

Probably somewhere in my top 25 or so bands, especially from this time period and genre, though until last year for some reason hadn’t gone all the way through Murmur. Definitely a little more raw and less melodic than the rest of their catalogue - but an amazing debut. Stipe is an all time front man, love him as a singer and lyricist. Buck is a totally underrated and unconventional guitarist, and agree I love the mix on the bass on this album especially.

A step further in their musical development giving larger hints to what they would eventually evolve into

Klasse!

REM ist so unterschätzt irgendwie, Radio Free Europe ist ein Banger

Holy shit this took a few listens to click and when it did it REALLY did. I had this down as a 3/5 on first listen. I never listened to early R.E.M. until now, despite knowing how important they were and all that just because I found their big hits from the 90s to be really whiny and annoying. I think there was a Seinfeld effect thing happening where so many bands took from this sound that the original is not as exciting to me but I gave it a second chance and it got really good. Sometimes it reminds me of Wire and sometimes it reminds me of Crowded House. There's some really great bass lines in here. The opening bass line in Pilgrimage that is played on bass, piano and vibraphone at the same time is insane. I like it a lot I guess it really is just more mellow and melodic post-punk which is exactly what alternative rock basically is lol

REM is/has always been one of the most important bands for me. I grew up in the mid-90s, so albums like Automatic for the People and Monster were crucial for me. But my sister grew up in the 80s where the IRS records held greater sway. Thanks to her I was able to experience this band across time and get a sense of their development over time. For me this band never lost what made them them, even if they lagged later in their career. When you hear an album like this one you can hear the band’s resonance across time. I love every song on this album, just like I do almost all of their work.

Yeah, easily their best. This record pretty much defined college radio in the 1980s.

beautiful

One of my favorite REM albums.

For REMs debut before a long running career, it's amazing how much of their sound was pretty developed at this point. Of course they evolved their style later to be a bit more poppy at times, and it's fair to say Murmur doesn't have many big anthems that would've contributed to them becoming stadium fillers, but it's extremely accomplished. The jangly guitars and Stipe's vocal style which are their signatures are definitely here. The lyrics are very obscure and every song is interesting, he certainly doesn't write in clichés. There's just something inherently listenable about these tracks for me, they bounce along with a groove I find very addictive. I can see why this kind of alt-rock wouldn't be for everyone but I'm a fan and it's a great debut so 5*

The rythmic guitar and the raspy vocals make this a unique experience and gives a feeling of melancholy only post-punk/new wave can give you. The lyrics are shrouded in mysticism and need not hold much meaning. A good listen if you feel dreadful, but it might break your mind trying to understand the lyrics.

I think that this was really excellent. It's crazy that this came out in 1983 considering how good it sounds and how much stuff in the 90s clearly took inspiration. The instrumentation is really simple and the vocals are bare and the whole thing sounds really good and moody. Awesome album cover as well. Favorite tracks are perfect circles and West of the Fields.

I always liked REM after being introduced to them through Independence Day. This album is poppier than Losing My Religion, more serious than Shiney Happy People, and lacks the energy of It's the End of the World. I liked it. I equate REM with the early 90's but looking back at the discography there is a big hit of 80's new wave and goth rock here. I might have to throw on a best of REM.

I was a late arrival to REM because when they first hit my girlfriend hated them. She said they were unattractive and even worse, they mumbled their lyrics. Years later I worked at a record store where my boss Pete once shared a nightclub urinal with guitarist Peter Buck and took the opportunity to tell him "I can play everything you ever wrote!" to which Buck replied, as he was (likely hurriedly and possibly prematurely) zipping his pants, "I'm sure you can." Once I did listen with open ears I fell hard. I would say from their debut EP Chronic Town to this, their first album and the next two albums are golden. There are many great live bootlegs of them around this time now available on YouTube. Pretty much any show you can find from 1982-1985 is going to be lightning in a bottle. Things start to get hit or miss after that, in my view. Peter Buck is a criminally underappreciated guitar player. His chiming riffs are to me the essence of what makes REM great and basically formed the backbone of what 80s jangly college radio sounded like. Pete my boss taught me the guitar parts to many of the songs on the early REM records and I learned a lot about the guitar and songwriting both from that experience. If lyrics are important to you, you will probably find REM a frustrating listen. I have no idea what Michael Stipe is singing, and I'm not convinced he is, either. I think he's more into the sounds of the lyrics than their meaning, like as if Mick Jagger sang lead for The Cocteau Twins. Some of my respected songwriter friends feel this is a copout, to make songs with nonsensical lyrics. Hence my girlfriend's "mumbler" complaint. And she was right about their looks, too. One more thing that's important. In high school in uptight mid 80s Connecticut, the first step toward coming out of the closet was wearing either an REM or a Smiths t-shirt to school. But one friend of a friend was a fan of both bands and it felt like a bridge too far and I think maybe he screwed himself by doing that because all I can say is that I've never once seen him with a love interest in the forty years I've known him since. Poor guy!

4.5 - Loved this album. I feel like REM hadn't truly found their voice and it really feels like they were a little self conscious in a quite charming way. Reserved but a hint of what they become.

Probably my favorite R.E.M. album. This is what I listened to as a kid on vacation in a shitty cd player. The last song on the album “West of fields” is my favorite song by them and a few others on this album are pretty close. There are a few songs that I kind of tune out or would skip but overall love this album. 9/10

Really enjoyable well recorded, intelligent rock music. Liked it a lot

I know I was too young for this when it came out and so i missed it, but I feel a little cheated of all the years I could have enjoyed it

Great album. Can never go wrong with some REM

LP

I liked this a lot, even more than Document. As a debut, this stands out very strongly against the early 80s and makes sense that they are as influential as they are. We Walk has a really fun riff that is bops hard and was probably my favorite here, but I enjoyed Pilgrimage and Shaking Through a lot as well.

I love Stipe’s obscure lyrics. It’s often like listening to a lovers painting by Picasso.

Very nice

**Album Review: "Murmur" by R.E.M.** Released in 1983, R.E.M.'s debut album *Murmur* was a defining moment for the emerging alternative rock scene in the early '80s. The album is characterized by its mysterious sound, intricate lyrics, and unconventional production techniques, establishing R.E.M. as a band with a distinctive voice that would influence countless artists in the decades to come. ### Music Musically, *Murmur* is an album that defies easy categorization. It draws from a wide palette of rock subgenres, including jangle pop, post-punk, and folk-rock. The most recognizable element of the album is Peter Buck’s jangly, Rickenbacker guitar riffs, which channel the sounds of '60s bands like The Byrds while still feeling modern and fresh. Tracks such as “Radio Free Europe” and “Talk About the Passion” exemplify this jangly sound, with intricate, arpeggiated guitar lines that interweave with the rhythm section. Mike Mills’ melodic bass playing serves as a crucial counterpart to Buck's guitar, often providing a counter-melody that adds depth to the songs. His playing is both dynamic and supportive, never overpowering, but always present in the mix, which gives the album a rich, full sound. Drummer Bill Berry offers solid, understated percussion that complements the melodies, avoiding flashy fills or overpowering beats. Instead, he maintains a driving rhythm that carries each song forward, creating a consistent and cohesive sound across the album. The arrangements on *Murmur* are deceptively simple. R.E.M. often relies on standard verse-chorus structures, but they inject a level of complexity with unexpected chord progressions, layered instrumentation, and nuanced dynamics. The result is a sound that is simultaneously accessible and enigmatic. Songs like “Sitting Still” and “Catapult” demonstrate this approach, blending catchy hooks with unconventional structures that invite repeated listens. ### Lyrics Michael Stipe’s lyrics on *Murmur* are cryptic and impressionistic, often more concerned with creating mood and atmosphere than with telling straightforward narratives. The words are frequently buried in the mix, with Stipe’s soft, mumbled delivery making them even harder to decipher. This approach gives the songs a haunting, dreamlike quality that invites listeners to project their interpretations onto the lyrics. The lyrics of “Radio Free Europe” are a prime example of this style, filled with disjointed imagery and phrases that suggest rebellion and dislocation but resist easy interpretation. Similarly, “Perfect Circle” presents a collage of phrases that evoke a sense of nostalgia and loss without ever stating anything directly. Stipe's words are less about meaning and more about emotion, using language as another instrument in the band's sound. There are recurring themes of escape, dislocation, and yearning throughout the album. "Pilgrimage" seems to reflect a spiritual or existential journey, while "Shaking Through" captures a sense of fragility and change. The lyrics often paint portraits of youth, confusion, and a longing for meaning in a world that feels elusive and fragmented. ### Production The production of *Murmur*, handled by Mitch Easter and Don Dixon, is both distinctive and influential. It has a murky, almost organic sound that contrasts sharply with the more polished production styles of the early 1980s. The mix often places Stipe’s vocals low, blending them with the instruments rather than putting them front and center. This decision emphasizes the band’s ensemble nature and forces listeners to focus on the music as a whole, rather than any individual part. The production makes heavy use of reverb and echo, giving the album a spacious, almost ethereal quality. This is evident in tracks like “Perfect Circle,” where the echoing piano and layered vocals create a sense of depth and expansiveness. The use of natural room reverb, particularly on the drums, contributes to the album’s distinctive sound, making it feel both intimate and expansive at the same time. Easter and Dixon also employed unconventional recording techniques to achieve the album’s unique sonic texture. For example, they used everyday objects like cardboard boxes to create percussion effects, adding an additional layer of originality to the sound. This experimentation aligns with the band’s ethos of creating something new and different from the mainstream rock music of the time. ### Themes *Murmur* is thematically rich, even if its meanings are not immediately apparent. Much of the album is concerned with themes of communication and misunderstanding. The title itself suggests a soft, indistinct sound — a whisper rather than a shout. This is reflected in the way the lyrics are delivered and the way the songs are constructed. There is a sense of searching, of trying to find meaning in a world that is confusing and chaotic. Songs like “Radio Free Europe” and “Talk About the Passion” explore the tension between expression and incomprehension, between speaking and being understood. "Radio Free Europe" can be seen as a metaphor for broadcasting messages into a void, while "Talk About the Passion" seems to critique the way discussions about important issues can become hollow and disconnected from reality. Other songs, like “Moral Kiosk” and “Catapult,” seem to critique societal norms and expectations, presenting a sense of alienation from established structures. Meanwhile, tracks like “We Walk” and “West of the Fields” hint at journeys both literal and metaphorical, with imagery that evokes travel, pilgrimage, and the quest for something beyond the immediate. ### Influence *Murmur* was highly influential, serving as a blueprint for countless alternative and indie rock bands that emerged in the 1980s and beyond. Its jangle-pop sound, characterized by Buck's guitar work and the band's overall melodic sensibility, would be adopted and expanded upon by groups like The Smiths, The Replacements, and later, bands like The Gin Blossoms and Teenage Fanclub. The album’s unconventional production style also set it apart from the polished, synth-heavy pop that dominated the charts at the time. The lo-fi, atmospheric sound of *Murmur* was embraced by a new generation of musicians looking to break free from the constraints of the mainstream music industry. This approach laid the groundwork for the DIY ethic and aesthetic that would become a hallmark of alternative rock in the '80s and '90s. R.E.M.'s blending of folk-rock elements with a modern, alternative sensibility helped bridge the gap between classic rock and the emerging indie scene. The band's sound on *Murmur* was also a precursor to the college rock movement, influencing bands like The Pixies, Sonic Youth, and even Nirvana, who would cite R.E.M. as a significant influence. ### Pros 1. **Innovative Sound**: *Murmur* is musically inventive, combining elements of jangle pop, folk rock, and post-punk in a way that was unique for its time. The album's sound is fresh and distinctive, thanks to Peter Buck's signature guitar style, Mike Mills' melodic bass lines, and Bill Berry's solid percussion. 2. **Atmospheric Production**: The production by Mitch Easter and Don Dixon is one of the album's standout qualities. The use of reverb, echo, and unconventional recording techniques creates a soundscape that is both intimate and expansive, contributing to the album's overall mood and mystique. 3. **Poetic, Ambiguous Lyrics**: Michael Stipe's cryptic, impressionistic lyrics are a key strength of the album, inviting listeners to engage with the music on a deeper, more personal level. The ambiguity of the lyrics creates a sense of mystery and depth that encourages repeated listening. 4. **Cohesive Themes**: The album's themes of dislocation, searching, and communication are consistently explored across its tracks, providing a unifying thread that ties the songs together. 5. **Influence on Alternative Rock**: *Murmur* was a groundbreaking album that helped define the sound of alternative rock, influencing countless bands that came after it. Its importance to the development of the genre cannot be overstated. ### Cons 1. **Obscure Lyrics**: While the ambiguity of Stipe’s lyrics can be seen as a strength, it can also be a drawback. Some listeners may find the lack of clarity frustrating or alienating, as the meaning of many songs remains elusive. 2. **Low Vocal Mix**: The decision to bury the vocals in the mix can make it difficult to discern the lyrics, which may be a point of contention for those who prefer more direct, intelligible songwriting. 3. **Uniform Sound**: While the album's cohesive sound is often praised, some critics have argued that the songs can blend together, making it difficult for individual tracks to stand out. The consistency of the production can give the album a somewhat monotonous feel at times. 4. **Limited Mainstream Appeal**: The unconventional production, cryptic lyrics, and relatively low-fi sound might limit the album's appeal to a broader audience accustomed to more polished, accessible music. 5. **Repetitive Elements**: Some elements of the album's sound, such as the jangly guitar and driving rhythms, are used repeatedly across the tracks. This can create a sense of repetitiveness for some listeners who may crave more diversity in the arrangements or instrumentation. ### Conclusion *Murmur* remains one of the most important debut albums in rock history, not just for what it achieved musically but for the way it laid the groundwork for the future of alternative rock. Its innovative combination of jangly guitar, cryptic lyrics, and atmospheric production created a distinct sound that set R.E.M. apart from their contemporaries and positioned them as pioneers of the genre. While it may have its limitations, the album's strengths far outweigh its weaknesses, cementing its status as a classic and a must-listen for any serious fan of rock music.

After hearing this and falling in love with it, I feel like I need to defend myself. It was ‘83 so I was deep into my pop music phase with all that was on the charts and MTV, and somehow I just missed this album and didn’t really get into R.E.M. until several albums later and I never went back to their earlier stuff. THAT was a mistake as I clearly missed out! So much just comes together to create this moody, atmospheric vibe that’s primarily built on the highlight of the album, the jangly acoustic guitars. That and the songwriting. I admit to the possibility of a bad case of recency bias but this might be my favorite R.E.M. album of all and that’s saying something considering their future gems.

No one can understand just how awesome this album was when it came it. With all the other 80’s popular music, the country, the hair bands, REM was a breath of fresh air and this album was and still is a gem. it just doesn’t have the same affect on people that it did back then. Everyone is doing that type of thing now. They were the face of college rock and we were lucky to live when this album debuted.

This was my obsession from 15 to 21. No way I can be objective.

Very sunny, liked it better than automatic for the people

This stuff is nothing short of brilliant - I like most of REM (a lot) but I'm not sure they made a better album after this one. There are no fewer than 8 great songs on this collection.

One of the greatest and most influential albums of all time, and one of the greatest debut albums as well.

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Bluesy as hell.

Pocos debuts son tan buenos como el primer LP de los legendarios precursores del "Alt Rock", R.E.M. La hipnótica voz de Stipe te captura y transporta a través de paisajes del "under" norteamericano, sin necesidad de hacerte entender sus complejas letras, todo de la mano del precioso bajo de Mike Mills, las guitarras saltarinas de Peter Buck y la poderosa y rápida batería de Bill Berry. Una mezcla del power pop de Big Star con lo mejor de los sonidos del punk y postpunk británico. Sumamente recomendable.

Very fun and catchy, love the jangle pop aspect, makes me think of Meat Puppets a bit

Classic

Excellent!

This album got me out of musical doldrums. Very good from first song to last.

A real banger.

R.E.M. is becoming one of my top artists. Every track here is a Standout, with the title track in particular.

I LOVE THESE GUYS. Some songs were a little repetitive, but for a debut album its a banger. Love it

I came to this retrospectively but it has all the hallmarks of a great debut. Sounding slightly different to most music at the time and promising so much. 4.5 stars.

Such a strong debut. So different, such a unique sound.

Haven't listened to the whole album in years.