Reviews (page 10 of 13)
It’s was alright. Just didn’t spark any joy for me
Far from outstanding but not bad
Good background tunes - all sounds very similar - no songs I knew to anchor the album. Would need to listen to again with headphones.
I wanted the other REM album, but still solid
Laughing is really good. Good album but songs all sound very similar
pretty good, i quite liked most of the songs kind of nothing special to be honest would listen to it in its entirety again
I don't know. It's nice. But I wouldn't recommend listening for someone that doesn't get R.E.M.
R.E.M at their most college rock and most boring, radio free europe is still fun but the rest of the album was eh
Ok
It was ok, not really my style.
Es un meh, no es la gran cosa para ser R.E.M.
Interesting to hear more from REM than "Losing my Religion". Okay music, but not very memorable.
just very nice-sounding. i wanted to rate it a bit higher but i just kept zoning out and forgetting to properly listen to the songs, so it wasn't as captivating as i wanted it to be. i knew i quite liked r.e.m. from what i'd listened to before, but i couldn't have sung a song of theirs off the top of my head so i wasn't exactly sure what to expect. it definitely wasn't this genre, but i still quite liked it overall.
A few songs stood out to me, but it wasnt anything too special. Overall decent listen.
Robust musicality, featuring impressive vocals and intricate guitar work, solidifies its position as a standout of Post Punk Indie Rock
Easy to listen to. It's hard to unremember the SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE REM that wouldn't stop for years. But, this first album of theirs is Radio Free decent.
Better than I’ll probably give credit to
L'album était cool à écouter en voiture, mais il n'a rien d'original je trouve. La première musique m'a fait rire car quand ils disent "push that push that" j'entends "peuchère peuchère" 😂
Sympa mais pas transcendant. Type d'album qui serait encore mieux en live.
not my jam :(
Not the best
I try to like them. I just don’t. I can mesh with a few of these songs, but their style is just choppy and lacks the rhythm.
Hey, I've been practicing an REM song. Everybody Hurts. It's not a hard song. The only technical part it has is the "Don't throw your hand, oh no" part. Never heard this album before. REM was one of those bands for me that defined the grunge era. There's just a certain sound to them that reminds me of when I was coming into my awareness of music and discovering my own tastes. And to clarify, it's specifically the voice. 3 stars
Debut album from a small up-and-coming band from a sleepy college town the the south, I see big things from them...
Not my go to genre but somewhat enjoyable for some songs. Pretty impressive for a debut album but nonetheless it still wasn't my ideal cup of tea. Songs seemed thrown together for some but the ones that stood out for me were Talk about the passion, We walk and West of the fields. Average album, average score. 2.5/5
I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. Great sound, timeless.
Decent, didn't move me that much
Laughing is first to get Playlist treatment. Moral Kiosk has also been playlisted.
1. Radio Free Europe - this one was ok 2. Pilgrimage - didn’t really care for this one 3. Laughing - didn’t mind the sound of this one. 4. Talk About the Passion - just ok 5. Moral Kiosk - this one is a little more interesting 6. Perfect Circle - 7. Catapult - 8. Sitting Still - 9. 9-9 - 10. Shaking Through - 11. We Walk - 12. West of the Fields - Overall, I didn’t mind this album, definitely very consistent and listenable but it didn’t really wow me though. The singing style gets a little tiring since it’s a little monotone for me.
I've tried listening to REM albums a few times, and they are generally well-crafted with their own recognisable sound. However, they are also drearily forgettable. I guess if this album had any emotional impact, it's something like "generalised listlessness". I can see how this would be a powerful time capsule album, if this was like the soundtrack to your adolescence. But who spent their adolescence listening to toothlessly slow-motion indie? What's annoying me is that I actually like the vocals, the songwriting, and lots of the sound - but it's so lukewarm in delivery that I'll forget all these songs by tomorrow. 3*
Fine music. Very average. Don’t like the whiny voice. Sounds like he needs to take a yuge dump.
I lost my religion listening to this.
This album makes me feel nothing. It's decent
Not bad, it was alright. Piano was fun.
It's REM. Not much to say otherwise. 3/5.
god this is making me feel like a dad
you can find some hooks in it
There's 4 REM records on the list. That's too many. I like this record, but it's not their best by far. Not the worst by far either. But I don't think this should have been on the list. Sounds like a British new wave record with an American singer. Favorite song: Pilgrimage.
Some real good songs on there! Radio Free Europe, Catapult stood out.
Solid rem album. A roadtrip anthem for sure. Little soft and sounds samey throughout but good.
No particular song caught my attention.
It's nowhere near my favorite R.E.M album, but it's still R.E.M, and that's enough.
I like the album a lot, but wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it. We walk may have been my favorite track.
Seems like Radiohead got quite a bit of inspiration from REM. Its not bad, its quite alright, some songs are very musically pleasant to listen to, some not so much, some lyrics are nonsensical and just make their respective song sound like filler.
It took me a little while to get into it, but it was nice.
Average
6/10. Surprisingly liked some later tracks, but not for me.
Surprised that I didn't recognize any of the songs off this album. "Sounds like R.E.M." is my feeling, and realizing it's from 1983 makes it more interesting - since it could totally be released today and you wouldn't know it was 40 years old.
An enjoyable listen even though this isnt my thing either. BIG sound, very well recorded.
Fav: We Walk
Pretty standard alt rock, nothing special. 6/10 decent.
Entertaining enough to listen to. Good rhythm guitar work. Didn't recognize any of the songs.
Very nice sound. I like that the guitar leaves a lot of room for the bass. The guitar itself is also lovely.
This was a good listen. More subdued than later R.E.M. They seem to never go back to this style of american folk rock and alternative blend.
good, sweet, fine
R.E.M. Lowkey alt rock. I do like it but not a lot sticks. Not very eventful.
Generally speaking, I enjoyed this album! I had never heard R.E.M.'s debut studio album before, so I was quite surprised to hear a very clear inspiration for modern indie rock sounds here, way back in 1983. As a fan of 2000s+ indie rock, it's no surprise I found some enjoyment here. R.E.M. would definitely go on to do better things, in my opinion, and some of the rhythms did seem to get repetitive here, but still, the very blatant indie inspiration was probably the most apparent to me here.
Rock alternativo de R.E.M. No me ha hecho mucho... Un 3.
Huske kje så masse fra da, men såg da hadde fått jævlig bra reviews i følge wikipedia
Never been a big Stipend but the first half of this record had me rethinking! Lovely easy-going alt rock tracks with a nice little sprinkle of existential unease. Then I'm not sure what happened, but my interest really dropped off in the second half. Might give it another run in future to settle the score. Three and a half. Fave track: Laughing
Very reflective of the era it came out in. Joni Mitchell is one of great lyricists of all time and this shows here. Soul searching and soothing.
I really liked some of the songs. Had a hard time distinguishing one from another at some points. Its definitely mind-blowing to think this was released early in the 80s. REM influence on indie rock is insane.
I enjoyed this record. Never really listened to R.E.M much, but really dig the production on this, and there are some good jangly tunes here. Honestly, the production sounds amazing for 1983 to my ears. Some of it did wash over me a little bit, but I suspect it'll improve with further listens. Favourite tracks: Radio Free Europe, Laughing, West of the Fields.
They become better but this one is just ok
A good debut
Fun, simple catchy songwriting. highlights: Catapult, Shaking Through, We Walk
Very REM. No particularly memorable tunes.
Half snoozy, half catchy. Pilgrimage is a fun track.
2,75
It’s a strong debut album, I just found it hard to get really into. The guitars are interesting, Shaking Through was was favourite track on it, Radio Free Europe was strong as well. It just never fully drew me in, just kinda consistent all the way thru but nothing blew me away. Edit: gave it another listen and it may be a grower, for now 3 stars
Never knew REM (stipe) was known for unintelligible lyrics. Radio Free Europe and Talk About The Passion were the singles. Not what I was expecting - probably wouldn’t have known this was R.E.M on first listen.
nao o melhor deles
The pioneers of indie rock. Am not necessarily a fan of theirs but their influence on the genre cannot be ignored
I also kinda like it, still I'm not saving any songs to my playlist. It was ok.
Not as good as I was expecting...
Standout: Radio Free Europe Others: Talk About the Passion 3.5/5
OK, didn't pull me
Pretty nice debut by this iconic band! The vocals are definitely a well discussed weaker point, but Michael would work on that for upcoming releases. I have never been a big R.E.M. fan, and I'm not sure if I'll ever be. But I recognise their significance in music and applaud them for their great body of work, look forward to diving in their other releases though! 7 out of 10
3 stars
I like Rem but meh for me
decent album for the time
Invloedrijk, en dat is duidelijk hoorbaar. Maar niet geweldig.
Mid REM
I expected this to be better. I liked the R.E.M. songs and albums of the 90s that I grew up on but I never dug into the past catalog. I found it to be okay but not compelling.
Never really liked REM, and that didn't exactly win me over.
REM distinct sound. Original for the time. Every song instantly recognizable as REM. Boring as all fuck.
This had a good sound, but didn't grab me like some of their later albums.
has peaks, but overall kinda boring rock/punk. 6.5/10
3.4 Really can hear the Echo and the Bunnymen and Killing Joke influences here it's so cool to see their sound develop too faves: radio free europe, 9-9
I adore REM but this album is not amazing. Bring on Automatic For The People.
A fairly good debut by a band that I think is highly overrated. Other than Radio Free Europe nothing really stands out to me.
This album was fine, but that's about it. It was nice jangly background music for me to work to, but I know REM has much better work that this. I didn't hate it, but I didn't really feel anything at all. I'm guessing this was pretty influential on lots of indie rock I find boring too. "Talk About the Passion" was a favorite for me.
It’s kind of shocking how much cooler R.E.M was in the early 80’s than they ended up being in their 90’s commercial heyday.
Say what?
R.E.M. is one of those band that I never understood their fame. It's nothing bad, but also nothing incredible that sticks with you.
I don't get why this album is legendary, but it really seems to be. It's nice, but also very samey all the way through. I don't know... maybe 3 stars?
I'd like to rate it higher but it needed a bit more variety and energy.
It’s was good, appreciated the drive home from work listening to this one.
It def had that 80s ambient music going for it. Good background music for a walk
never found REM particularly interesting
Genres: Jangle pop, alternative rock, post-punk, folk rock, garage rock Formed: Athens, Georgia in 1980 Run time: 12 songs, 44 min, 12 sec R.E.M.’s debut album. After playing this album it is clear that R.E.M. had already found their sound. The most popular song is track 1, “Radio Free Europe” with 17.5M plays on Spotify. Track 4, “Talk About The Passion” 6M plays. Apart from track 12, “West Of The Fields” with over 880k plays, everything else has 1-3M plays. It’s unmistakably R.E.M., but there's no hint of the great songs they would go on to make. To be fair, some of the lyrics are utter nonsense. It sounds OK but when you listen to the words it’s like it was produced by a random word generator. Listen Again?: No My Rating: ***
I'm not a huge REM fan, their music is too flat and repetitive for me. This album has some decent songs, but nothing spectacular
Unquestionably samey with eventually grating vocal and tonal- remarkably dated guitar chaos at points- yet ultimately comforting and somehow nostalgic soundscape of soaring BVs and vaguely political musings
i need something to wow me to get this past 3 stars its pretty good and i think i will like it as it goes on always has some interesting guitar work the first half of the album was somewhat underwhelming the second half didnt get much better but was better but i will have to keep at 3 stars i think maybe i should listen to more rem to get a better feel for it
Brüh.
It’s a good album, but I was a bit bored by it
норм, все приятно и софтово под дорогу пойдет сильно алкоальбом: ирландский кофе
Лууууузиииин маааай релижон... эта песня в какой-то момент засела у меня в голове благодаря КВНу. Только я забыл какая это была команда... Но сейчас речь не об этом, здесь - дебютник. Который нууу... скажем так, сильно отличается от образа, который представлялся мне по их песням в 2000х. Не знаю почему, но альбом как-то совсем пролетел мимо меня, оставив за собой только дебютный сингл Radio Free Europe. Первый блин не комом, получается.
Meh. Is pretty much how I feel about REM all the time.
I was surprised by how little and impression this album left. I like R.E.M. a lot, so many of their songs are great and memorable, but this album was just okay.
Your typical 80s rock. Im not sure why this album of rem is chosen and not out of time, but it is a fine album. I would describe it as 'just good'.
I think I have to come back to this sometime. I was distracted while listening and realized only when it ended that I kinda dug it, but didn’t register any reasons whatsoever. And I didn’t recognize any songs from previous experience
Interesting intro track, I can tell that this is early REM because their sound is definitely different from their huge hits sound, like Losing My Religion, Everybody Hurts, etc. There's so much 80's charm in this, with the side-to-side dancing drumbeat in "Moral Kiosk" and the super wide reverbed snare in "Perfect Circle". Really interesting album cover. It's almost like a metal cover with all these weeping dark trees~~ I liked this but admittedly R.E.M. is a band that I really listen to for their hits / their more developed sound and I didn't really connect with this too much. Not bad music at all though so it's a 3 for me.
A bit like the cure debut we had ages ago, this must have been an impressively different album when it was released but in terms of REM's career it's a bit meh, and it's bit of a meh career anyway. Nice enough, 2 would be harsh but its all very REM-y with no standouts
I'm not a big R.E.M. fan and this album didn't do much for me. I think the thing that puts me off most is the singing, find whiny and hard to understand. Was okay as background music but definitely won't listen to this again. Highlights: Radio Free Express Pilgrimage Talk About The Passion
Still a great sound. Really fun to listen to. Lacking the hit power of later work
Not a big soft rock guy
Definitely very white college radio vibes. Not my thing but not terrible.
Another REM album. Not bad to play in the background but nothing much sticks out to me apart from Radio Free Europe
Murmur is the debut album by American alternative rock band R.E.M. This album was critically acclaimed at release for its new, interesting sound, which was a combination of the cryptic lyrics, jangle pop guitar work, and the mesmerizing basslines. There's a mix of genres on this album, including but not limited to: alt rock, post-punk, jangle pop, folk rock, and garage rock. Although critically the album was a success, it was a slow start for the sales coming in, and Murmur was only certified gold in the US 8 years later in 1991. Retrospectively, critics still laud this album and it continually tops best-of and/or must-have album lists. I've been hearing about R.E.M.'s influence on alternative rock for a while now so it's nice to finally listen to an album by them - especially their debut. I enjoyed the murky, mysterious rock/pop sound and the perplexing lyrics from the band. It's not the most amazing album to me, but I still believe it is a great album that everyone should give a listen to.
Exactly as you'd expect from REM.
Solid album - especially for a debut album. REM was a welcomed deviation from a lot of stuff at the time. They definitely had a unique, more "thoughtful" sound. Still, this isn't quite yet the whiny REM that I came to really enjoy. Really good though. Catapult was a stand-out track for me.
A great debut album that already has all the earmarks of REM's distinctive sound - just not as memorable as some of their other albums
I was excited with R.E.M. came up but this album was a bit underwhelming for me. It doesn't really stand up to other R.E.M. music IMO. It wasn't bad, but left some to be desired.
If you’re a die hard R.E.M. fan I’m sure this is well-liked. It’s their standard sound. I didn’t find it all that exciting/thrilling, and generally like their later stuff better. But I can appreciate this is the album that set their course in the music industry and I still liked it.
Enjoyed while listening, not sure if this is something I’ll come back to
banco 7/10
Of all the albums I’ve listened to, this is one of them. Honestly not a bad first swing out from a band who’s widely considered the founding alt rock group. Not their best record, but there’s not a lot to really complain about here. I always like major keys and poppy bass lines. Maybe it’s not challenging, but it’s fun to hang out with.
Revered Enigmatic Mediocrity.
Good debut album. Not really into R.E.M. though.
It's an ok album.
Didn't know there was an REM album without a radio hit on it. This felt early and like he was trying to imitate another sound. Still worth a listen.
The beginnings of a great band, but not a great album
Un poco rollo. Un 3, por ser REM.
Solid
It's fine. Good musicianship and unique sound for its time. Not my cup of Tea.
I've heard of this band before, but don't know any of their songs. This is Dad rock through and through. This is the type of music that people who say "modern music isn't as good as it was back in the day" would listen to. It's ok I guess, but I am already tired of the lead singer's voice halfway through the first song. I can see the musical significance and merit in this album, but I'm not vibing with it. It's pretty boring tbh. Like a low 3/5 for me
pretty boring honestly. not really bad enough for two stars, but definitely a snoozefest
Pretty good album overall
Some cool moments. Nice basslines. But too many jangle-pop vibes overall for my liking.
Again, it’s not bad. I’m just never going to seek it out on my own.
Never been much of an REM fan but decent album.
I liked 9-9, and one more of the later tracks I can't remember the name
Some great music.
Ah fine - college rock or something. Later albums are more mature and the songs have more distinction but this is youthful and fun.
The most New Wavy sounding REM album
This could have been worse. I’m not a huge R.E.M. fan to put it mildly. Nowadays I only like Night Swimming even a tiny bit, of all the songs I know. This debut is more an American take on New Wave, than subsequent work. It’s just that the production sucks.
Aburrido
Lame, but in a cool way. 3/5
Seminal jangle pop record. If jangle pop meant more to me I'm sure this album would too.
Perfect Circle. I like it. Apparently not a popular opinion. It must be a very influential album, because the sound has been recycled and bastardized quite a bit over the years.
Not my favorite REM album. The REM lyrical formula where they string together some unrelated phrases to simulate depth of thought is pronounced on this one. It’s fine, though. Way better than Dexy’s Midnight Runners.
7/10 probably groundbreaking for its time, sounds okay but I can respect the experimentalism.
Hmmm... Mulla ei kyllä oo mitään REM:iä vastaan. En oikeen saa yhteyttä muodostettua tänään, ehk muutaman muun levyn kohdalla se on helpompaa, tosin ihan hittilevyjäkään ei jaksa. Neutraali levy toistaiseksi — luultavasti vaatii lisäkuuntelua. Yltäköön toistaiseksi kolmoseen. 3/5
Ihan jees ysärirockia. 3/5 varma
good solid album. has that early 80s feel but without all the extra fluff. some very thoughtful moments lyrics-wise. great instrumentation throughout, not repetitive.
Early REM. Wow! I've only heard the hits before now. I can tell it's early stuff and for 1983 they were groundbreaking. This almost sounds New Wave. Even so it doesn't really do it for me. There's no 'hook'.
It's a solid album but not really for me. No real standout songs or anything I particularly care to listen to again.
Enjoyable listen. Some songs kinda sound the same, but I can't say I didn't expect that.
This was enjoyable listen. I was never a big fan in part because I felt most of the songs sounded similar. Nothing in this album changed my mind.
I enjoyed the songs and the lyrics and vocalist. By the end, though all the songs sounded the same.
I'd forgotten that R.E.M. was even around back in '83. This is a decent debut, but not quite up to the standard they'd eventually set.
Not an overly great REM record, but it does have long time favourite of mine, "Radio Free Europe" on it, so that's something.
ok
RumRumRem
the beginning of a thousand vibrato bleatings
first listen bright poppy sound, kinda all the same though
fine but also immediately forgettable
It was ok
Early REM, it's recognisably them but doesn't have the same vibe as their later stuff. Leans heavily into the indie side of things. Not bad, some of it is catchy enough, but very samey, no real standout tracks and nothing on the level of their later output. 3/5.
Just scraped a 3*
Generous 3
This was alright, and it was interesting to hear R.E.M.'s origins, but it wasn't super notable to me. His voice hasn't really developed into what it's recognizable for, and it makes it stand out less. There's some good songs on here, but also some that don't stand out. Basically one step forward one step back the whole time. Still good, just hoping for more from later R.E.M. albums.
I agree with the 3.5 rating of my teammate. Since he gave a 4, I will give a 3 for balance.
Mostly unremarkable jangle pop to me except for track 1, Radio Free Europe.
Its not really speciall in any way, its a mellow sounding album that doesnt do a lot
Kind of boring. GU
Not one of their best imo. Still okay!
Rentoa ja kevyttä rokkia. Ihan ok
This was unfamiliar REM for me. I like their later stuff more.
The murmurings of something great about to happen, but not quite there yet.
Heerlijke zangstem, maar de liedjes vind ik niet heel bijzonder. ***
You can hear a bit of what R.E.M. would become here, but this debut album feels like it blends into the 90s alternative sound and doesn't offer anything too unique. I know what the band is capable of so a bit let down by this one, but it was alright for what it was.
It sounds pretty good, but I don't really like the style
3.7 - Here's another "agree to disagree" R.E.M record for me. I've listened to it 7 or 8 times, letting it marinate and trying to catch the buzz ("10" on Pitchfork?!). Instrumentally it's exceptional. I love the lean but effective rhythms and the panoply of colorful guitar sounds. My one big gripe is that Michael Stipe isn't bringing enough lyrically or vocally for me. His moaning and mumbling convey emotion but the lyrics are seemingly gobbledygook (e.g. "Put your hair back, we get to leave/Eleven gallows on your sleeve..."). I'm reminded of the Italian song "Prisencolinensinainciusol" that's all gibberish lyrics meant to sound like an American rock song - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VsmF9m_Nt8
Seems kinda boring compared to rest of their albums but still good
Not super exciting but still nice music
Pretty standard indie rock but the overall of the album feels good and well done. Nothing special but for a debut album you want to hear more. 3/5
I've never been much of a fan. Just liked their hits but never bought an album. This one hasn't changed my mind much. They are talented musicians and songwriters, that's not lost on me.
Har aldrig riktigt förstått hypen för rem men detta är mitt favorit album av dem och det var lite bättre än ja kom ihåg
De va nog swag men ja tror int ja lyssnar åter
Sångaren är tråkig, resten e helt bra.
An interesting early effort from the band which I had not heard before. Challenges typical R.E.M. expectations both melodically and instrumentally, especially with Stipe exploring different vocal ranges and intonations well beyond his trademark tenor.
The album is overall a solid listen but nothing really stood out to me, aside from the bigger hits. 3.5
Decent album. Not a huge 80s rock fan, but I feel like they did this jangly pop style very well that didn’t sound cheesy. The guitars were super jangly and the bass was probably the most underrated rhythm element. Then again, the vocals are fairly bland and a bit twangy for my taste. Overall, I’d give it a 6/10.
I enjoyed it, probably could’ve listened more intently but hey I was busy
Odd lyrical word choices
This record made me realise I can’t listen to R.E.M. for too long at once. Maybe it’s just this album but it starts to grate a little by the end. Could be the jangly guitar, more likely Stipe’s vocal delivery. Doesn’t help that the very skippable and annoying We Walk features towards the end. I do prefer their 2nd album Reckoning so maybe it is just this album. There are parts I really like so it’s a 3/5 for me. America’s version of The Smiths. Highlights: Radio Free Europe (album starts with a bang), Sitting Still, 9-9 (instrumental the most interesting track on the record)
I'm a bit of an REM fan and do enjoy this album. Its influence helped kick of the college rock / indie rock scene of the 80s and 90s. But this album just hints at the phenomenal band REM will become. 3.5/5.
Rock alternativo de R.E.M. No me ha hecho mucho... Un 3.
Un poco rollo. Un 3, por ser REM.
Yeah, it's okay.
Like the general REM sound and its cool to hear their debut. For me this album stays a bit flat and on the background.
An okay alt/indie album that seemed to have an influence on later indie music. I found the album interesting but nothing spectacular. The singers voice isn’t that enjoyable to me. The songs are a little catchy but I found the lyrics a bit odd. 5.4/10
Not my favorite R.E.M. album, but still solid all the way through.
Bien essayé de la part de R.E.M. de tout lâcher sur les deux derniers sons en espérant bénéficier de la bonne dernière impression laissée par leur album. Seulement nous sommes loins d'être des amateurs après plus de 500 albums notés, et des rencontres avec bon nombre des personnages clé du générateur (Ray Charles, Mike Ladd, Todd Rundgren etc etc etc...). Cet album récoltera donc ce qu'il mérite, à savoir un 3/5.
Laughing is a fun song. Catapult is also a bop. Overall nice background music, but most werent memorable.
Basic REM. Good background music.
Arrangements intéressants. Pas le plus catchy, mais bon album complet. Bien structuré. À réécouter. Parfait pour un road trip.
Sounds very R.E.M.
boring af
Médio. Um pouco repetitivo.
Why have I never heard this one before? Crazy. I have so many REM albums and this one, I don’t know at all. Radio Free Europe, I know quite well, but the rest of the album was new for me. Solid. Going to keep this one around. 3/5.
Liker REM. Men dette var et kjedelig album.
Ikkje da besta av rem
Eh. Just generic R.E.M.
Not close to their best work. I tried to justify a higher score, but there's so much meh here. Best track: Radio Free Europe
mehmeh
All the familiar kindling but this band doesn't ignite for me fully til Document
listened yesterday, not overly memorable. liked the jazzy parts don’t think that indie-type albums are for me personally probably won’t listen again 6.4/10
The transformation of REM from alt-jangle easily ignorable shoe gazers to stadium humping mega stars was a sight to behold in the 90s. This album were REM in their former state and as such is pleaant enough but unremarkable
REM's debut album, from 1983. Decent, with a slightly harder edge than a lot of what came later. Contains all of the ingredients of REM, but lacks any of their all-time great tracks. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: Radio Free Europe Date listened: 27/06/22
This was more boring than I expected
Outre les gros hits, je connais très peu R.E.M. Ce qui me frappe avec cet album c'est qu'à part quelques petits éléments mineurs, je n'ai pas l'impression d'écouter un album paru en 1983. Pour l'époque, c'est vraiment différent et ça fait du bien. Pièces préférées: 9-9, Radio Free Europe, Pilgrimage
Thought it was ok. Seems influential to a lot of 80s/90s music. Pre-cursor to indie rock?
I never really got into R.E.M. I know the hits and even really like some of them, but at no point did I think that I should pursue them further and listen to an album for the deep cuts. This album has not changed my opinion. It is fine and sounds like what I know R.E.M. to sound like. But I am happy to just leave it here...
This was ok but I felt like the songs lacked variety and energy. Far from my favorite REM.
Huske kje så masse fra da, men såg da hadde fått jævlig bra reviews i følge wikipedia
Another R.E.M. album, another album that leaves me unimpressed. The music is good, but so far none of R.E.M.'s stuff has left an impression on me, and that's something that I really want my music to do. It doesn't matter if it's weird or pushing the boundaries, but I want it to be unique. Murmur didn't feel like it was pushing any boundaries nor did it feel like it was doing much different from the band's other albums. I know some people have said that it clicks different after numerous listens, but I don't see myself wanting to really go back for another listen.
Lyrics are a strange attempt at cryptic poetry. Can make more sense out of Worstward Ho. Some nice tunes, can see how Radio Free Europe became a template for jangly alt-rock. I am struggling to see how Murmur makes its way into best-ever lists. Maybe the influence? Solid album but I just don't see the love affair.
I mean, of course I hear the very influencing sound and yes there are good moments but I will not be listening to this again anytime soon
I have R.E.M.'s "Out of time" and "Automatic for the people" as two of the great albums I enjoyed when I was a teenager. I had not listened Murmur before. It is nice to find in this album some features that continued to be part of my favorites ones. 40 years later I found Murmur really "fresh" and shinny. And, making the imagination exercise of travelling back to 1983, it is disruptive album. A one that was giving to the world the clue of what a new musical era would be. However, I do not find any song that "touches" me, any emotional connection.
allt i lagi 2.5 stjörnur
Oh, another debut. Good to see where they started. It's an ok album. Interesting tracks: Radio Free Europe, Catapult, West Of The Fields.
You can hear the seeds of what's to come on this album but it definitely feels like a band still searching for their sound to me. Enjoyable but a bit more forgettable than their later stuff.
CAn’t decide if this is chilled out listening or if it’s just a muffled mix where nothing really stands out.
REM debut album. Charming American jangle indie pop/rock. Going against the 5 star critical acclaim here as its very inoffensive but unremarkable . Stipes voice is distinctive and the guitar and rhythm are fine but it seems a bit meh.
2? Not a big fan of R.E.M. but it wasn't too repetitive 3 Man it does grow on you
Much better than I was expecting, livlier than I thought REM are.
There's a bar I sometimes end up at named Mulligan's which has the slogan "The OK-est bar on Hawthorne"...this album is like that but for music. Nothing in here I either hated or loved, it was all ok.
I didn't think much of this at all. It was ok. I did like 9-9 though. It sorta reminded me of Gang of Four or something like that w/ the scrape-y guitarwork.
Enjoyable alt rock. Some cool basslines in here. Nothing overly exciting to me but worked good as background work music.
Ok
it's interesting. Definitely a detour from the music of the time. Not my favorite but it was ok.
I'm not a big fan of alt rock. This album is a mixed bag. Some songs are nice enough, some are plain boring. Nothing really stands out. 2.5/5
Meh
Another enjoyable 80s "indie rock" album. I like the strong intro bass lines and bass chords. Good to hear Stipe's less affected and nasally singing on these early REM songs. Good and catchy too. Not quite a 4, but close.
Interesting to listen to their debut, and had not heard any of the tracks before. Vocals not quite as developed into Stipe’s signature weirdness. As punchy as rum. Rum not quite fully aged
This is where it started with REM. Great album
Dig it. Prefer their later stuff but some good material here. Fav Track : " Radio Free Europe"
Middle of the road, nothing special.
Pretty easy listening, probably quite nice to hear R.E.M before they became much bigger but not really special. I like the vibe more than I don't, so 3/5.
Ok, now this is one I'm looking forward to. I like REM, Automatic For The People is brilliant (I wonder if that'll be on here at some point?). Just looking at the tracklist, I see songs I know I like. Ok, let's get this on! Track one. Strong start, I love it. I'm in a good mood here, this is going to be a joy. Raaaaaaadiiiiiiiiiio staaaatiooooon. Yes! Track two. Ok, this is a bit of a step down in tempo. Shame. Hang on, it's picking up for the chorus. Yes, this is good. Not one I'd heard before, I don't think. Track three. Another new one for me. Decent enough. Would not skip if it came on during a shuffled mix. Probably wouldn't hunt it out to put it on a playlist. Track four. Yeah, heard this before, obviously. Very good song. "Not everyone can carry the weight of the world". Michael already so wise. Love it. Track five. Another new one. "It's so much more attractive, inside the moral kiosk". I don't know what he's talking about, but I agree. I like this. Nice. Track six. This is the one that jumped out when I looked at the playlist. Excellent song. "A perfect circle of aquaintances and friends". That is poetry. Missy Elliott should have a look at this. Love the chorus. Beautiful song. Track seven. It'd take something special to match the last track, so this is a bit of a step down. But I like it. Easy to sing along to a one word chorus isn't it? Track eight. Sitting Still. Not what the tempo would suggest, sounds like we're going somewhere! "A waste of time sitting still". Indeed, gotta keep moving! Track nine. "Got a stripe, down his back" made me think of a skunk. "All nine yards" made me think of golf. Somehow that triggered the memory of Fairway Frank from Parks and Rec. I giggled. Enjoyed this song. Track ten. Another upbeat track. Shaaaaaaaaakiiiing thooooooough. REM are good at choruses aren't they? Nice piano on this too. Another solid track. Oooh, odd little way to end the track. Strange. Track eleven. "Take oasis, Marat's bathing". Apparently this is a reference to Jean-Paul Marat, who used to have a bath desk. He'd sit in the bath, writing. Nice work if you can get it! Track twelve. Not ending with a slow one either. These boys are relentless! "The antelopes are strange, trying to sicken me". Not sure Michael was fully sober when writing this. Again though, the chorus is catchy. Another one I wouldn't skip, but wouldn't search for. And that's it. I enjoyed that. It's not Automatic... but it's a solid debut. Good choice by the 1001... people, best album so far.
Not displeasing but not exciting either. Typical REM.
I wanna like R.E.M. more than I do, on paper it makes sense. But in execution I am bored, it's just so "there" for alt-rock.
I'm a fan of Radio Free Europe. The rest of the album is alright.
so so
A gusto, tranquilón y pues igual pienso que podía morir sin escucharlo. Favs: "Laughing", "Catapult" y "Shaking Through". 7.5/10
REM is right up there as one of my favourite bands, but as far as I'm concerned everything they did prior to Green was just a dress rehearsal for the greatness that followed.
REM are legends of the music industry. However this was unfortunately not my favourite album by then. Still a solid album though.
A good background album. No stand out songs for me. It's the first one I've listened to on 1001 though and I am not used to listening to albums in full yet, so maybe I'm too distracted to appreciate it today
I like the sound - very 80s. Not a super memorable album but I liked it. Catapult was a good track.
Pas un mauvais album, mais c'est à se demander pourquoi cet album est inclus ici considérant qu'il y a des albums beaucoup plus marquants de REM.
Not my favorite REM record, but it starts very strong and, at all times, it's very REM-y. A little jangly with a good beat. The song Moral Kiosk makes up for its name by being pretty fun. I like.
There are some really great songs on this - 'Moral Kiosk', 'Catapult' and '9-9' would be my favourites - and a fair amount I don't care for. As for the latter, I think I dislike those songs in thrall of, and built around, Michael Stipe's voice, which I find to be a rather grey and pallid thing. The penultimate track almost sounds like Gerry and the Pacemakers. Uneven but interesting.
Not much my cup of tea
I really can't figure out what it is about REM that keeps rubbing me the wrong way. I liked parts of it I guess. 6/10
Not bad, but easy to forget.
👌
The sound of a band still finding it's feet. It's enjoyable enough but very much sounds like a band writing songs that were facsimilies of their influences. There was a lot better to come from R.E.M.
I know very little about R.E.M. aside from a few hit singles. I think this record could grow on me over time, but right now it's not standing out too much. There are a handful of tracks I really enjoy, though. I can definitely hear the influence this had on early alternative rock.
R.E.M. are a band I’ve generally endured rather than enjoyed. ‘Murmur’ is generally a pretty up-beat sounding album compared to much of their output that I’m familiar with. It’s decent while it’s on, but it also doesn’t make me want to go and seek out more of their catalogue to listen to.
This was my first listen to this album it needs another one I think. It was ok, nothing on here made me go WOW on first play.
Really neat to listen to the DNA of alternative in this album but then I also immediately forgot all of the songs as soon as I was done. 3/5
I owned this album at one time. Perhaps selling it was an error.
REM = Melancholie.
Little more indie than their other stuff
Meh
Definitely sounds a full decade ahead of its time. I'd only heard the first song before, and it's probably the only one I'd come back to
I dig it
movimento rapído dos olhos
Upon first listen this didn't sound like anything special, and I wondered why it had been included in the list, but apparently it was massively influential when it came out? I guess the spangly guitar sound became so ubiquitous that this album now sounds a bit run of the mill? Fave track - "We Walk", I think, or maybe "Laughing"
Probably need a few more listens
Nothing too bad but nothing too good either. "Radio Free Europe" was the only song I liked.
Didn’t know they were doing this back in ‘83. Never been a super fan but nice enough in the background
It was a pretty good album; however, it lacks the "punchiness" of other albums during this year. I really liked the keyboard in the songs, but the other instruments were generally only okay. The singer's voice fits the music well. This album is something I would listen to in the background and not actively. Favorite track: We Walk
I actually didn't think I would like this when I was going into it. Mostly, I felt like it was going to be like listening to U2, a band I absolutely despise, but I really dig the presence of the instruments combined with the more subtle vocals. While the vocals are subtle, his voice is still very clear in the mix. Overall, it's kinda mid tier for me, but it wasn't grating to listen to. Highlights: 1, 2, and 4.
fine
takes a while to get going, i dont know this album release date, but get the feeling its one of their earlier ones, feeling a bit indifferent to this
Always liked REM but I find this a bit too depressing. Not their best album.
Not really listened to REM, dug this ok.
Pretty good early REM album. Radio free Europe was definitely the high point.
A bit average, good for casual background music
pretty good 80s music
I like REM, but this is not their best album
“What’s your favourite R.E.M. album?” is basically a personality test. People who say this one are also a Type 3, ISTP. I’m kidding obviously. This seems like it’s R.E.M. searching for what would become their distinct sound, but not quite there yet. A lot of interesting “what could have been” ideas floating around, but an underdeveloped sense of what they would be. Favourite track: “Moral Kiosk.
REM fuckin rocks but I've never heard their debut before. It was an interesting listen, no obvious hits but you can hear the foundation of what would evolve into their signature sound.
3.5
Pleasant music, but nothing that really stood out to me.
Eh.