Murmur

Pretty relaxing, easy listen. Similar to The Hip.

Honestly didn’t know REM was making music before document. Pretty decent early alternative.

Enjoyed. Proto-Grunge. So fun to sing along with.

gud

i have a fondness for REM and i think a lot of indie bands owe a huge debt to this album in particular. i guess i do take after my mama in some respects? radio free europe, laughing, sitting still, shaking through

Classic album with folk rock/alt sound.

Yet another im familiar with, full of rly fun bangers, i specifically like catapult, laughing and radio free europe. Gotta listen to this more, its rly solid and i dont appreciate it enough

It's a good listen

Снова альбом с жёсткого диска. Вроде бы просто, а вроде и не очень. Мне в целом нравится звучание, эстетика альбома. Она подразумевает, что в ней может быть создано нечто охуенное. Но вот самого охуенного будто не довезли. Talk About The Passion, Perfect Circle, Sitting Still и Shaking Through могу назвать внятными балдёжными треками. Остальное напоминает какой-то саундтрек к подростковой комедийной мелодраме. Которую я мб не без удовольствия посмотрел бы, но которая не оставила бы явного следа в моём сознании. Тот случай, когда не хватает десятибаллочки, было бы 7. А тут гадай. Пока антресоли разгребал, раз 10 с тян прослушали, вроде сильно воротить не стало. Значит, неплохое музло. Четыре всё же ляпну.

I definitely liked it, but it isn’t my favorite I’ve heard from REM. Fantastic atmosphere though!

This album was really easy to listen. Nothing fancy or any particular song stands out, but as a whole it's really pleasant.

Really liked the sound of this album, very cryptic and fits the feel of the cover. Flipped between a 3 and a 4 but ultimately think I enjoyed this more than a lot of my other 3's Saved: Radio Free Europe, Sitting Still, Shaking Through

Saved Prior: Radio Free Europe Saved Off Rip: Laughing, Moral Kiosk, Perfect Circle, Sitting Still, Shaking Through Cutting Edge: Catapult, We Walk Overall Notes: My biggest gripe with R.E.M. has always been that they sound like everyone else, and even though I know that they influenced all those other bands that doesn't change the fact that I liked some of those songs better. This album went pretty far in showing me that R.E.M. still have merit. Really really good record, and though they all sounded kinda similar I was tempted to give this album a 5. Gave it a 4 because nothing knocked me off my feet (other than Radio Free Europe which has quickly become my favorite R.E.M. song) but I get R.E.M. now.

I don't think I ever had this album but know many of the songs. The guitar playing is a highlight as lots of intricate picking is incorporated into the rhythm. I recall an article saying they were one of the first bands that had a major label secured for their debut album but still managed to tell the suits to go fuck themselves when it came to their sound. There are some gems in this album. Quite the debut.

Great. Hadn't heard this in many years.

Good!! Some great songs here, will listen more

I've missed a lot of REMs early stuff. Glad to have caught this.

Fijn plaatje!

Fris! Maar nu weer tijd voor een zangeres in dit mannenbolwerk!

A 7/10 album, closer to 8

Class! Big REM fan so this was highly anticipated. Been a while since I listened to this in full, but amazing early REM sound 👍

One of the all time best debut LP's. They only get 4 stars because IMHO, R.E.M. released better albums later in their career.

Was good, some great songs. But long time since i listened to it, some songs were a bit bland, not as good as I remembered it.

The songs are well-written and the melodies are catchy. It’s a bit mellower than I was expecting. Peter Buck’s understated guitar playing is great. I would compare him to Johnny Marr of the Smiths but the Smiths debut would get a higher mark from me because Morrisey is a better (bitter?haha) singer. Michael Stype’s voice and cryptic lyrics make give the album a moodier feel.

An excellent sound, still not quite pushing 5 for a real sense of sameness which becomes all the more pervasive in the gloomy sound this album creates.

Everything I love! Melodies, harmonies, dance foot tapping drumming, and cool guitar sounds. Something about them is so alternative yet exactly traditional old school rock n roll. And in 1980 too! True pioneers for the 90s.

Right out of the gate this album is more fun and more well-crafted than yesterday's. It's worth noting since both are debut albums! REM has already solidified much about what makes their sound unique by the time they got into the studio the first time. I dig R.E.M.'s vibe at all times. Even though none of the songs on this album became hits, it's still nice to listen to. This probably doesn't deserve a 4, but I've got to give it higher than Teenage Fanclub.

Really good, I enjoyed it a lot.

Not a fan of the singer, but some nice jazzy moments

Great debut album, although the sound is a bit muddled. I prefer some of their crisper-sounding albums from their middle years, like Green and Automatic for the People, but this is still great. 4 stars.

Jingle jangle city, but it all goes down smooth.

Enjoyed this more than I thought. A lot of the songs sound kind of the same and not all of them were super interesting, but there were some good ones and I appreciated the generally upbeat songs.

Good album. Acted more as background noise for me than anything, though. Some songs stood out and made me take notice but it feels like a rainy day album, which worked for me today.

Was Alright, Kind of Boring

Alright! 4/5

Best R.E.M. sample, displaying their style at their best. Nice listen.

I enjoyed this album

Not for my tastes exactly but it's good

Very good album. I never have really listened to R.E.M. aside from their popular songs, and this album had a completely different sound than I was expecting.

Interesting to hear REM before the 90s. Much more accessible.

decent . will listen again , but not intentionally

Great Album, really like the voice and the composition. Although not a masterpiece, it's definitely a very good 4

Interesting instrumental and a pleasant voice

doesnt have any of their hits, still great

Good album. Forgot how much I like R.E.M. However, docking it one star for not really being my genre of music.

really excellent

really good!

This is some dad rock. But good.

En fantastisk debut!

Not as good as expected

Non i miei pezzi preferiti, ma grande figlio del suo tempo a livello musicale

It’s a good album, but not quite what I was looking for on a very wet and windy walk.

Good album.

Second R.E.M.. It has been a veeeery long time since their first album (Automatic for the People). 457 albums, to be exact. I like the style of the lead vocalist from this group, though the music wasn't quite to my liking. Very jangle poppy from what I recall, which is a genre of music I find to be a bit stiff and stale. I don't expect this album to be any different as it is the first of their included discography, though I'm hoping I'll like it all the same. Here goes. Yeah, not bad! Like I said, jangle pop isn't my speed, though I was able to get along with this album quite well. For one, the lone jangling guitars aren't the only things guiding the melodies of these songs. The punchy, yet soft drums, delicate pianos and layered guitarwork fill these songs out nicely while also having a remarkable level of focus. The jangle pop guitars are easily the highlight, however. There's a commendable level of range between their high and low notes, and they carry a rich, energetic sound which isn't normally befitting of the genre. I particularly favoured the deeper and more atmospheric uses of the guitars, both of which I found to be unique and distinctive. Also mentioned previously is the fact that I'm favourable to the vocalist of this band. It isn't as present on this album (not to say that's a bad thing), though the singer has a wearisome cadence that I think is befitting of the music and lyrics. All in all, yeah! I wasn't sold all the way on this album, though it was good and I am favourable to the idea of giving it a second chance somewhere down the line. For the time being, however, it gets a hearty thumbs-up from me. Book time. R.E.M. built an initial following from college radio and their campus live shows. Critically acclaimed, with Rolling Stone naming it Album of the Year. Wikipedia verifies that this album was beloved by critics, with it receiving perfect ratings pretty much all across the board and enduring acclaim in the years following release. It peaked at No. 36 on the US charts and No. 100 in the UK, though it doesn't appear to have charted anywhere else. Sure, this seems like a solid pick. Whether or not R.E.M. are able to run the gamut of four included albums remains to be seen, though I'm content with their presence on the list thus far. I cosign this inclusion.

A distinctive, if slightly flat in places, first effort from a legendary band.

Perfectly fine :) I can't imagine this being someone's favorite band but hey different strokes.. I think it all sounds the same but at least it's pleasant

Okej Remic, poneka se izdvoji; Pilgrimage recimo.

Just meh.

Meshed together but I liked it

REM

Hey, I can understand Michael! Still, a little to subdued for my tastes. Close to a 4/5. 3.5

Radio Free Europe is a fantastic opening track. But it’s so front loaded, it becomes a bit of a slog by the end

Nice debut album

Nice

Buen álbum debut de la banda. Un par de grandes temas, otros más o menos. 5/10

It was okay. Nothing really grabbed me link in other REM albums. I can't say I would seek this one out again.

buen rock ochentero me gustó

I think there are some R.E.M songs I like but maybe they aren't on this album. It kinda felt like it was almost there for me, like edging into something more exciting or angsty or something but didn't full get there.

Ok my third attempt to write this review. I didn't know this is REM's first album, it kinda shows as Stipe's voice delivery and the jangly guitars are there but not yet full developed (and yes, I do have Losing My Religion as example here). If feels Murmur is like a shoegaze album in some moments (Full Circle), but the album grew much more on the second listen. I know I need the book to understand why this is on the list, but I cant see why...as there are stronger REM albuns. 3/5

Smiths plus usa men mindre gnälligt och en låt heter Europe

I know this is supposed to be one of their best. I had no problems with it but it didn’t stick out to me much. I thought we walk was really good though

Un disco interesante, del que me ha gustado bastante más la segunda mitad que la primera. Las letras me resultan totalmente incomprensibles.

Not my cup of tea but I can still appreciate it

Feels like generic, but enjoyable rock, with impossible to understand lyrics. Everybody Hurts gets it up to a solid 3.

It was alright. I think I had some more fun with it because I am currently in Ireland

Another solid 3 for the 3rd R.E.M. album on this list

R.E.M. never fails to disappoint. except here, which i guess is excusable as their first album. (seriously, that barely sounds like Michael Stipe)

Pretty good but prefer their later work

Second half is pretty damn throwaway, but the first half is fun. Insanity lyrics.

very solid.

This was my favourite of the REM albums we’ve had. It was less sad and actually had some interesting sounds. I’m not sure I would listen again but I enjoyed listening to a different sound of there’s

This was alright, probably the best REM record we've had on here, but that might just be because it's more conventional and easier to listen to.

2,5

for what people say about this one, not that good tbh

There are a couple REM songs I like; these are not they. These all sound same-same.

Not my favorite REM but pleasant Favorite tracks: Radio Free Europe, Catapult, We Walk

Lähin asenteella et ei tää oikee lähe mut olihan tää ihan hyvää settiä. Mennään kolmosella

Ohan tässä jo REMin tyypilliset soundit, mutta ei vielä eka levy lähde lentoon. Meni kuitenkin hyvin taustalla.

Frankly I don't have a damn clue what bro is going on about. Cool lyrics probably, but they also might just be nonsense. That's okay though. R.E.M. set out to make timeless music (meaning, ignoring every single 80s music trope), which already moonshots them basically to the top of the decade. Now, that's a pretty low bar, and this album didn't leave a major impact on me, but I certainly wasn't against it, and mostly I'm just looking forward to listening to their later, more developed work. Solid 3.

One of the better R.E.M. albums

Absolutely love this album

Better than I thought it was going to be but still... Just kinda lifeless. For some reason I always thought they were a 90's band and knowing that this came out in 83 some how makes me feel more lenient and like it more? Eh I'll try again!

This is REM’s debut album and as such I understand its inclusion in this list. It is nice to hear how the unique REM sound was already present when they formed. In a vacuum though, this is not a very remarkable album.

Monotonous and lacking soul but it wasn't the worst thing ever

Super cool alt album, feels like a lot of modern indie albums. I enjoyed listening, but it was a bit boring, and repetitive, so 3 stars from me.

I've always thought early REM was overrated and latter REM underrated. This has not changed my view. I liked 'pilgrimage' and 'laughing' but the album overall is fairly plain.

Aight

I'm a casual fan of REM really and more likely to listen to their peak 90s stuff than their earlier output. It's decent and you can hear the ingredients that would go onto make them ultra successful. I understand their influence in the 80s in the alternative rock scene at a time where hair metal and hard rock was the dominant genre in that sphere but I don't really think of this as essential on a musical level, knowing what follows it.

Dece.

It's still good and it still smells like the summer of 1983

very dad music but i fuck with that so no real complaints here

murmur murmur murmur

Pilgrimage 9-9 We Walk

3.5/5

cool, no se si le cacho tanto la vibe

nice indie tunes, more raw than their late work

It's ok, I've never really got into REM. I think I once owned this but never actually listened to it.

buenos arpegios pero bien fome el disco

Maybe ahead of it's time, but nothing stood out to me on this album

A decent album. REM always tends to sound the same though. Also, this was the album I got on the day my first child was born so I’m going to give it an extra star just in case my sleep delirium has made me overly critical.

A pretty likeable jangly album. Not a lot that I absolutely loved, but I definitely didn't hate any of it.

1st one good

REM makes decent music but the singer is just so whiny.

It was ok, enjoyable sound but nothing particularly stuck out. May revisit later.

OK, I like this album but maybe a big part of it is nostalgia. I think the prominent basslines and just generally strong rhythm section sets this apart from being a generic jangly guitar band. There are only a few songs that stick with me though. If it's enjoyable in the moment but doesn't leave anything behind, that takes away from my appreciation. I like REM's early stuff, but it's pretty weak compared to Life's Rich Pageant or Document where I think they locked in together and the vocal lines were more powerful. I'm not as much of a fan of the more wistful moods represented on this album. Essential listen: no Desert island disc: no

Completely and utterly bland. Didn't notice a single song.

As with most REM fairly boring and repetitive. However, I don't hate it and I can see the appeal?

I don’t think I feel anyway in particular about this album. It’s pleasantly forgettable, in that I won’t mind it playing in the background. But it’s not exactly getting me to move or feel a certain way.

I enjoyed the music but found the singer to be mr mumble mouth. Couldn't understand shit without pulling up the lyrics. Would have been a fun instrumental album. Instead it sounds like a garbage can

Way better than that other one I had to listen to! Strong 6

Not bad, not exceptional either, good as a background music while you're doing house chores 🙌

No fav song

I liked the first song...

Radio Free Europe shows REM's post-punk, almost new-wave side more clearly. It could almost be a Blondie track! The whole album doesn't quite have that sound that sets REM apart yet. There are jangly guitars, strings and Stipes distinctive vocals, but it just lacks something. Best track - Talk About the Passion 3 stars - bit disappointed. I expect more from REM in terms of hooks and intensity.

Agree with the majority. It's okay: nothing standout, nothing especially bad. Doesn't really do anything for me but probably a good debut. Went on a bit and sounds like Costello on downers.

Fairly good album. Unfortunately find the main singers voice so annoying:(

Good debut but their really strong stuff is later

I hadn't heard this album in its entirety yet. There were only a couple songs that I recognized, and the rest didn't really stand out. I can see how this album could grow on me with more listens for sure.

Nich so meins aber kann ich trotzdem irgendwie appreciaten

some good alt rock

J'ai réécouté Murmur, le tout premier album de R.E.M. sorti en 1983, et après avoir essayé de percer le mystère des marmonnements de Michael Stipe, mon verdict est tombé. Ce sera un 3 sur 5 ni plus ni moins, et c'est exactement la même note que celle que j'ai attribuée à Green. Avant de me lapider pour hérésie, restons calmes, respirons un coup et regardons les choses en face de manière objective. Nous sommes en 1983, une époque où la synthpop britannique commence à saturer les ondes et où le rock américain cherche désespérément un second souffle après l'explosion punk et le dégonflage de la New Wave. C'est dans ce paysage qu'arrive ce quatuor d'Athens, Géorgie, avec sous le bras un disque qui va poser les fondations de ce qu'on appellera plus tard le college rock. Le groupe refuse les gros synthés pour revenir à des guitares claires, des lignes de basse bondissantes et une voix qui refuse obstinément d'articuler. C’est charmant sur le papier, c'est historique dans l'impact, mais est-ce que cela en fait un chef-d'œuvre absolu de bout en bout ? Pour moi, Murmur reste un bon album, indéniablement doté de très bons titres qui justifient sa place dans l'histoire, mais il souffre aussi de gros morceaux de faiblesse qui laissent au final un sentiment profondément mitigé. C'est le type même de disque qui oscille constamment entre le coup de génie brut et la redondance absolue, me donnant parfois l'impression d'écouter le même morceau folk-rock. Un disque charnière, certes, mais bancal. Le grand point fort de ce disque, c'est cette alchimie immédiate entre la guitare Rickenbacker de Peter Buck, qui jangle comme si sa vie en dépendait, et la section rythmique impeccable de Mike Mills et Bill Berry. Dès le morceau d'ouverture, la fameuse version réenregistrée de "Radio Free Europe", on prend une claque d'énergie brute. Le refrain est d'une efficacité redoutable, la basse est d'une fluidité incroyable et la batterie pousse le tout vers l'avant sans jamais faiblir. C'est le paroxysme de leur style primitif, une décharge de pop urgente qui donne envie de prendre sa voiture et de rouler sans but précis. L'autre immense réussite qui me hante à chaque écoute, c'est évidemment "Talk About the Passion". Là, le groupe touche à une forme de mélancolie lumineuse absolument parfaite. La voix de Stipe se fait plus caressante, les arpèges de Buck s'envolent et l'équilibre général montre ce que le rock alternatif américain pouvait offrir de meilleur : de l'émotion pure, sans fioritures grandiloquentes ni solos de guitare interminables de métalleux permanentés. Rien que pour ces fulgurances, l'album mérite qu'on s'y arrête et justifie qu'on l'écoute encore aujourd'hui. Le travail des producteurs Mitch Easter et Don Dixon mérite aussi d'être salué sur ces grands moments. Ils ont réussi à capter une atmosphère unique, mystérieuse, presque pastorale, qui tranche radicalement avec les productions hyper-compressées de 1983. Le son est boisé, organique, un peu crasseux sur les bords mais toujours chaleureux. La voix de Stipe est mixée en retrait, presque comme un instrument supplémentaire, ce qui renforce cette sensation de murmure ésotérique qui a donné son titre à l'album. C'est poétique, c'est intrigant, et sur les trois ou quatre meilleurs morceaux de la galette, ça fonctionne à merveille. Mais voilà, une fois qu'on a enlevé ces quelques hymnes incontournables, qu'est-ce qu'il reste ? C'est là que le disque commence à montrer ses limites et que mon enthousiasme s'effondre gentiment. Aller droit au but, c'est aussi admettre que la seconde moitié de l'album s'embourbe dans des structures ultra-répétitives. À force de vouloir imposer leur marque de fabrique à tout prix, les morceaux finissent par tous se ressembler. On retrouve inlassablement le même tempo moyen, les mêmes arpèges en boucle et les mêmes mélodies de basse qui tentent désespérément de meubler le vide intersidéral de certaines compositions. Certains titres font office de pur remplissage et me laissent totalement de marbre. Les mélodies s'essoufflent, le dynamisme s'estompe et on sombre rapidement dans une sorte de folk-rock léthargique qui manque cruellement de hargne. Le refus systématique de Stipe d'articuler ses textes, si séduisant sur les morceaux rythmés, devient ici franchement agaçant. Quand le morceau est faible, ce chant marmonné n'est plus un mystère poétique, c'est juste un mec qui donne l'impression d'avoir oublié ses paroles ou d'avoir abusé des calmants avant d'entrer en cabine. C'est mou, c'est flou, et ça plombe le rythme global du disque de manière impardonnable. Cette alternance constante entre le très bon et le franchement dispensable crée une frustration terrible. On passe d'un morceau qui vous dresse les poils sur les bras à une piste suivante qui s'écoute d'une oreille distraite. C'est ce manque flagrant de cohérence qualitative qui m'empêche de crier au génie et qui me pousse à ramener ce disque à sa juste valeur : un premier essai prometteur, rempli de promesses d'avenir, mais encore englué dans les approximations de la jeunesse. Murmur est le jumeau spirituel de Green dans ma discographie personnelle de R.E.M., d'où cette note identique de 3 sur 5. Dans les deux cas, on fait face au même syndrome : le groupe est capable d'écrire des classiques absolus de la pop alternative, mais s'avère foutrement incapable de maintenir ce niveau d'excellence sur la longueur d'un album complet. Là où Green péchera plus tard par une production parfois trop propre et des expérimentations à la mandoline un peu faciles, Murmur pèche par son excès inverse, une uniformité monotone qui fatigue sur la durée. Ne vous méprenez pas, j'aime ce disque pour ce qu'il représente et pour les quelques pépites qu'il contient. Il a ouvert la voie à toute une génération de groupes indépendants et a prouvé qu'on pouvait faire du rock aux États-Unis sans céder aux sirènes du commerce de masse ou du hard rock de stade. C'est un disque important, historique mais l'importance historique n'a jamais sauvé les morceaux faibles d'un album du saut de piste systématique. Un bon album, donc, mais certainement pas le messie que la critique officielle tente de vous vendre depuis quarante ans. À écouter pour sa sève primitive, mais en gardant la télécommande à portée de main.

Better than Green, for sure. R.E.M. is still bland to me tho.

Initially was very into it but became a bit background noisy...nothing jumped out at me

Best song up front, Radio Free Europe is an easy ear-worm for me. The rest of the album is interesting, but not outstanding. That one song put this album on the map, from my perspective.

its was nice but wasnt that good 5/10

I've never listened to REM longer than a single song at a time. This was a neat experience. They're quite varied but they suffer from distinctive singer vocals so lots of the songs sound similar despite there being a good chunk of variety here.

I was initially excited when I saw R.E.M., but this album didn’t do it for me.

There’s a really interesting strain of music peaking out this time from Stipe’s monotone voice. I particularly liked Perfect Circle (shades of nightswimming, especially once you know the inspiration) and Shaking Through. I’ll call this 3.5 rounded down to 3.

Not bad but I’ve always struggled with Michael Stipe’s voice and some of their production choices.

Good/5

Reminds me of my freshman year of college. I wasn't that into Michael Stipe's mostly indecipherable whining then (hated it because my suitemates were blasting it all the time), and though I appreciate the jangly guitar now, still not a fan.

Herhalend Prima achtergrond

Prefer their more mature sound

Standouts 9-9

Enjoyment: 6/10 Replayability: 7/10 Cohesion: 5/10 Flow/Pacing: 6/10 Artistic Merit: 5/10 Weighted Average: 5.95/10 Review: I have only listened to a few R.E.M. songs in the past, so this was the first time I've listened to an entire album of theirs. If they're as good as this one, I'm looking forward to more. Liked Song(s): Radio Free Europe, Pilgrimage, Catapult, 9-9 Disliked Song(s): (None) Recommend? Yes Heard Before? No

Radio Free Europe is the keeper. Fresh, raw early REM sound from the era of the Chronic Town EP and Wolves,Lower and Carnival of Sorts (Boxcars) and stylistically skews towards XTC. On par is the slower number Talk About the Passion which presages the musicality of their later work.

Not much to say REM is often very bland , no bangers on this album.

Quite enjoyed this and was tapping my foot a few times, surprised this was their debut, very assured sound considering

Surprised that REM has 4 albums in the project and I’m just getting my first one at #907. This was good, but very similar to their overall sound elsewhere and lacking in any big hits. Overall 3.25/5 we’ll see how their others fare

It was fine.

This held my attention better than the previous R.E.M. album we listened to. Some of these songs are definitely catchy, and there are some interesting harmonies in addition to the sharp for I mentioned on the first track. I think it deserves a stronger three than the other one.

this is the most I've enjoyed REM, but it's not that much. the singer's voice is devoid of expression. it's very 80s sounding I think "Laughing" is the first song I like by them. I see all the talking points: tight rhythm section, tasteful bass and supporting vocals, weird lyrics, etc. But I don't feel it. The rhythms are too straight. I suspect I would feel differently if I hadn't grown up with all the alt-rock that followed them

it’s upbeat and jangly, but just okay overall

chill but good.

Cool album, some songs with pretty daring instrumentals and other that feel like nirvana ripped them. Not what i was expecting at all !

It’s ok, but nothing special - it’s easy listening to REM

Give a band credit where credit is due. This is a sign to stick to what you like to do because it’ll eventually work out. This came out in 1983? 1983?!? Owner of a Lonely Heart by Yes (Luke’s favorite) came out the same year as this. How can I call this ahead of its time if it’s carving the time ahead of itself!

Reminds me of Nirvana but more pleasant, not as anxious or guttural. Imagine how surprised I was when I found out this came out 10 years before Nevermind.

Mumbly baritone Romantic poetry in Elmer's glue (ingredients: nuthin but sticky sticky guitar & bass). Could listen to this shit for hours. 1983...are you sure you don't mean 2003? I hear the unborn spirit of Cobain too (did not expect this). Listened two times through while strolling, and then realized I was majorly lost and over two miles from home...pressed play for a third time without thinking.

Decent album from a legendary band. Starts off instantly recognizable, and then there's a bunch of tracks that aren't in the R.E.M. greatest hits rotation, but are a solid offering nonetheless.

Muy bueno, pero sí senti uqe me gustan otros más de rem

As minimal as a band can really get. You've got your drums, guitar, bass, vocal and some piano. It's very raw, but not in a visceral way, but in a pure and unadulterated way. The music itself is quite light and jangly, with very melodic basslines, and some nice vocal harmonies. In many ways the album lives up to its title, 'Murmur.' There is nothing special about the production at all and that gives it a very humble sound. If anyone has ever played in a band in high school or something, you'll know how bad that can sound. This album kind of has that sound where your entire band is 100% on top form and actually sounds good for a change. The big difference is that this is for the entire album, and not just those 10 or so seconds. This makes the album sound quite relatable. You wish your band sounded as good as this even if it's not your prefered style or the perfect, polished, virtuoso artists you love. R.E.M.'s Murmur is a testament to the importance of getting the basics down; it's what you could sound like if you simply stopped making excuses and actually practiced. It was a pleasant listen, jangley and fun, but nothing really stood out. 3/5

Jangle jangle

tal vez en los 80s esto era innovador, pero ya no màs 3.6

It was alright

I like the unique vocal sound of r.e.m. I knew some stuff from the band but nothing of this album. Nothing off this album was immediately catchy as other stuff they'd be known for

Despite putting It's The End Of The World As We Know It as my senior yearbook quote, I honestly am not that big of a fan of R.E.M. They're fine. I don't think there's anything wrong with them. I just don't feel that strongly about them. Murmur didn't change that. Radio Free Europe was solid, and I don't think there was anything else here that caught my attention, good or bad.

Not my favourite REM work but a decent listen

3.5/5

It was fine. Nothing too exciting about it.

Нууу норм

It’s ok as a background

3/5 meh

Veldig uinspirerende

Bättre än förväntat. Jag tänkte ge 1/2 men det blir 3. Fortfarande inte min smak, men kul upplevelse. Lite mesiga låtar bara.

not as good as automatic for the people but still pretty fine.

Just a little something to take the edge off after a few disappointing ones. Once upon a time, this was what “indie” and “college rock” sounded like. When I went to college it sounded like Dispatch. I'd take this any day. The thing of course, though, is this is their first. The production sounds like a few college kids instead of the commercial juggernaut they would become. The songs are fine but they haven't yet really become REM. One might argue that happens at Document. But still, lower-fidelity or not, Radio Free Europe still has glimmers of all of it. The harmonies, the jungle, the Michael Stipe style of song craft. I don't know that this is important outside of the fact that any album REM debuted with would be important because they themselves are important, but it's a proper genesis album, something that arrives less than fully formed but with lots of promise, and what it lacks in the big songs it makes up for by being consistent, which isn't always REM's forte. I'm kinda surprises how often the sound and production of this feels like early Meat Puppets or Flaming Lips, bands that were coming up at around the same time but probably wouldn't have crossed paths often. Obviously REM has always been doing something a bit more tuneful and normative, but I was surprised to hear shades of that at all. Again, no idea if this would be as charming to a newbie to REM as it is to someone who can trace what's going on here to those huge albums at the turn of the next decade, but I think a 3* is fair.

The seeds of what REM would grow to become are here and plain to see, but it maybe doesn’t match their highest highs for my tastes. Wouldn’t begrudge anyone saying this was their favourite of their work though. More of their unique sound starts creeping in towards the back end of the album, and I’d personally prefer to put this at a 3.5 if I could.

I have no idea what they are singing about, but perhaps neither do they. Decent album but I feel better and more consistent was to come...

This is good because it's REM but unfortunately it's another victim of this band having far, far greater albums that deserve a spot on this list and makes me think this one, which is... Fine, probably could have been cut so another artist could get a spot and bring some variety to this list.

Not my fav

this one surprised me. kind of classic punk vibes but chill? considering i only know of their most famous tracks which i hate, i was not looking forward to this but it was decently enjoyable.

Listened

Project 1001 #2 R.E.M - Murmur Pre thoughts - I know of R.E.M obviously but again never fully sat down with an album. I like the song Losing My Religion. Is it like that? Post thoughts - I think if really enjoy this if I found it earlier in life. It’s a good album. Just, lacking a bit of creativity for my modern ears.

AGAIN?! Okay. Well, I guess this gives me a chance to give REM another go and see if it was just an off day yesterday or if the band isn't really for me. Nice, rollicking album I liked more at first listen than Automatic for the People, but kind of ended up liking Automatic more on the second. The tracks slightly blur into each other, and I'm even more at a loss as to what they're going on about but the vibes are great. REM feel like the kind of band I'd enjoy hearing on a playlist at a house party, or on a road trip. And then gradually become more and more familiar with them, go over the song lyrics in my head and develop attachments to little moments in particular songs. But they're not an instant classic with me. Standout tracks: Talk About the Passion, Sitting Still, West of the Fields. I don't know, they slightly blurred into each other for me.

This album won Rolling Stone's award for Best Album of the Year in 1983 over Thriller, War and Synchnonicity. I find that very surprising because I always see R.E.M. as being somewhat peripheral to the major trends in music. While Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots were taking over the airwaves, R.E.M. was just off to the side singing about Kenneth. I don't think I had even heard any of the songs off Murmur before this project. Album of the year? Anyway, maybe it is a testament to the influence of this album that it just sounds so normal over 40 years later. I like the trademark harmonies but I prefer R.E.M. after they got a bit weirder.

Fairly dull, but inoffensive.

307/1089 much preferred this over Automatic for the People fave: West of the Fields 62/100

Enjoyed this one more than I did the last REM album on this list, although I felt like it did get pretty same-y in the back half.

The album blasts off with radio free Europe and then the rest is just a bit meandering. Sometimes stipes voice is lost in the mix. Deliberately or not this takes away from the experience a bit. However the overall feeling is that there is something worth pursuing.

Another time I had a whole thing wrote out, but lost it. Gotta remember to keep saving as I type. Long story short, instruments and lyrics were often great, but there are a few times the song feel outside of my expectations in a negative direction; biggest example is the vibraphone sections in "Pilgrimage" not capitalizing on the tension it built and fizzling out towards the chorus each time. This happened on more than a couple of occasions, but there are songs I still enjoyed: "Radio Free Europe", "Pilgrimage" (yeah, I still liked it), "Talk about the Passions", "Moral Kiosk", "Shaking Through".

This one was good, but didn't stand out in the same way Green did for me. The songs didn't have a ton of differentiation, and the vocals aren't quite as refined. To be fair I was also a little distracted while listening, so I may need to revisit it at some point. 3/5 from me.

Losing my religion is one of my dad's favourite songs

A strong offering that serves as the groups breakout but far from their best

nada mal pero no me vuelve loco

Enjoyable listen, hard to be mad at jangly guitars.

I enjoyed it. Vocals were a little bit cobain-y. I keep on getting surprised by the album choice from the artists. A lot of the time I would assume that it would be a different album from that artist.

Thought this was a super nice work day vibe. Liked it more than I expected too 3+

More like a 3.5. I don’t know if I was just in the right mood for Dad Rock but I really enjoyed it

Another good one from R.E.M.

This album made me go and lower the rating I gave the other R.E.M. album. It’s just so much better to me. Almost almost a 4. Most every song was either a 3 or a 4 on it’s own. Season: Late Spring Favorite Song: Radio Free Europe

I am sorry, I had higher expectations of this. All songs are pretty much the same. Radio Free Europe was at least a bit more energetic.

Really a 3.5: I appreciate why it was innovative at the time and I like REM, but could never drum up strong feelings for them beyond a few of their stronger songs.

This guy's voice is incredible. This album is such a vibe. Or do I thought- Sort of ambled along towards the end and when I woke up again it was finished.

For me the perfect "wakeup-album" -everything sounds similar, but in a good way -songs aren't complex -uplifting

This almost earned a 4 from me, but the songs all sound just a bit too similar. By the last song I was glad it was over, which is a sign that an album can’t be higher than a 3.

Me gusto! Pero no me attapo

Just okay, the lyrics don’t do it for me. I like impressionistic lyrics but not so much these.

alright, like other albums by them better 3 stars

sorry guys I think I might just not be an R.E.M. person. On first listen at least (which is all I got in yesterday) this was nice enough but nothing stood out to me.

Somehow my first time listening to an REM album! Really enjoyed it. 3.5 upon first listen but I could see myself getting way more into it

aw beans. im not cracker™️ but we push forth. you hear all this rah rah about REM inventing the concept of indie/alt rock (some of its true but it's a little. overEmphasized) and you listen to this and realize who they're biting right down to the Hook. pun intended. get off his Peter. mcGangbang of Four more like it. it's a debut. they get to original ideas eventually. not here. but eventually. still good jangle. 3.5-4.1. (related but unrelated) god. please tell me there's a Stephen Hague produced bootleg of catapult in the wild. i'm sure he was a dick to you guys but fucks sake. have a bit of synth in there. and a chorus. (it exists. it's lowk PEAK {maybe dial it down a bit on the chorus and dial in the synth patch. [them american boys in the comments like "rem sounds timeless!!! like they could've been a band in the 60s!!!" Buddy. i can pinpoint the exact boroughs of Manchester/NYC they're aping] it's a demo for a reason. must've been the principle.}) (actually related) 9-9 gives me a fucking aneurysm. we jump from closer era joy division intro to bright verses to a police ass chorus to a smiths type bridge. alright guys. we got it. bisexual ass song.

R.E.M. was certainly one of the most influential pop-rock bands of the ’80s and ’90s. In my view, however, that doesn’t justify having five albums by Michael Stipe & Co. on this list—especially since R.E.M.’s approach has remained virtually unchanged over the years. Their debut “Murmur” sounds a bit like Dire Straits without Mark Knopfler trying their hand at a new wave sound. Fortunately, this nightmare isn’t real, but the thought experiment clearly shows that we’re dealing with something rather half-baked here. Bottom line: it’s nice to know, but not essential. One R.E.M. album (or two, for that matter) would have been enough.

It's nice. I liked shaking through, we walk and west of fields

Prima achtergrondmuziek.

It was ok. Some good tracks at the start but it started to feel a bit samey towards the end. It's a 3/5. It was ok. Not great and not bad. Better than bad.

Мур мур мур

Great album. I really loved listening to it. Great melodies, really round album. I didn't quite remember something: the London Calling song I knew, and the other songs are quite like it. I have to say, though, it didn't really catch me necessarily.

Unexciting, inoffensive and absolutely fine

5/4 Pretty good

dieses album erinnert mich bissle an the smiths find ich aber nicht schlimm fave songs pilgrimage talk abt the passion west of the fields grad fertig gehört w[rde persönlich sagen mid

meh

You can feel them still trying to figure out the REM sound It's all over the place - in a good and interesting way - and there's clear references to the Cure and the Clash

Less refined and mature than the REM to come, a glare of moody post-punk inflected indie that I enjoyed way more than I thought I would.

I like Michael Stipe's voice and I generally like the rhythms and compositions of R.E.M songs. The lyrics are always a bit stream of consciousness scattered for me though so I just try not to pay attention to them.

It's definitely the best out of all the (too many) R.E.M. albums I got. Still not good enough lol

La banda no me parece mala, de hecho ya había escuchado un álbum de ellos. Me encanta que experimentan con diferentes ritmos. Pero no me pareció nada demasiado innovador...

Not what I'd expect from R.E.M., but enjoyable. 3.5

As my cello-playing professor said: nice guys, okay musicians. It's fine, songs kind of blur

There are much better REM albums

For whatever sets of reasons, in spite of many fine individual recordings, I was always eh? About REM

Favorite Track: Radio Free Europe

I'm enjoying it - nothing really jumps out as bad or good to me but like their sound a lot.

Great stuff! R.E.M.s one of my favourite bands, and to finally get to.listem to their debut gives me another perspective on them. On the edge of a 4, but they've got so much greater stuff coming

Remember when you couldn't understand half of Michael Stipe's lyrics? This is that. So reminiscent of my college years. After listening to this today, I can't get "Radio Free Europe" out of my head. That's definitely the first R.E.M. song I was ever aware of.

Overall solid. Don’t like it as much as some of their later stuff

Like 2nd half more than 1st. But all are at least interesting. Good album. Not the best REM, but up there.

Ta bueno, chill. Sin críticas pero sin like.

Buen disco, REM es una banda que para mí está un poco infravalorada, creo que es un disco regular sin muchos puntos altos ni bajos, me gusta harto el sonido de la batería y el bajo, la voz simple en la producción pero con mucha emocionalidad. Creo que es un 3, sin tantas cosas que destacar Canción favorita laughing sin duda

Never piqued my interest. OK, just not my thing I guess.

Lowkey elusive.

Miles away from their biggest hits, R.E.M.'s debut is dense and enigmatic. Jangly guitars abound, and lyrics are cryptic or indecipherable. The album somehow manages to be both tight, with those guitars taking up nearly every second and often changing melodies, and loose, with verses and choruses that blend together and feel ready to fall apart. There are some great songs here. "Radio Free Europe" deserves its status as a highpoint for the band, "Catapult" has a catchy hook, and I love the urgency on "West of the Fields." At other times the songs blur together with their similar sounds or feel too loose; the chorus of "Moral Kiosk" is almost a chorus deconstructed, reduced to vocalizations instead of words. I like how fresh and free this is, but I find myself wishing for more well-defined songs and memorable moments.

Liked Catapult and liked some of the riffs in 9-9. Decent vibe overall

Not a memorable album, at least for R.E.M. standards, but not bad at all. 7/10

I really like R.E.M. but I didn't really enjoyed this album. Not that it's a bad album. It has a couple of good tracks on it. But also some boring ones. 3/5

I can really see how people like or even love this. This was my first ever listen and I didn't find it particularly striking but it is certainly competent. Looking forward to hearing more R.E.M. on this list. 3.5/5

Rate: 7/10

Ahead of its time, and inspirational to a lot of artists. Sadly, it falls a bit flat and overdone now.

Overall Rating - 3.17/5 (6.33/10). R.E.M. has a very distinctive sound, and you can tell that this is the early days of creating that distinctive sound. This definitely fills the role on the list of "Not the best album, but an album you need to hear because it's the start of something unique and great."

3/5. A nice slice of jangle-pop and college rock. Was an easygoing and pleasant listen, I personally preferred the tracks that leaned a little more post-punky like the opener “radio free Europe” but it was all solid, just not the most interesting or exciting album for me personally.

Radio Free Europe. Fuck yes. The rest? Ok. Amazing I wasn't even a teenager when this came out.

ive only heard rem's later stuff so it's interesting to finally listen to their debut album. i think "radio free europe" is the strongest track here but after that it unfortunately kinda sinks down to being pretty mid. it's far from being bad but it's another of those albums where the tracks are sometimes a bit samey, mostly near the start, and the album structure suffers for it. it picks up a bit more in the middle, i like the more intricate drumming on "moral kiosk", and "perfect circle" pulls the energy down hard enough afterwards to hold my attention, but for the back half, although there's more variety, nothing other than "sitting still" really stood out as particularly amazing. i did enjoy the barely-intelligible yelling in the chorus of "shaking through" quite a lot tho. yeah idk it's just kinda fine i guess. another album i'd put on as background noise, then drop what i'm doing for the standout tracks.. although in this case the standout track is the first track so. maybe not...

1001 albums to hear before you can't even murmur 74# Wasn't giving this much praise cause im not from the 80s so i dont have an immense love for R.E.M. and never quite heard them, unless it's the Losing my religion and that is a great song. I'll have the same discourse that I did for Bruce Springsteen's Darkness on the Edge of Town. This is quite the surprise firstly for being their debut, and secondly for thinking this would be another rock album from the 80s with a lot of recognition but almost nothing to show, it isn't. Fun throughout, i understand the older generations rants about today's music. Too repetitive, too restrained, too produced, too.. commercialized. Great Hooks, cool riffs. It's just not my type of vibe I delve into inside the rock scene. wow some experimentation on the ninth track 9-9, one of the highlights. It's more unpredictable, and dynamic than the rest. For me it sounds like something i've heard before. Surprised but not impressed. Bruce is leading the way on the 80s run.

Perfect circle

Better than Coldplay

Almost a 4 for me, but I'll settle for 3. Always enjoy R.E.M..

It was OK, didn't grab me really at any point.

Not for me for now atleast but the best karaoke songs

r.e.m isn’t bad, just forgettable.

First time listening to this, and i enjoyed through every song. Really good intro to the alternative rock. Track that i liked: Pilgrimage Rating for me is 13 of 20.

I really liked this one. I don't know how to describe this album besides cozy. It's a nice escape from the stresses of the world. However I’m not sure if this album is going to stick with me yet.

easy listening. Hard to place in their timeline. Not sure if there is something unique about this one that their other albums don't also have. But again, great sounds (if not the same sound).

Never listened. Expectations: Mid - Verdict: Very Good - Another R.E.M. album! I know this is usually considered one of their best but I have never gotten around to listening to it. After a couple tracks it seems like it's pretty standard stuff for them, but I like this better than some of the later albums. I would say this is clearly better than Green actually. Enjoyed it quite a bit.

Lacking the standout songs for me but I like the sound of it

this album reminds me of something you'd listen to while on a hike to motivate you to keep going, which i like. I did find it a bit boring but overall i liked it! my favorite song was 'we walk' ♡

Not my kind of thing, but I didn't hate it

The sounds made me feel strong emotions at some points, but overall I was kind of uninterested in this album. I wouldn't call it bad by any means, though. Just kind of average.

Decent first album, their later work is where R.E.M. really shines though

was never a fan of R.E.M.'s tinny production and nasally vocalist but not a bad album. no real standout tracks but definitely pleasant to listen to. may revisit?

no me encantó el álbum; pero si la banda

Good. ★★★

Pretty good but not quite good enough to hook and reel me in. 3.5

its an okish album, i think the reason its here its because it was releaed in 1983, such sound wa unheard of

Meget eddie vedder-agtigt, hyggeligt nok. Ville dog nok ikke komme tilbage

I just had Green recently, and I have the same problem I had with Green. The album starts exciting, but the lack of dynamics and putting the mellow song after mellow song closer to the end of an album kinda ruins the vibe for me.

Distinctly R.E.M. I understand it's significance, but I prefer their later more polished sound.

I listened to this years and years ago, in my early twenties, as someone looking to get into more alternative music and away from Korn, Sepultura and punk stuff. I hated it then. It's grown on me since and I can appreciate that it's the sound of a great band starting on their journey. It's jangly guitar sounds are appropriate for the early 80s post punk scene. A lot of the songs do sound very similar, with chord changes and dynamics that don't very much from track to track. They get better.

Didn't catch a word he said but it's R.E.M. what ya gonna do?

Leur 1er album. Ils étaient vus comme des pionniers à cette époque, car ils faisaient un son que personne avait jamais entendu, du alt rock. Pour ma part, c'est bien bon. Le tout s'écoute bien, sans qu'il y ait de chansons super commerciales ou sur lesquelles je capote. On est entre le 3 et le 4.

still dont like his voice but the music is nice enough

The Good: This won’t be loud! It’ll be a… The Bad: Realizing that murmur isn’t what I thought it would be… The Ugly: getting murmured without consent! So, here we are… listening to R.E.M.’s maiden voyage… it’s nice… it’s not too intrusive… it’s like a murmur, but not… I was never aware of REM, until they just blew up with Loosing My Religion… but I’ve mentioned that already in my previous murmuring for that other REM album that is on this list which does not include Loosing My Religion… Do I feel better having listened to this? Not really… Do I feel worse having listened to this? Not really either… So, let’s call it a 3, click the vote button and hope for something illuminating… not something that’s a murmur… 3*

The album was fine, nothing crazy. I enjoyed parts of it. Seems they do have a track record with a lot of popular songs, I never knew the name of the band before now.

Me recordó a nirvana. Buenas canciones pero ninguna me facinó

There’s something appealing in how it avoids being too direct. Still, it feels more like a starting point than a fully developed statement.

Kinda peaceful, kinda boring Likes: Laughing; Catapult; Sitting Still

this guy really murmurs fav song: Radio Free Europe

Gave 4 stars to the others. I get this is their debut but falls a little flat to me.

Was alright. Just a little boring and compared to other work by REM.

I took a break from copyediting a book about the video game Doom to go on a cool, overcast walk and listen to this album. Discovering a strong passion and respect for R.E.M. has been one of my favorite revelations of the list so far, which left me feeling a little deflated after listening to Murmur. By all accounts this is still a very good album, with good songwriting and technically proficient instrumentals. There's just not a lot of movement during the songs; some of them wind up feeling a little stuck in place by the time they end. This is bolstered by the fact that Murmur is a lot softer than the later R.E.M. albums I've enjoyed so much, and it has less of their distinctive character too. While there are certainly highlights, this album sounds a like first step towards something greater. Highlights: Talk About The Passion, Catapult, We Walk

Achja Rem - war schon okay...

Not their best album, as far as I'm concerned. It sounds nice, of course, they are great musicians, but some songs were too similar to each other, none of them surprised me, as it happens with other REM songs. 3/5

Album No. 0201 on my list. I’m a huge fan of R.E.M.’s biggest hits, but I never really broadened my knowledge about their music. I don’t know why to be honest. I know their 90s albums pretty well, but never got to their 80s stuff. Except for “Radio Free Europe”, “Murmur” was a completely new thing to me. And quite frankly, I found it solid, but nothing more. Coming from the aforementioned big hits, I was even a bit disappointed. Of course, the band was just finding its style at the time and “Murmur” does have certain qualities: it’s artsy, it’s interesting, it’s raw. But I just found that the quality of the songs themselves was not as high as expected. I dunno, maybe my taste is to mainstream-oriented, maybe the whole thing was too cryptic. Not a bad album, but also not a huge favorite. I get that this has probably been very influential, and maybe I’d rate it higher at a later stage, but for now it’s just solid an nothing more to me. Will add the aforementioned “Radio Free Europe” to my playlist, as well as “Pilgrimage”, and “Talk About The Passion”. 3/5 Stars.

I don't think this would be the R.E.M. album I would put on this list, but I assume a stronger one is coming. Still enjoyable, just not excellent. It was better on the second listen.

Tengo un recopilatorio en CD de cuando se empezaron a hacer populares en Europa que trae las mejores canciones de este disco y que me he guardado igualmente: Radio Free Europe, Talk about the passion y Perfect circle. El resto también interesantes.

No es de mi estilo

Pleasant to listen to. No bops though.

Never listened to early REM, it's pretty interesting how much their sound is already fully formed on this album. Definitely not my favourite flavour of 'alt-rock' (it's too conventional for my tastes), and the songwriting here is miles away from their later output (an unfair comparison as they'd go on to write some truly era-defining songs). This is still a good enough listen, though it's a bit samey and at its worst, a bit dull. But it's interesting to hear where it all started for one of the most important rock bands of the last half-century.

Another group that I understand is important, but when I actually listen to it it does nothing for me. I think I sometimes suffer from "oh, this again". I want to hear new, different things and when a million garage bands have copied a band like this, it's not new or different to me. In 1983 it was probably a revelation, but in 2026 it's elevator music.

While not as good as the previous R.E.M album I listened to on this generator, I still thought this was quite good. If I were to have one complaint about it, it's that it was little bit inconsistent. While mostly strong, there were a couple tracks that I just really couldn't get into. It was clean. It was fun. It was just missing something. This being said, this is R.E.M's debut album so I really can't give them too much flack for that. Really solid.

Not a fan of this album but I respect what they do.