Murmur

This is the 4th R.E.M. album. It is just there. Not really memorable. No need to revisit.

Album was pretty good, i'm not that well versed in music terms and shit but I'll just say that this was a pretty good album with nice sounding vocals and instruments

Timeless

Not as good as the other REM albums I've listened to. Still pretty good though.

Рэдиооо фри еуроппп инсайд оф мораал киооск 10/10. Один из самых любимых альбомов.

The drums are always good with REM, but they really stand out on this one! On Moral Kiosk, they are really crisp! I like REM's slow songs the least, so Perfect Circle is the one that's a bit of a low spot. The songs feel a little too vulnerable when they are slow an moody.

“Murmur” and “Violent Femmes” were released a day apart. As much as any one album or band can be responsible, that week in April 1983 may have been the start of alternative and indie rock. Opening your first album with “Radio Free Europe” is statement-making. What follows is incredibly consistent, with Peter Buck’s jangly guitar and Mike Mills’ driving bass weaving in and out through 12 great tracks. Not just the next decade of alternative rock and college radio owe a great debt to R.E.M. - the influence they had extends even into 21st century indie rock. I listened to R.E.M. when I was younger, but just casually. Maybe the only album I owned was “Monster?” I was a little too young for their 80s brilliance at the time, and now I feel like I missed out. Glad to have the chance to rectify that now. I think they reeled off an impressive streak of four-star albums, but “Murmur” might be my favorite. It may be lacking in big hits - “Radio Free Europe” is the only one that was familiar - but the rest fit right in the pocket of what I prefer from their sound.

Um álbum bem mediano, talvez na época tenha ajudado a consolidar o rock alternativo. Nenhuma musica é ruim, e todas são bem produzidas, mas sinceramente nenhuma me pegou. Eu daria 2.5/5 para realmente ficar bem no meio, mas como gosto de REM e não tem nada de ruim mesmo vou arredondar para cima.

It's a nice album. Fav songs: pilgrimage Laughing =%

Great. I already liked R.E.M. a lot, but this album was before my time. I give it a 4.5 and will probably add it to my playlist.

Not R.E.M.'s greatest hits.

Loved the back half, still think I enjoy the later albums more (not that I’ve listened much)

Ok

Really solid, really liked pilgrimage, laughing, moral kiosk, catapult, and standing still.

Apart from "Radio Free Europe", "Talk About the Passion" and "Perfect Circle", I wasn't very familiar with the tracks on R.E.M.'s debut album, but I really liked it.

Fundamental para minha formação, R.E.M sempre terá nota máxima.

Solid debut

"Murmur" is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band R.E.M. This album had very high critical acclaim attributed to its unusual sound - lead singer Michael Stipe's cryptic lyrics, Peter Buck's jangly guitar style and bass guitarist Mike Mill's melodic basslines. Completing the quartet is Bill Berry who just happens to be the drummer and percussionist, sing backing vocals and play the bass and piano. The original producer was to be Stephen Hague but the band did not like his approach; they wanted no rock and roll clichés such as synths and guitar solos. The producers ended up being Don Dixon and Mitch Easter. The opener "Radio Free Europe" gets things going right away with drums/percussion and then the jangly guitar and melodic bass. Michael Stipe's indecipherable lyrics. Even he said most of what he wrote was gibberish. All I can make out is "Radio Station." A unique sound and a classic song at that getting put into the National Recording Registry in 2009. The "Take a turn, take up fortune" chant starts "Pilgrimage." Mills on vibraphone (I think) and Buck's guitar. An idiosyncratic drum beat. This is classic pop song structure as it builds with the vocal choruses. Great backing criss-crossing and harmonizing vocals by Mills and Berry. Good luck figuring out what this is about. Their second and final single "Talk About the Passion" is slower, featuring an acoustic guitar. The backing vocals. Stipe says it's a song of hunger for him. A nice cello closes it out. Slashing and a reverb guitar open "Moral Kiosk." Some more chaotic criss-cross vocals especially after Stipe sings "Inside the moral kiosk." No, I do not want to go inside the moral kiosk. One of my favorite songs on the album. Speaking of favorite songs, "Perfect Circle" might be a close second. Two pianos and a 12-string guitar. Stipe's best vocals on the album. Just beautiful. Bill Berry wrote this song and the other members say that this song has a different meaning to each of them. Just beautiful. They did not play it live until Berry left the band (FYI - Berry also wrote "Everybody Hurts). The second side opens with "Catapult." A rumbling bass and Stipe's jangly guitar which, I think, purposely sounds like a sling slot ( get it? Catapult). "Sitting Still" is their most straight-forward rocker. I like the lyric "ways to time sitting still. The album ends with "West of the Fields." It's more of a rocker too. Urgent guitar and bass. Another great deeper cut. Ah, a big one today. I remember first hearing this and being blown away. No one sounded like them in 1983. 41 years later and I'm still blown away. The songs came into the album being fully realized as R.E.M. had been playing them live for two years. So many great attributes here. Every band member is important. Yes, the jangly guitars, melodic bass and the cryptic lyrics but also the criss crossing and harmonizing backing vocals, Berry's drumming and percussion, using two pianos, a cello and a vibraphone. No, I don't want to know exactly what Stipe is saying. Needless to say, they go would on to record a string of great to fantastic albums for the next fourteen years. And yes, everyone needs to listen to and own this.

This album is good, but here we are with another album that is just that, good. This certainly has some catchy bass lines and fun guitar, but every song sounded very similar. Looking at this in historical terms or even influence on future music does not make this a great album. It gets lost in history, because it's not one of the greats. You can influence greatness and not be great.

Someone once told me that this was the best album recorded from the perspective of sound engineering. I might agree with them. Such a good album. Crisp sound. Very good listen.

This is way better than the R.E.M. I know. Even though Michael Stipe's voice isn't much different in terms of its emotion, there's just something better going on here. Maybe it's that when I think of the R.E.M. of the late 80s/early 90s, I think of a darker tone? I dunno. This was really pleasant to listen to.

Listened Before? Y I dig this album in the way that I dig most early 80s alternative. It's decent background music but I definitely wasn't cool (or old) enough in 83 to really get into it back then... and unfortunately the very genre it helped create had passed it by tenfold by the end of the decade. Radio Free Europe is a classic. The rest of it is decidedly "meh". Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Radio Free Europe

Not listened to this album before. Pretty good

Some nice jangly moments but nothing special...

No thank you.

Not their best, that's for sure

It got some good tracks and it’s a good debut album.

Was alright, nothing special

ive listened to rem a lot because i feel like i should enjoy them more than i do. its not the first time ive listened to this record but one i got around catapult i started to enjoy it a lot more and it bumped it up to a comfortable 8/10. great record and ill try some other rem albums again.

It was nice hearing more from REM than the usual suspects.

Was fine

Early REM was great

Good album. Didn't have any of the stand out tracks from some of the bands more acclaimed works, but still a good listen. 3.5/5 Might listen again

Listening felt like seeing a high school girlfriend who you’re still friendly with but have no romantic feelings for anymore. I once loved this and even more so because REM at Fiddler’s Green was the first concert I went to without any parents supervising, but now it’s just a hey how are you nice to see you type of thing.

Great debut album, sometimes referred to as “Mumble.”

More of the same kinda indie rock music I’ve heard but not as good. Singers voice is a little bit annoying. Scratch that VERY ANNOYING SO DRONY Don’t see myself going back to any of the songs

Okay

Loves: Notes: I did not like the opener. I don’t seem to like most of the melodies even if the rest of the song sounds interesting (pilgrimage)

The mood of this album was a little on the sad side, and I thought it was nice enough, but I didn't really like it all that much personally. I thought it was boring, and if I were looking for a similar mood there are other albums I'd prefer over it every time.

Hard to recall any specific moments but I enjoyed it. Hard to know my feelings about it. Need to return to better decide how I feel about it

Not their finest work.

Another R.E.M. album within a week. I do prefer this more than Document, although I find this pretty boring 2.5/5

#185. It's REM. No need to listen to it to give it a proper rating, but I guess I'll do it anyway. And... yep. Just as I suspected, it sucks. REM is certainly nothing someone needs to hear before they die, or ever really. 2/5: dumb. Song added to playlist: Talk About the Passion I've created a playlist on Spotify that consists of the best and/or my favorite song from each of the albums in this book. This list can be found here if you are interested: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7MAXDGLWlwLkFLb8veGfkA?si=FqkQQPgZTFWG0jAUJXLFZA&utm_source=copy-link

Good

Early REM is more or less among my all time favorite music. It is not nastalgiic, it doesn't make me "go back" or wish for times of old, it makes me feel present right now; it is hard to explain... I often describe it as raw, like "real" what one would experience in a small club on a Tuesday night at some ski resort. "Wow, this band is actually pretty good... what are they called again? They could get big..." This music wakes me up in a way, I get the feeling of potential energy, like the band itself, of course REM DID get big, but for us all, individually, we too "could get big" and this music reminds me of that feeling...

R.E.M is always quality but I probably prefer their later albums. Playing Listens: 1 Fave Track: Pilgrimage Rating: 3

Inoffensive soft rock

This is a really cool debut album, love all the indie rhytms here. Maybe i expected a bit more 'cause in some songs it felt kind of repetitive, but is really cool.

I believe this was REM’s debut and it is a solid debut. This album showcases a skilled band with a lot of promise. Not every song on here is amazing, but there’s a lot of great stuff, and no real duds. Overall I think it’s a very cohesive album. It was a perfect one to throw in on a Sunday afternoon. It’s got a chillness to it that’s perfect for just kind of hanging out. It is one of those albums that you can listen to closely or just have on in the background and it works.

Must be the worst REM album they made

Never really listened to old REM but lovely toons

Just after listening to Led Zep IV.... shows how poor everything else is in comparison. Anyways, never liked the happy clappy REM, so this gets a 1. I didn't like a single song on this album - I did listen to them all!

Second attempt at getting into R.E.M. Attempt failed. 0/2

A very solid album, a lot of good songs not too many great ones though. It is interesting hearing REM before they really found their sound.

What a weird sounding band. I've only hear a a song or two by them before but the slower pace compared to my normal choices and the awesome bass lines in this album made it a fun listen.

Fresh for the year it was published. Similar songs that form a landscape, cozy but like a hotel you would never return.

Not bad.

Najbolje pjesme: 1. Radio Free Europe 2. Perfect Circle 3. Catapult 4. Talk About The Passion 5. Sitting Still

It was fine, nothing to write home about. The mix yt music built afterwards was nice tho

“Laughing” was incredible, but nothing really else impressive on this album.

A great record! It’s just hit after hit

it's alright. could see how this would be very popular when it came out. sounds pretty modern! don't think I need so many REM albums in this list tho.

Kósý og fín plata frá þeim. Mjög gott að hafa í bakgrunni og hlusta þótt það séu kannski engir slagarar á plötunni (ég kannaðist við Radio Free Europe en það er enginn rosalegur hittari). Þrátt fyrir það eru lögin bara góð og platan rennur ljúflega í gegn. Þessi fer aftur á fóninn og eflaust oft.

Although I´m familiar with R.E.M. I have never heared this whole album before. And surprisingly one can already find all of their genius on this debut but not in the later perfection. Favourite: "Radio Free Europe", "Pilgrimage", "Sitting Still"...

Classic. An important soundtrack for me to 8th grade through 9th grade.

Good stuff, plenty of the signs they would eventually become, I enjoyed this one a lot.

2,5

Just kinda boring. I try not to let my disdain for REM to color this review but ugh this was a slog. Laughing wound up being the only song I liked.

I’m not the biggest REM fan and this album didn’t convert me, but it was enjoyable enough and there are certainly worse albums on this list. It all gets kind of samey as it goes on

Never really got R.E.M. Their hits are great and fine to put on and feel like it's the 90s. But this album just seems like a worse version of what the Talking Heads were putting out. And Michael Stipe loves to say borderline offensive things about Asian people...

I can understand the impact and see how many bands took insperation. but I do not like the way the lead singer sings. there is something so whiny about his voice. while this is not something he ever says he feels like someone who is complaning that women dont want nice guys anymore

I love R.E.M. This album is a great debut from a truly great band. 4/5

Great opening album from these guys. Never actually gave it a proper listen before. I’ll be adding it to my vinyl collection soon!

Brings back SO MANY memories. Nostalgia aside.. it’s not their best but a preview of what they could be. My favorite band in the world for a while.

Being lucky enough to be in college when REM hit with this album They could never categorize them but you always knew a REM song One of the best bands of the 80s and an underrated live act

Radio Free Europe was the first song that made me take real notice all those years ago. This album was the first of a great progression. Been a fan ever since.

So freakin’ good. Poetic and weird. One of my favorite voices

This is like seeing a high school photo of one of your favorite grownup. You can really hear where REM started.

Combien reaction...

meh

Ok.

Very good. Very impressive for a debut album by a bunch of young’ins that were basically a college band. Radio Free Europe is a great song.

I mean, music doesn’t get more perfect than this. If R.E.M. quit after this they’d still be legends; the fact that I might like the follow-up even more is pretty astounding. Still, this and maybe Automatic are the 2 albums that feel the most fully realized as album long statements. And I prefer this to Automatic personally.

One thing that I appreciate about this project is that it is making me realize how much I like REM.

Still a good album, not quite as good as the other 3.7

p chill. but a lil too whiny to be worth a relisten for me

Surprisingly solid for a debut album. A lowkey, softer sound than their future work that feels to me like a precursor to grunge. I dig it.

So much nostalgia! Went down an REM rabbit hole yesterday, loved minute of it

Tame. And not in a good way imo. But Ill give them the benefit of doubt? 5/10.

Feels out of place and makes me feel out of place but not in a necessarily good way. 2.7/5

Like many of these albums, listening in the current time and trying to recall how peculiar this music was when it was released is difficult. R.E.M. have been influential to so many bands and artists over the years that it doesn't sound as wild as it did in 1983. Radio Free Europe still grabs me like it did back in the day, raw and furtive and somehow also with a floating feeling.

Чуть ли не два подряд альбома R.E.M. подряд на 1001 спустя о-очень долгое время, когда я слушал их последний раз - и я чувствую себя довольно странно по этому поводу. С одной стороны это не плохая музыка, отличные песни, но не трогает, как когда-то. Лучшая песня - Radio Free Europe.

bit samey, nothing stood out

Also torn between 3 and 4, but I have to admit to some catchiness of the tunes.

Hum.... hmmm... hummmmm... I think I liked it musically. Lyrically, I couldn't tell you a single word that was said. That about on par with my expectations based on the one other R.E.M. album I've heard. I think I just hear the lead singer's voice as a melody and not English of any variety. I might listen to this more. And, I think I might like it more if I listen to it more. But, for now I'm rating it at three stars for being interesting and for not disliking it, but I suspect I very well may want to raise it to four stars after two or three more spins. I just don't care enough to spin it more right now.

I think this album gets so much acclaim since it was at the forefront of this type of rock. At least to me this sounds ahead of its time for being released in 1983. Not my favorite R.E.M. album, but a solid listen and pretty good for a debut. 3.5.

A curious choice. Fairly average to my ears.

Found it pretty repetitive. It's not that I don't like it but eh.

I quite liked it, I was only familiar with R.E.Ms hits before, so it was cool to hear some songs of theirs that I hadn't heard before

There are few debut albums that prepare us for the future of rock better than this one did.

I loved this. It was the most ridiculously well timed listen too, given that I was on my last day of a trip to Seattle. I adore REM but never went this far back to listen so was grateful for this one

Further evidence that REM has always been over-rated. College rock sucks brah.

It was good

Meh 2.5/5

An album where all the songs start to sound the same.

not for me, thanks.

R.E.M. indeed; "Music to Sleep Through" would be an apt title. I have no nostalgic love for the group, and indeed haven't really liked much of what I have heard from them. This was simply a reinforcement of those opinions. Much of the same tip-tap drumming and strummy "feel goodness" melts through the entire LP and does absolutely nothing for me. Sounds like safe music for uninteresting suburbanites. Musicianship is competent. Stipe's vocals are interminable. All is meh. PS - listening to "We Walk" and "West of the Fields" ruined what little good will I had remaining for this album, *not good*

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.

first listen. typical REM album, pleasant to the ear but absolutely nothing stands out and leaves you wising it was heavier or there was more going on.

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.

A seismic shift in American rock and the brilliant debut of one of the best bands ever. I was not around to see it, but I think I'm well versed enough in rock music to know that there was very little that sounded like this before it. Stipe and company hit on several things missing in American rock music, at least popular rock music, at the time: Cerebral, cryptic lyrics. Restraint from excess. Delightful weirdness. The fact that R.E.M. is a southern American band makes them even more interesting I think. This is just about as far removed from Lynyrd Skynyrd and Molly Hatchet as you can get and while still calling it “rock”. It was so unique they had to call it something bizarre like “college rock”. R.E.M. would make better albums as single works later in their career, but other than Automatic For The People this was their most influential on music. Mills and Buck were brilliant from the start with the band’s arrangements, and Stipe already has that awkward confidence that makes him an all time great frontman. Favorite tracks are Radio Free Europe, Pilgrimage, Laughing, Talk About the Passion, Perfect Circle, and We Walk.

I would say I actively like REM, jangle pop, and adore indie music. But this album falls into the realm of being too proto-everything. The recording is incredibly muddy, the lyrics too mysterious and hard to hear, and songs often devolve into repeating the song title as a chorus. A start to an incredible band with great things ahead of them, but not a great listening experience for me.

Liked this way more than expected

Chimey guitar and Mandolin stylings, I think, were rare in '83. Not the best debut album but I think these guys are going places!

Even more than Kollaps this is _the_ most important album that no one ever heard. Just like Kollaps invented industrial music, Murmur invented college radio. Rem is one of those bands where there is a clear progression of quality in their music over each record they put out. By the end of the 80's they were the kings and everything they touched was gold. Unfortunately the 90s happened and I'm still not sure what happened to REM. I assume they are still touring and making tons of money. i was a huge fan of REM in the late 80s. I never owned murmur so I only heard it a few times before today. My best friend's older brother had it on tape, but we could only listen to his tapes when he wasn't around or he would beat us. Talk about the passion is still one of my favorite song by REM. Side note, i think its a bit ironic that spotify has all the lyrics. As i remember Stipe really didnt like people dissecting his lyrics to the point that they never had lyrics in the liner notes until 98's Up album. Of course by 98 i no longer cared about REM.

1001 Albums app is literally rifling through the 3-4 Case Logic tape carriers I had when I was a teenager and adding albums here. This album makes me feel so good every time I listen to it. I perfect debut from a band that only becomes more and more legendary as time goes on.

not really my jam tbh, i am not super big on jangly guitar stuff or his voice, it was v samey to me & despite reading some reviews to see what other ppl loved abt it i still dont get it sadly :( no faves bc i didnt like any of them sorry :(

R.E.M.'s debut album. Great basslines and driving drum beats, with guitars twinkling over Stipe's distinctive voice. Sparse verses with louder, busier choruses throughout. Lyrics are basically nonsense, but the melody laid down by the vocals are crucial to the cohesiveness of the tracks. Generally listenable and enjoyable. Musically could have been written yesterday, but mastering and recording gives away its age. I wouldn't be disappointed for someone to put this on at a dinner party, but I wouldn't ask for it myself.

I don’t care for R.E.M.

I really enjoyed this album. Somehow I missed REM back in the day. My loss! I think if I'd paid attention I would really have loved them. Oh well, now I like them a lot.

nicht meins

2024-03-09...

Very pleasant listen. Varied melodies, but some repetitive choruses. I understand that these guys invented a new sound which I happen to like a lot. The nonsense poetic lyrics remind me of Nirvana, which is definitely a positive. Not perfect, can get a bit tiresome, but still very solid.

Probably a 4.5 for me. Like this album a lot. Rescaling my grading from here out.

So far i like song 2, pilgrimage 4 is also ok, better than rush, better than eliminator

Not as polished as later releases, but a solid first effort. Lyrically distinct and strong. Songwriting is a bit homogenous and poppy compared to the signature style most identified with the band. We Walk was a standout and West Of The Fields is a great closing track for the album. The sound of the last track is the strongest foreshadowing of what R.E.M. would eventually become, IMO.

Really cozy! Feels like a movie soundtrack in a way. Really clicked with me for some reason. But songs can get a bit too repetitive like "we walk" for example. And the vocals throughout the album while good, are also quite unchanging. 3.5

great!

It's okay!

5 Goodies: radio free Europe. Perfect circle, catapult, we walk

Albumet var bra, visste inte att jag uppskattade REM! Favoritlåt från albumet var: Moral kiosk. Albumet får 4/5 stjärnor. Skön takt genom hela albumet och inte för långt!

Standout tracks: Pilgrimage, Perfect Circle (A+ song), Shaking Through. Was an enjoyable listen, and I can respect how bold they were in their style for a debut album. Overall, it was decent, but did not match expectations based on the acclaim this album has received since release.

The perfect REM album! Perfect Circle and Shaking Through are the standouts of all standouts

A great album by R.E.M. Listening to this expanded my understanding of the band to a greater capacity. I have always known them for their hits and to see this more raw and underground feel brings a depth to their work. My honest rating is 3.5 (3 because we can't do fractions with this UI) because I enjoyed a few tracks very much and it invoked a deep sense of nostagia but the rest of the songs weren't as lyrically strong nor as memorable. Some standout tracks are: "Radio Free Europe" "Talking About The Passion" "Perfect Circle" "9-9"

6/10 would listen again

Very good. Have always liked this band. Good sound and distinctive vocals. 👍👌

Strange lyrics that somehow work. Great guitar playing. Jangly in a good way. Lyrical layering; multiple voices. Uses the verse chorus verse setup to great effect with strong hooks on the choruses. Inventiveness abounds.

I've listened to a bunch of R.E.M.'s early catalogue since I grew up hearing hits from Automatic For The People, Monster, and Out Of Time, and not sure if I ever got all the way through Murmur. It strikes me how muscular the band sounds despite a skeleton trio of musicians, and how fully formed they feel for a debut. "Radio Free Europe" is a heck of an opening statement, and you can already hear the latent wistfulness to come on later releases on "Perfect Circle." As jangle pop acts go, I was surprised to see Murmur beat The Smiths to the punch in terms of the year it was released. Enjoyed this a lot.

I like some R.E.M. songs but this is a gonna be a no from me dog. Radio Free Europe is a good track and nothing is bad about it outright in production or playing but the songs themselves are pretty boring. Maybe it's because I was exposed to their greatest hits right off the back so I know they get better? Or maybe because Automatic for the People is IMO their best record and I heard that way earlier. This just isn't as risky or with any songs that hit as hard.

alright, I just listened to "It's the end of the world" for the millionth time xD

Gostei

Very good and very interesting as a record of where one of the biggest alternative bands started out. Radio free Europe is great, some of the rest is a bit filler, but I really enjoyed it

Strong launch, but they got better.

4.25

R.E.M.'s debut is exactly what I expected from the group, and even though it's exactly what you get from their later catalogue, it's still a lovely listen. Sitting Still is one I see myself looping often.

Great REM that I was not familiar with. I would definitely listen to this again.

Majestic pop. One of the finest albums of all time. Great debut album from R.E.M with the main highlights being Peter Buck's guitar.

muy bueno!

Perhaps too “early REM” / experimental for me

Solid album with some standout songs-gets a bit drone-y though

Rather just listen to talking heads

Tight

It was okay, although I sorta like this genre of music, I tend to find it pretty boring. The last 2 tracks were really good though🔥🔥

Very chill music. Lovely album that was unknown to me by R.E.M.

Very calm sounding album. I only listened to a few songs as I was quite occupied with other things. There’s a good amount of songs, but they do sound similar to each other.

Fine, relaxing background acoustic.

It was interesting

Enjoyable album. Not blown away by any of the songs in particular. Sounded much like the other R.E.M. songs I was previously familiar with.

Nice, cathy, cohesive album. Good to hear some of the non-radio hits from REM. Really holds up.

I guess the sound was innovative. No major bangers though.

Consistently pleasing album. I would not say it is magnificent, but it is really difficult to have such a high bottom line. Great listen. E.M.R.: 4/5

M'agraden moltíssim algunes cançons de REM, però penso que aquest disc (tot i que súper representatiu de l'estil de la banda) no té cap tema que destaqui per mi. Expected Lorenzo Rating: 4

This is hitting for me more than a lot of other alt-rock. It sounds to me like it's applying post-punk, new wave, and folk sounds to 60s and 70s rock songs structures, which is a cool combination. Its attitude compared to other alt-rock is less jagged fuzz and more blurry, if that makes sense. I was pretty shocked when I saw this was 1) R.E.M.'s first album and 2) released in 1983. It's a strong debut and sounds so ahead of it's time!

Rem. Not really interesting

yeah i guess its good

Radiohead 10 anos antes do Radiohead.

Didn’t love it, but it was alright.

I love R.E.M.

tem seu valor enquanto música de fundo, mas esperava mais profundidade... como diria meu amigo Ian: "nada particularmente me chamou atenção"

My first experience with a full REM album, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The instrument playing does come off a bit dated, seeing as many timbres and textures of popular 80s and early 90s bands ended up sounded very similar to this. However, speaking objectively and without regard to other musicians, this is some great stuff. Pulsating, atmospheric guitars, melodic basslines, a tight rhythm section, and solid vocals. Some forgettable tracks, and some really fun ones. Highlights: Talk About The Passion, West Of The Fields, Radio Free Europe 4/5

Amazing album

Close to 4

Not their best but enjoyable nevertheless. 3.5 from me.

got some bangers, few forgettable tracks but considering it’s their debut and how it was overall, great album

This is the 3rd REM albums I've gotten. Though this is their debut album. I can defiantly see how they must've inspired several bands that would emerge in the late 80s and early 90s. Sounds ahead of it's time. Though I did like the other 2 albums I've gotten by them better than this one

Debut album for REM, I know almost every song and really enjoy the style

Decent but i liked the other rem album better

I've never been a big fan of R.E.M. There was a time when they seemed to win Brits every year, regardless of whether they had released anything or not. This album hasn't really changed my mind on them. It was interesting to hear their earlier work, but nothing really grabbed me. Still in the "It's fine, I suppose" bracket.

Day40 - i’m sure this is only the first r.e.m. album that i’ve got and it’s a good one.

I like it! I don’t think this will be my favorite REM album by the time this list is done, but I had fun listening. 4/5

Ich kannte nur die Banger von REM, mag scheinbar aber auch die unbekannteren Tracks!:) Gleichzeitig wird mir das Album keine schlaflosen Nächte bescheren. Klassischer "Trede-Vote" mit 3 von 5.

- Wiedermal ein Debütalbum. Ich habe durchaus das Gefühl, dass der Autor der 1001 Albums durchaus auf Debüts abfährt. - Da mein Alter gefühlt einer der größten Fans von R.E.M. ist, dachte ich, würde ich nach 29 Jahren Musikinfusion durch ihn so ziemlich jede R.E.M. Platte kennen. So kann man sich täuschen. Papa, ich bin enttäuscht. Denn das Album ist echt cool! - Radio Free Europe kannte ich schon (arbeite grad an einem Serienkonzept zu dem gleichnamigen Sender in den 80ern). - Der Rest war mir gänzlich unbekannt. Mochte ich aber sehr gern. - Fand schon immer die Mischung aus Alternative Rock und so Folk Einflüssen bei R.E.M. echt cool. Dazu die unique Stimme von Michael Stipe. - Kein aufdringliches Album, eher zurückgenommen. Das macht es sehr angenehm durchzuhören. - Mein Song des Albums: Pilgrimage. Hat mich direkt richtig abgeholt. - Bemängeln kann man im Vergleich zu anderen R.E.M. Alben definitv die Abwesenheit der Hits. Und das ich die meisten Songs nach dem ersten Hören nicht so gut auseinanderhalten konnte. Zudem nimmts hintenraus bisschen ab. - Insgesamt schönes Ding Rating: 3,5/5

- Ich war nie großer R.E.M-Fan - Das beste, was ich über die sagen kann ist glaube ich, dass sie einen sehr charakteristisch und markanten Stil haben und den durchziehen. Finde die Hits von denen ganz geil. Leider ist keiner von denen auf dieser Platte - auch wenn mir ein paar Songs bekannt vorkamen. - grundsätzlich rundes Album aber hat mich wirklich unbeeindruckt gelassen 2,75/5

War noch nie wirklich großer R.E.M Fan. Klar Hits wie "Losing My Religion" oder "Everybody Hurts" sind bekannt und holen mich auch verhältnismäßig gut ab, aber das Album Murmur kam mir sehr eintönig vor. Dafür war es soweit ganz entspannt und als Hintergrundmusik bei der Arbeit in Ordnung.

When I put it on my mom mistaked it for the rock band from her church and commented that they were playing better than usual. That could give you an idea of the music, that it could be confused for modern day Christian folk rock played at every large church across the country. That's how bland and inoffensive it is. Sure it's a step above your standard Christian rock, but not that much different.

Not bad

Very good, different voice, but good

Not great, not terrible. 3/5

good poem music

i am a pretty big REM fan, especially their earlier stuff. this album, to me, is a vibe album. kinda off kilter, really catchy rock music, very smart lyrics. i just really enjoy diving into this one, even though it may not be their most consistent album. i particularly love songs like 'catapult' which is more indicative of their overall sound, and 'we walk' which has some unique instrumentation from them and a slightly more sinister sound. overall, perhaps not my favorite from them, but i do really love it regardless.

Classique, évidemment daté, disons plutôt représentatif d'une époque. Coup d'envoi impeccable d'une carrière sans trop de fausses notes. “Pilgrimage”, “We walk”, “Sitting still”, “Perfect circle”…

Wonderful record. Murky but clear.

REM - MURMUR - It grabs me with an immediacy and urgency. It is melodic, but not simplistic (e.g., there are occasional minor key turns that suggest a sense of menace). The album is pretty damn consistent too. The only dog is “West of the Fields”. The standout is “Radio Free Europe”, but (with the exception of Fields), the other songs are just about as good. While high quality and consistent, there isn’t much variety. The songs are not very distinct from one another. Nice clean sound - particularly love the guitar in “Pilgrimage”. The performances are very solid. They do nothing spectacular, but the songs don’t call for that.

revisiting this and checking the release date is so shocking. i think as my knowledge of alt rock history has developed over time, the more impressive an achievement like this comes across. and then the fact it's a debut.... kind of so good it's scary. fav is probably perfect circle!

I liked this album but probably will never listen to it again.

this is gonna be an album I can appreciate for now but maybe some day it will click more. I can appreciate what it was doing for the time, I like the instrument work, and definitely its soft, mossy, murky texture. I think it only goes so far for me though.

p505. 1983. 3.5 stars. Not their best work - see Automatic For The People for that - but this good stuff, jangly guitars and some cracking tunes let down by filler and obscure lyrics.

My favourit is Out Of Time!

I like R.E.M. Stand-out: Perfect Circle

This is my first R.E.M. album. I'm aware of their influence and some of their big songs, but that's about it. I feel like I owe this album at least one more listen, because it kind of washed right over me. There are moments of interesting instrumentation and turns of melody, but I have trouble understanding the lyrics and the mix is a little flat, so it starts to sound the same. I'm on the edge of really liking this, which is the same edge as leaving an album behind after a single listen. Highlights: Laughing, Moral Kiosk, Catapult, Shaking Through

Background noise

Meh

I am not as familiar with this one as I am others, but it certainly packs a punch. It is easy to see why they became the superstars they would be years later. A solid intro to a solid band. 8.8/10

RFE is such a great song - it carries the album and sets the tone. The rest is not nearly as good, but still enjoyable!

Enjoyed this more than I expected to. I like the steady bass guitar and vocals. Honestly wasn’t aware of how much I like REM. The lyrics are a bit repetitive but not in too much of an annoying way.

I’m digging this album. Some groovy beats and weird musical choices, then some classic rock sounds, but it kept me on my toes. This is an album that I can’t believe is 40 years old. It still feels so modern - or could at least be from the 2000s.

I honestly had to double check the date this album came out a few times. It really has a cool indie rock sound that it could have come out like 5-10 years ago. The “Michael Buble playing in the background of a coffee shop” award goes to REM. This a great album to just have on in the background of a 30-40 minute drive. I did enjoy it more than the three stars suggests but no real standouts to make it a four.

Couldn’t tell you a single song. Good mellow background music, but I felt that the vocals were washed out by the rest of the sound. Probably good to study or read with. I can’t dance to it, I can’t sing to it, I can’t wallow in my misery to it, I can’t party to it, and it doesn’t hype me up. So there’s a limited use case for me. After all, to me the entire album felt like a Murmur…

I listened to this album twice through with it being a weekend, so clearly I at least somewhat enjoyed it. The second listen was from beginning to end straight through and some of the songs started to blend together so I think that detracts from it a bit. R.E.M.’s influence on alternative rock is apparent even with it being their first album. You could tell me this was released in the 90s and I would believe it because it sounds like it fits right in. Easy listening, great background music. Best songs were Radio Free Europe, Laughing, and West Of The Fields. It’s gonna be a three for me.

https://youtu.be/UIyoNvInzCI?si=uf5dgaFuQfQbfPm8 I'm not sure why R.E.M. is as popular as they are. I guess they work for some folks, but I was mostly bored listening to this album.

One of the great debut albums Radio Free Europe is a brilliant opener Perfect Circle is the most mysteriously romantic song

Pretty good sounding, standard REM fodder. Would listen to again. Not much more to say about that. High 3

A good album, I liked Radio Free Europe the most.

It sounds exactly like I think of REM sounding like but a bit less refined. A solid debut to be sure. Review is a bit behind original listen

Not my favourite REM album

I only knew one R.E.M. song before this (Losing My Religion) and it probably should've stayed like that... this didn't blow me away

An essential pop masterpiece, fulfilling all of the promises from bands like Big Star, the Byrds and even the Raspberries. There's no disputing that not only is this easily one of my top ten favorite albums, it's one of the albums that mark my life, a game changer on so many levels. No one could understand a fucking word Michael Stipe was singing because it didn't matter. We wanted to live inside those songs, to talk about the passion and see what a moral kiosk is to four young men from Athens, Georgia. It was all part of the magic. Yes, I know they released an equally great EP before this, but for my money, this is the best debut album ever.

Another extremely familiar listening suggestion. I had rather hoped to be introduced to some material I might have overlooked and was not that familiar with. On the plus side this project has prompted me to take a renewed interest in my listening and the quality of the sources I choose to listen from. Amazon Music Unlimited coupled with the recently revamped HEOS user interface has provided a greatly improved experience as well as some minor frustrations. An album that has not been completely remastered into UHD can be somewhat distracting.

Oh happy day! Any day I listen to REM is a fine one. Without REM do we get to Radiohead? Do we get further on down the road of indie rock? I honestly don’t know but I do know that the jangly guitar and Michael Stopes’ lyrics and yawping vocals totally work to set you into an “I’m 20 ish and waking up to opinions about a world larger than myself” flight of energy and that “singing out loud in the car” feel. It’s accessible but complex, angsty but listenable, ironic but not exclusionary and I LOVE IT!

listened to 30/01/24 at midnight

Pleasant enough. I quite like Stipe's voice, but I have no idea what he was on about. "Cryptic lyrics, jangly guitar and melodic basslines" isn't really my thing. It would have worked better shifting up a gear or two in places.

An album that sounds like it was recorded in 1986, and not 1983. These minor timeframes make a difference when they are your formative years. It sounds like a proper album - a body of work with each song relying on each other. Songs such as Radio Free Europe come across as being a bit jointed on a Greatest Hits. I enjoyed sitting down and listening to this, start to finish the way it should be. Blimey, there's a bit of funk in that bass. A half decent debut.

This album has some great songs, and some real filler. I like REM, and this has hints of their later greatness, but it's never been my favorite of theirs.

Love this

Liked the other R.E.M album more. Didn't hate this, but Green had an energy this album lacks in my opinion.

Solidly normal good ish stuff, I just don’t think they were trying to say anything of substance?

This was really good. It’s REM but this was more early era. I thought it was excellent.

While I believe I liked the other REM album a little more, this was still great. I should have given these a listen a long time ago.

fino, chill 3.5

Kao chill al nekak dosadno, 4-5 puta sam ga puštao i samo zaboravio da slušam išta lol

chill rock music

geht so, spätere alben sind viel besser

I enjoyed this album.

I know everybody hurts, but most of this album is the reason for that. A lot of the songs sounded and felt the same in a lot of ways

I liked this album and it sent me down a fun Spotify rabbit hole for the day

This album was right up my ally. Can’t believe this is an 80s album

Murmur is a solid alt rock album that reminds me of college radio. "Radio Free Europe" is still a great song and one of R.E.M.'s best. Overall, a wonderful album.

The sound was probably fresh when it came out but it felt monotonous. Still a fun listen

REM hit before I was old enough to get it. I feel in love later during the Monster years. This record is good, but it feels "proto". They haven't settled in their sound yet and everything is a little raw. Less polished.

This is just a perfect album, not a single weak track. Not much to say about it other than it being one of the most stupendous debuts of all time, and its reputation only growing. If I had one caveat - only one - it's that the production is a little basic. The drum sound on tracks like Radio Free Europe is a little tinny. But really, it's nitpicking. Five stars.

Oikein kiva kontrasti mumisevasta (jep) ja siksi synkähkön oloisesta laulusta ja jopa iloisesta vaikka mollissa kulkevista melodioista. Aika tasainen massa biisejä kuitenkin, mikään ei nouse kovasti esille. Kolmannella kuuntelulla olisi voinut jaksaa keskittyä sanoihin, niistä olis voinut saada enemmän irti jo heti.

Aina välillä massasta erottuu jotain kuulemisen arvoista (avausbiisi, Perfect Circle, kaksi viimeistä..), mutta kokonaisuudessaan tämä puksuttaa raiteillaan turhan tasaisesti, ja kyllä, meinasin nukahtaa ensimmäisen puoliskon loppupäässä. Olisiko tämä ollut avain heidän visioonsa?

Definitely didn't know REM started in the 80s. This a really cool album, I can hear its impact in a lot of the alternative rock I like today. It's definitely ahead of its time, but in some moments, it does sound like its time; the vocals get buried but it's still very fun.

listening to early REM is almost too painful, their fall was so precipitous and so absolute

This was not the same whiney BS that Green was. It didn't sound like the lead singer was wailing his voice into the abyss but instead it sounded like some fake edgy guy who grew up as the black sheep in his small suburban town finally went to college and is playing his acoustic guitar on the quad for chicks trying to paint himself as a misunderstood, lost soul. I hate that it moves the needle for me but sadly I'll have to give it one more star.

Full of absolute bangers. I don't listen to R.E.M. often enough.

4/5 Classic Classic rock, pretty easy to listen to each song and f ull of classics

when i first listened to this album i was angry. i packed my angry eyes; just incase. i was listening to the beethoven 9 scherzo and living every note. i was bartending with great rage and stocking with furious anger. and the fentimans sparkling did know that i am the lord. now im listening with the peace and breezyness which this album was wrought with. and its really steady. i know it was revolutionary for the time and i dont care. cam always says that certain albums are "alright" and i always snap back with a belligerent and beethovian intensity, how can music be okay? it is good or it is not! and i will only listen to it again if it is good! but this is the closest thing i have gotten to understanding that an album can be like this. its okay. i dont think ill pick this up again often but the want may creep up on me once or twice in my life and it will be a pleasant surprise to me. now i need a classic cam metaphor as a closer. damn this is hard. "this album is like switzerland. its very neutral most of the time, but contains distinctive sweet treats." something like that idfk

Gotta love a band from Athens, Georgia! Great listen. Brought back lots of memories.

Absolute classic from one of my all-time favorite bands

1. radio free europe - 0 2. pilgrimage - 1 3. laughing - 0 4. talk about pazzion - 0 5. moral kiozk - 1 6. perfect circle - 1 7. catapult - 0 8. zitting ztill - 1 9. 9 - 9 - 1 10. zhaking through - 0 11. uue uualk - 1 12. uuezt of the fieldz - 0

Such a classic album

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Cool baselines, great melodies...always liked Stipe as a front man. A cool 80's alt-rock album.

I like REM, never listen to this before. Enjoyable listen, will keep in rotation

I like the instruments and structures of their songs, but I'm not a big fan of the main singer's voice. 2 songs I like from R.E.M are actually not from this album (Find the River and Half a World Away)

It didn't like me. Probably is a good album for others. It's not bad but it doesn't move me.

Groundbreaking record.

Good album by rem and has that classic sound you would get from the bands best songs

Good album, not great. Enjoyed it as I have never heard it all the way through.

It wasn't bad some songs I liked then some songs not sure on. But it was quite relaxing in ways

Hated it. Hated it then, hate it now.easily the worse album so far and we've had kraftwerk !!!

No bad songs in particular, but it all started to sound the same after a while, a very 'safe' album in my opinion, and I love the indie genre. Not their best album either.

Mixed feelings on this one, I'd like one song and hate the next. My favourites were Moral Kiosk and We Walk.

Honestly weirdly enjoyed it 😅. F.song : Laughing

never really got into R.E.M. before but this album was delightful! I loved it 9/10

Perfectly listenable album that has a very late 80s sound, surprisingly it's from 83. No huge standouts and I don't think there's any of their hits here (admittedly not an REM expert) so it falls a little short of expectations.

Just the same song over and over

Boy, now don't **this** make me kick my own ass for not listening to more R.E.M.? Gawddamn. Document used to be my favorite, but now it's this, and I'm gonna look back at this four I'm giving it and I'm really gonna wish I gave it a five, dang it.

An excellent debut.

I think based on what I knew about R.E.M., I was expecting something more akin to their big hits – in terms of the soundscape, it absolutely delivered, and for a debut album, I think it perfectly sets up the framework for all of their future records. They stick to it perfectly, and I think the vocal performance on each track suits every single track. Lyrically, I was just desperate for more substance. It isn’t gonna drag the album down for me that much, but after Berlin, I'm just kinda underwhelmed. I think I have to give this a 4, but it doesn’t really feel that way to me, just because I couldn’t get past the lyrics thing, I couldn’t enjoy it as much as say, the Yes album or OK Computer, but I definitely enjoyed it more than Neil Young & Run D.M.C. It’s like a 3.6, I guess.

Solid album. I never cared for this band when I was in school. Now they remind me of different times with a bit of nostalgia. I am able to appreciate what a great band they were.

Good album. Easy listening. Takes me back to the 90's. Curious choice of album for this band - I feel like they have bigger hits on other albums.

Didn't get into it. I wasn't paying full attention, but I can't remember any of the songs. Not REM's best work for me.

I thought I liked REM more than this but it was so forgettable. Just plain audio porridge.

boring

VERY close to 5 ⭐️but not quite although i very much enjoyed this album :D

fine, doesn't thrill me 2.9

Better than the first album of theirs I got. Extremely boring, but distinct '90s' sound even though it came out in 1983, so probably pioneering in some ways. 2.6.

I do really enjoy R.E.M. This is probably the worst one yet for them but boy what an album it was. The vocals were solid throughout with that iconic guitar sound in practically every single song. To pair with this it has that eerie album cover, I can dig this.

I had forgotten about this album. Some hits that are now stuck in my head (again)

3/5

I like REM but prefer their later work which seems to have a bit more depth.

Did not enjoy, found it repetitive

Definitely ahead of its time and you can hear how this inspired bands like the Replacements and Uncle Tupelo. I wish I found more of the songs catchy or very memorable. A few good ones but I wouldn’t consider this a “no-skipper” myself

I think back when it could of been cutting edge...but I found it mundane.

R.E.M.'s 1983 album "Murmur" is often heralded as a seminal work in the alternative rock genre, but upon initial listening, I found myself not entirely in the headspace to appreciate its significance. The album's jangly guitars, enigmatic lyrics, and Michael Stipe's distinctive vocal style create a sonic landscape that requires a more attentive ear. While I tried to acknowledge its influence and recognise its place as one of the "1001 Albums To Hear Before You Die," I couldn't immediately connect with it. Perhaps a revisit is in order, as the intricacies and subtleties of "Murmur" may reveal themselves more fully with a fresher perspective. Sometimes, certain albums demand a second listen to truly grasp their impact, and "Murmur" seems to fall into that category for me.

Love Michael Stipe's voice. Forgot about this album

Pretty good... closer to my preferred genre, but not spot on...

All REM sounds the same

Like really really well made toast

Not a big REM guy

Empieza a sonar una cancion despues de 40 minutos que digo ostia esta si esta guapa. Habia terminado el album y estaba sonando otro.

Can see how it was very influential, definitely ahead of its time. Not my flavor.

I have never heard of R.E.M. before so listening to this album made me excited to explore something different. And it did not disappoint! I liked all of the songs; some even made me start dancing along and mouthing the words. My favorites were: Radio Free Europe, Pilgrimage, and We Walk. I will definitely listen again and may even explore more of R.E.M.’s music!

Always liked REM. Have Document, Automatic… and Up. Don’t have any history with this one though. Passion transported me back to summer ‘91 with that guitar sound. Like an aural episode of Pete & Pete. Overall a good debut but not as good as REM gets. No real hooks or bops. Songs added to Spotify: 1

Always been a casual REM fan so I enjoyed this one enough, but it didn't resonate in any way (aside from Radio Free Europe, which I've always liked). Definitely felt a little repetitive, sonically.

It's what I expected a full REM album to sound like. Not bad, but nothing sonically that grabbed me and made me want to listen again.

Already love this album, as an REM fan.

Very nostalgic and low key easy listening

real chill might add this to my productivity playlists, don't need to focus too hard to enjoy it