Murmur

Did not love it but I do like R.E.M.

Not the best REM record but a pretty good one.

Aldrig lyssnat på denna förut. Enda låten jag kommer ihåg att jag hört är Radio Free Europe. Det låter mycket åttiotal och jag tycker att senare REM är bättre men detta är början på något som ska bli större. Michael Stipes röst är fantastisk.

I like REM generally. I don’t know if it was just my mood or what, but this album didn’t grab me in any way. It was fine, but nothing stood out and I found myself zoning out and forgetting I was even listening to something. 3.5/5 I guess.

Great listen and was neat going to the debut album. "Radio Free Europe" was the star song and a great nominee for Album 1 Song 1. This established their sound and set the table for some incredible albums. I got to see REM's 40th anniversary of EP 'Chronic Town' with Mike Mills (bass) & Peter Buck (guitar) special guests Chris & Rich Robinson from Black Crowes, Darius Rucker, Fred Armisen, Puddles the Clown and more. David Cross emceed & went off on the crowd for the Braves moving to Cobb haha.

I like REM. This album was just sort of meh.

I like the voice. Very melancholic. A bit boring

forgettable

This didn't leave much of an impression on me beyond it always being interesting to see where a band started from before they produced their best work. Based on the reviews I'd like to revisit it, but I haven't gotten around to that yet so sticking with my original impression of 3/5

Tätä ei oo tullut aiemmin kuunneltua, vaikka bändin suosituimpia levyjä löytyy omasta hyllystä. Tää oli ihan hyvä ja ok biisejä. Soitto on R.E.M.-levyillä aina hyvää.

Non lo comprerei però le prime tre tracce e sitting still sono molto belle. Ha delle influenze doorsiane in qualche canzone ma sembra un album indie cantato da una voce anziana. Molte canzoni piacevoli

pretty alright. I'm an R.E.M. Hater though so still not great

Fine, nothing revolutionary

REM has never resonated with me and this album was the same. There is just something about their sound and songwriting that is incredibly flat to me. They have a recognizable sound and it's impressive that their first album is so sure of itself.

Normalito, del monton, del monton bueno.

Hello 80s!

I love me some REM, but this was a bit too slow and scattered for my tastes. You can really tell that this is their debut work, it hadn't quite "clicked" yet. It's still ok though!

écouté d’une oreille distraite entre des albums de Ghost. Pas pire. 3.5 ♡: Laughing, Catapult, Shaking Through

I do appreciate REM, but I wouldn't have put this album in my Top 5 REM albums let alone the T1001 playlist. Respectable listener counts on Spotify for every track, with the classic "Radio Free Europe" clicking in at 25M. That's the only real radio friendly song, or greatest hit, on the album though. The rest are enjoyable tracks but probably stuff a true REMmy would choose. I've listened to the entire album before but the other above average tracks include "Talk About The Passion" (9M), "Pilgrimage" (3.1M), "We Walk" (1.7M) & "Shaking Through" (1.8M). None of the tracks on the album shine like "RFE" though. "Perfect Circle" and "Laughing" are boring. I'd add that some of these tracks sound like rough drafts, not really complete or polished, maybe just immature compared to latter works. I'd give this 3 stars if I were feeling generous, but this is more likely a 2.5-2.75 range album, just not enough meat on the bone to justify more.

Interesting to hear such early REM! It was a nice album, but to my ear they didn’t quite have the strong melodies yet that I associate with them. Some of their songs sound a bit like the Cure. Pretty good!

Had never listened this one before, some good tunes, but also some forgettable stretches for me. Nice to hear the evolution of REM but doubt I’d pick this one up again to listen to. Still an enjoyable listen though.

Good stuff. I think this one runs together a bit for me, but I really liked hearing it again.

60% is not good, 40% is great, nothing crazy new for its time, I'm not the biggest fan of Michael's voice, and the whole album isn't very connected.

Lovely but not great

Good album, not their best in my opinion but still good

Murmur is a solid debut from REM. Start strong with Radio Free Europe, runs steady through the middle, all songs are good although some are pretty similar. No skippers. Strong finish with We Walk and Wedt Of The Fields. We enjoyed the listen. L = (2.5*s) A typical, good REM album J = (2.8*s) These guys improve with age and experience.

We got a darker, more indy rock R.E.M on this record and I like it. Stipe and Co have not honed in their unique style yet on this debut but it still has some originality and appeal. "Laughing" is top track. I think we are getting a bit to much of the band from the list but none of the albums are bad. Murmur gets 3.14 stars.

As much as I'm an R.E.M. fan I really don't think Murmur belongs on this list. It pales compares to their future albums, and for me their early work doesn't exemplify anything special like what they grew into. For the most part its just a forgettable alternative rock album. I'm a little surprised how critically acclaimed it was at release because it does little to impress me compared to their other albums nowadays. Understandably, debut albums tend to carry a lot more weight as you get a look at a band/artist at the start of their career. Maybe Murmur is looked upon a great debut that paved the way for them to become as huge as they were at the peak of their career. Saying it's not as good as their other work is hard to hold against them as its still a decent album, it just doesn't wow me like the rest of their catalog. 2.68 stars

La pâte REM est bien présente dés leur premier album.

𝘔𝘶𝘳𝘮𝘶𝘳 is the quintessential jangly debut — hazy, melodic, and wrapped in Michael Stipe’s famously indistinct vocals. The guitars shimmer in that unmistakable Southern college-rock way, and the songs drift by with a gentle, low-key charm. It’s an important starting point for R.E.M., but its subtlety also means it doesn’t always leave a strong impression on me. Pleasant, foundational, but not quite gripping.

The REM vibes are there on their first release.

Solid debut. Good mixing, some really good songs. However, 12 songs is a little bit tiring, considering the band's signature style of composition.

OK...but not remarkable

This was interesting because of how unlike a rem album it sounds. It’s like they hadn’t found their sound yet but still knew what to do.

Quite liked the sound of this overall. A couple songs stood out, particularly Perfect Circle.

Good, upbeat

I’ve tried to get into this album. Meh 🤷‍♂️

Always knew REM for the hits and fully understood their role as an innovator in the indie music sphere, but never listened to a full album of theirs. It was fine. "Radio Free Europe" is a bop, but everything after that doesn't do much to move the needle for me. Not bad, but not great either.

Average at best, great bumpin in the background

Disc 1 is better

i liked this and would listen again but there were no real standouts that i would immediately go back to but it made me want to check out other stuff by them so more like 3.75

es que no puedo decir que es malo, pero como que medio aburrido me pareció, las canciones son como mucho de lo mismo y es como rocksito tranqui, como que no va tanto pero igual tampoco fue como difícil de escuchar, eso sí al final ya como que no le preste atención

It was a pretty okay album. They’ve had better.

I can't believe they used Swamp Thing's house as the cover.

Sorry, this is going to be a lazy review. There's nothing here that I found overly compelling in either direction. This is another record on the stack of post-punk new wave records on this list. The sound has a little more pop music sparkle and shimmer than the Echo And The Bunnymen record I listened to a few days ago, and certainly more than either Joy Division record, but not as ethereal as U2. I wish I could get into it because it’s exactly the kinda thing I should be into. I can even hear the seeds of the Counting Crows in this record, which should have me really enthusiastic. "Radio Free Europe" is the identifiable the hit here, but it's not a song I've ever had strong feelings about. R.E.M. is hugely influential and I respect their place in rock & roll history, but I just can't make myself care.

Normal, el bajo increible pero la voz se me hizo repetitiva

Sparse and it gets kinda spooky. It also gets kinda boring.

-this is probably my second favorite R.E.M. album so far (Automatic For The People still winning). there’s something i like about the atmosphere, idk it’s a little moodier than most of their later stuff -before this it had been a minute since i last listened to anything by R.E.M. but i think i have a decent sample of their discog to go off now -Favorites: Radio Free Europe, Moral Kiosk, 9-9

REM are really cool and they have great songs on this.

very REM

This is good but nothing gripping. It's very melodic, "catchy" songs, but nothing that really stands out. In context of being their first album this is excellent work, but more of a stepping stone to later success then anything I'd make note of here. Still an enjoyable listen for sure, just not something I'd flip on. Clean guitar sound, definitely more of an alt album, maybe a bit of Oasis influence. 3/5.

I've come to accept that REM just aren't for me and that's okay. Musically skilled as they are, Michael Stipe's vocals bother me so much that listening to them becomes a chore.

not bad

My second album by REM and I'm only about 12 albums into this. Fine album, pleasant to listen to but nothing special I thought. Not quite sure why it's raved about so much. Listened through somewhat inattentively but the only song, the best song was Harbourcoat which made me sit up and think I really like this. I then realised that track is off Reckoning as Spotify had gone on to play that afterwards. Somewhat disappointing and 3 out of 5

slow at times, but when its good its good

Not bad

Kind of repetitive, but good for a car ride. Easy songs to digest

I've never much liked REM, mostly because of Stipe's nasal mewling, but in the 90s I couldn't deny the greatness of some of their music. On a separate listening journey I caught one of their early albums - not this one - and it contained none of that 90s goodness. I wonder what this one has in store for me. The Low-fi nature actually helps the album, as Stipe's vocals are less at the forefront. Add to that he was still growing into his voice and trying to figure out what he wanted to sound like, so later bad decisions had not yet been made. Elsewhere, the songs feel very... Weak. That is my problem with much of those American early alternative music. It had no edge. Everything is nice, shaking hands, pat on the back, I'll just play this little jangly riff for a few seconds while looking ashamed that I ignored mummy's pleas to learn piano instead. This is especially noticeable in the choruses where you want a bit of welly to make the songs more impactful, it instead they trundle along sounding like a band consisting of your school teachers rather than someone grabbing the world by the throat. Now, there are nice melodies here, solid ideas, but it too often gives the impression of a debut album, of a band recording their early crappy songs before they had the ability and experience to write anything good. The drums are distractingly flaccid, We Walk is bad enough to almost bring the whole album down to a One Star, and too many choruses sound like the one before. In essence, it's a poor man's Pablo Honey.

как точка отсчета инди-рока - засчитываю

The album was not as good as the other R.E.M. album I’ve listened to but the project as a whole was solid.

This album feels like a gloomy summer day. In LA we call it "June Gloom". It's upbeat, but also has some weight to it. Good, easy listen all around.

Was wel oké maar niet mijn style

idk i don't have much to say about this one. the songs are nice and all but it's very generic 80's rock i feel,, i wasn't really impressed, nothing really stood out to me. decent songs but i probably won't listen again lol

There wasn't anything interesting. It wasn't horrible just nothing really notable

Good album, can feel repetitive at times. Maybe too long, but I chose to listen to the deluxe version, so that's on me.

It's okay Nothing for a playlist, but nothing to make me turn it off. 3

It was fine, middle of the road

Good album fairly samish Good vibe 👍 Background music

More highschool vibes.

Zelo hitro še eni R.E.M., tokrat njihov prvi album. Sm rekla nazadnje, da moram še enkrat dat šanso tistemu albumu, kar sploh še nism uspela nardit. Ampak glede na mojo prvo reakcijo, k sm dons vidla kaj me čaka, nism the biggest fan, na splošno. "Radio Free Europe" mi je poznan od prej, čist fletn komad. "Perfect Circle" mi je všeč, zveni velik drugače kot ostali komadi. Fak ej, ne vem. I want to like it more, but... Men je tok bland tole. Skor vse mi zveni isto. I guess z razlogom nikol nism padla v R.E.M. Niso zame.

I love the jingle jangle sound of R.E.M. thanks to the use of the Rickenbacker 360/12. I thought they were unique in a field of boring (imo) and unimaginative music cluttering up the airwaves in the 80s and 90s. Stipe could be a little pretentious and lyrically nonsensical, but that didn’t really matter. The music was/is unique and interesting. I admire the music but can’t say I was ever a real fan. I thought the majority of music at that time was unimaginative, at best, and a waste of time, at worst. So I didn’t listen to much of the current music. I missed some excellent music due to my pompous attitude.

Unremarkable but still cool

Michael stipe is bald and bisexual but that doesn’t mean he makes good music

Можно переслушать, вдруг найдется что-то

Take this album and play it for anyone who is not a super R.E.M. fan and I doubt that they would be able to tell you what it was Murmur. Still a good album but very much R.E.M. being R.E.M.

while this was better than i thought it was going to be, i can’t make out if i was bored by it or if i actually enjoyed parts of it…….. i guess another listen is on the horizon

7,5

A surprisingly modern-sounding album for 1983 - there's a lot of different vibes here, with elements of post-punk and new wave as well as the seeds of future 90s indie rock. To its credit, it also supremely ignores all the stupid gimmicks that were fashionable in the early 80s music industry. I find it intellectually interesting, but the music itself doesn't excite me that much. I enjoyed Michael Stipe's very peculiar voice, and the album as a whole kind of grew on me ; it was quite pleasant to listen as background music. However, no song really stood out or blew me away, and I'm not sure it will leave a lasting impression. A laudable effort, but not necessarily something I'll listen to again. 5/10

A suprising nice discovery.

I'm not a big R.E.M. fan, but I readily admit they have a recognizable sound and voice... but I didn't hear anything particularly memorable on this album.

Merry Christmas! I’ve always liked this album without really knowing why. Maybe it’s just my contrarian side. It feels like the more garage-rock, alternative face of R.E.M., far from the band’s smoother 90s period, when everything leaned more toward synths. The bass is great, and Michael Stipe sounds perfectly balanced between post-punk edge and pop ease. Like a good The Smiths, it grows on you slowly and then sticks. No real hit, nothing spectacular, it just works to me.

I liked this one quite a bit. I had never such early R.E.M. It's hard to describe, but it lacked the annoyance factor I feel listening to later R.E.M. music. I think that came from the saturation on MTV and local radio stations at the time. Too much Stipe is just too much Stipe.

Okay y'know what, I am starting to get on the hype train for R.E.M., especially after their very weird and one of a kind debut album Murmur. This album feels just as weird and off-center as their debut EP Chronic Town, but feels much more polished and clear in what exactly the band is trying to do. Lead singer Stipe doesn't feel as under his breath as he did before and I'd argue the writing is much more compelling on this project. It isn't anything I haven't heard before, but for the time when this was released it was pretty ahead of the curve. R.E.M. showcases a very charming and fun soundscape on this project that always leaves you wondering what is next for the band, but I don't ever feel they absolutely embody the sound they are crafting here. They always make a good showcase and never much more. Again take it with a grain of salt as this is their debut studio album but I really like how collected they feel right out of the gate. Excited to see what else this band cooks up as I am quite happy with what Murmur had to offer myself.

Not the best REM that I have heard and certainly not the worst

Actually enjoyed this album, I've never listened to this before, even though I'm familiar and like their hits. Some of the tracks were quite catchy, need to listen to the whole album again.

Listened to this on a very rainy drive home from work. 2.5/5

yeah, I enjoyed it, it was nice to have on in the background, nothing stuck out but I mean that in multiple ways. nothing was awful but nothing was amazing. i liked it! Laughing was probably my favorite.

Not bad but not particularly memorable

i thought this was fine. the R.E.M. songs i knew weren't on here, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. i enjoyed having this on, but nothing really jumped out to me to make me feel like i gotta listen to it again. i might in the future, but it's not begging for it.

The beginning really convinced me that I was not going to enjoy this album, but the second half really saved it for me. I think I’d need to give it a thorough redo sometime in order to have a completely accurate score.

There’s such joy in experiencing a new flavor of music, one that breaks the mold and defies labels, but is also fun to listen to. Delightful, complex weirdness: that’s what this REM debut is all about. For me, Murmur didn’t conjure that reaction of “woah, I don’t know what the heck this is but it rules” — since I’m in 2025, have heard REM’s other hits, and bands inspired by them. But Murmur is still good, and it did remind me how I’ve felt listening to other new, odd artists for the first time. I only got one cursory listen in for this record, so I plan to revisit and possibly bump this up a star.

Not my type of music

I think I like this more than Automatic For The People, which has already been served and reviewed here. However I care less.

REM are the godfathers of indie - Beloved of serious musos ( spelt serious but pronounced pretentious) Lots to like about this surprisingly well formed debut for their sound . Jangly and catchy, but not exactly memorable A couple of nice songs on an album that sounded more like Elvis Castelo than I would have thought . I don’t own any REM on vinyl, and this gives me no reason to change that so 3/5

Música de velho

In my opinion probably their 4th best album. I enjoyed it but moreso as background music maybe. Some great songs on their but not an album I would choose to listen to again.

Solid album, not my favorite one from REM though. I like the 2nd half more, starting with Catapult.

I like other albums more

Dug it at first, but got bored pretty quickly

Decent melodies, but a lot of the same on here. I can see why this would be a lot of peoples’ favorite, but I have a hard time rating this in my top tier.

Not bad, an enjoyable listen. I think I like the later stuff much better though.

Y'know, I love REM, and I loved a few of the tracks on here. The lyrics are fantastic, as is always the case for this band. That said, on the whole this wasn't sticking with me today, even after a couple of listens. Probably a 3.5.

This had the benefit of being a weekend album, which gave me time to play through it a few times and let it sink in. I think it would take this extra bit of investment to really appreciate it. It's definitely not an immediate top of the pops album. It's subtle. And a bit melancholy. The B side is weaker than the A side, but overall, it's still not bad.

Slightly off-kilter jangle-rock. Debut full-length from the band that's basically the godfather of college indie rock. Quality stuff, but I actually like their following release Reckoning better - the songs that stand out on that one really stand out more, I think. You can hear Byrds and maybe some Talking Heads and Elvis Costello influences here in places. Good grooves and pleasant but unconventional song structures. The interesting thing is that except for a few albums later in their career, their sound never strays too far from this formula. Not to say they didn't grow and experiment, but they seemed to always return to their roots and strengths. In all, a solid set of songs. Favorites: Radio Free Europe, Sitting Still

I’ve tried, but I just can’t get into R.E.M. I fully recognize the talent—Murmur is finely crafted, the musicianship is there, and the band’s influence is unquestionable. But even with all that, the sound still hits my ear as pop-polished in a way that doesn’t quite land for me. It’s not that they’re doing anything wrong; it’s more that their particular brand of “effortless” feels a little too effortless for my taste. I can admire it, but it doesn’t call to me.

Começa divertidinho já. Começou a ficar um pouco repetitivo e sem alma pra mim. Nada mais a comentar, bom, ok. 3*

Used to really like this, sounds a bit samey now

Pretty solid debut album that established their sound and gave ideas of the history that were to come. I didn't hear any catchy songs that I'd add to my favorites but it was a good experience.

I was expecting to love this, as it’s an album I’d not heard by a band I like, but it kind of passed me by. Pleasant but forgettable.

3/5

I like R.E.M. a lot, they were my favorite band in my teens, but, like, how many of their albums are on this list?

radio free europe is nostalgic. its ok lol 3/5

I listened to this album while out a stroll and i kind of forgot it was on. Not really sure if thats a good or a bad thing. Each song just kind of rolled into the next and there were very few stand out moments for me. I suppose it does need to be considered easy listening on that basis though! When i did lock in to the music, i found the songs catchy enough without being particularly exciting. Vocals have never really done it for me and the guitar sounds are okay but not really my cup of tea. I do think there is something to be said about the simple, melancholic nature of the songs and perhaps its one of those albums that needs another listen to fully appreciate. I think ill give it another spin. For now favourite track - Radio Free Europe. 7/10

Average. Nothing outstanding, pleasant background.

Tomek daje 3 z dużym minusem, tak jak to panie nauczycielki naciągają oceny w szkole. Zosia bez minusa!

Pleasant enough

Good

I like this. It's fine, good listening while I work.

Bleh 2.5/5

No complaints, guitar heavy alt rock, noticeably of the 80s

I like their later stuff a little more.

Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Shaking Through, Talk About The Passion Pretty middle of the road, but I can definitely understand how R.E.M. paved the way for the alternative rock scene to really take off. There's not much else to say. It's wholly cromulent.

I love REM but this album is very mellow. I like it, but do not love it. I will hold them to a high standard and rank this as a 3.5 but on the three side.

Same melody song after song

Do conder myself an R.E.M. fan but I am a fan of this alblum

Another solid offering from R.E.M. - I don't think the highs on this one quite reached the highs of Green for me, but this album was much more consistent throughout.

Not a single song stood out to me as being a 5/5 HOWEVER this was some very good listening and I certainly didn’t dislike any of it. I’m thinking a 3.5 for now. Might go back and listen one day and bump it up to 4.

R.E.M. still isn't making my favourites list or anything, but this is a MUCH better showcase of their style than Green was. Quite a fun listen, and with all the sauce I expected from the band that brought us Losing My Religion. High 3 for me, could be a 4 on a good day. Standouts: Laughing • 9-9 • Shaking Through • We Walk

crazy

Yup. That sure is REM

Is R.E.M the best band of all time? I’ve certainly heard it said, and by some pretty well considered music lovers too. There’s a whole lot of “what qualifies a band…” kind of questions we’d need to ask and answer first, and honestly could you imagine anything being any more tedious than that? Murmur is full of thoughtfully crafted, patiently simmering pop songs that recalls the art rock of Velvet Underground as much as it does the angular, angsty thrust of the Wire of “Reuters” or even Orange Juice. It also anticipates a lot of what’s to follow in the 80s, perhaps most thrillingly The Smiths – close contemporaries I’ve always thought of as quasi-equivalents (I doubt I’d be alone in calling REM the American Smiths). “Radio Free Europe” is the sort of romping pop punk that’d get a room moving no matter what; “Laughing” is a meditative, oneiric drone punctuated by stabs of lively arpeggio and bright bass; “Perfect Circle” houses a gloriously honeycomb ostinato and features the most quintessentially Michael Stipe sounding Michael Stipe on this record (imagine getting to know your voice, finding its strength and then realising it’s that voice); “Shaking Through” has an almost sophistipop angle about it, in a very pleasing way; “West of the Fields” is a very, very good slice of upright art pop with an undulating chorus that lingers in the back of the mind long after the album’s issued its last murmur. Would the best band in the world have a debut album this cohesive, convincing and clever? Maybe. They’d also have to follow it up with a succession of increasingly more focussed pop rock masterpieces, though. Can’t wait to see how they go.

Love REM. This isn't my absolute favourite, but it's in the era I love.

Founders of the North American Jangle. Album starts with a bang with Radio Free Europe. Then....the rest of the album feels like they forgot what they were trying to say. Not sure what happened there. The rest of the album is flat as a pancake.

Pretty good, but also nothing spectacular. Nothing about this album really pops for me, and there are better REM records.

Easy listening for music snobs. This album, along with their next few, is far better than their 90s slop, and it's a shame they'll be remembered for the latter. That being said, while their sound, writing, and production was original and innovative in 1983, it's been done a million times since by a million other bands. That's a testament to REM's influence, but influence alone doesn't carry an album for me. Listening to Murmur, I was reminded of one of my favorite bands from the same era, one that also featured a unique and charismatic singer floating over bittersweet riffs on a jangly guitar. But The Smiths had a personality. There was dark humor, pathos, unrequited love, shifting English politics. Listening to this and REMs other college radio albums, I can't really tell what they're about or what they're wanting the listener to take away from the experience. Maybe it's just positive vibes and an hour of good company. Which is about all I got from this.

I don't really get REM

Fine, my least favorite of the REM offerings.

I really enjoyed the bell line in pilgrimage. Other than that the album was pretty generic and didn't push me towards anything else.

Alt rock

My first impression of REM. Clearly ahead of its time. It’s got a great sound but the songs all sort of run together, especially through the middle. We’ll see how the other albums measure up; it’ll at least be interesting to see how this band progresses with time. 3/5

About what I expected. Not bad, not great.

Not too enthralling for me

I'm sure it's good, but didn't stand out from other indie rock

R.E.M. are such a part of the fabric of my musical life that I can't be impartial. I don't universally love everything they do, but they got me through some hard times, and for that reason alone anything I hear them I feel a certain affection and gratitude. Murmur is good enough. Like lots of albums, it peters out toward the end a bit. It's more a document for me than a direct emotional tie. I'm not sure I get why the wiki places them in relation to punk other than needing to differentiate them from bigger rock acts. I don't hear the animus of punk nor the scrappiness, and the compositions feel too tight. But whatevs.

Was eagerly awaiting a new album and saw R.E.M pop up and was immediately disappointed; an audibly sigh. Thinking to myself, alright let's plow our way through this. First track pops up, Radio Free Europe. Was pleasantly surprised by the jangly guitar and upbeat vibe of the track and tight composition Pilgrimage, Laughing, Talk About Passion were kinda let downs. Went right back to the mindset at the beginning before playing this album. This is just a whinny band for the dorks of the 90's Moral Kiosk kicks in, back to that jangly guitar tone, with fun, catchy harmonies. Perfect Circle, eh, alright it's doing it's thing. Catapult, second favorite track on the album. Back to that jangly guitar tone, tight drumming and the funniest harmonies on the album. Catchiest thing on the album. What a fun track. Sitting Still is solid. 9-9, my personal favorite on this album. Dark, gloomy, bass is just riffing. Sticks out as a artistic endeavor on this album. They should be proud of that track. West of Fields is a great closer. Does the fun jangly guitar with a pinch of what 9-9 is all about. Dark, gloomy, tight drumming. What a debut! Glad this medium made me listen to it with a different ear because at the beginning wasn't expecting much but there's a lot of heart, energy and tight compositions. Enjoyed the back end of the album more than the first half. Wish they would do more of the jangly guitar. Favorite songs: Catapult, Moral Kiosk and 9-9 3/5 stars

Nette Musik, die während der Arbeit im Hintergrund vor sich her dudeln kann.

Homogener als "Automatic For The People", teils schon so ausgefeilt, dass ich echt gestaunt hab, dass das ein Debüt ist. Michael Stipe ist noch nicht in seiner finalen Form und ist im Mix auch weiter hinten. Das Album hat für mich einen angenehmen Charme. Konstant gut, aber für mich nie überragend.

Endelig et REM album der ikke er lort

It surely is an R.E.M. album.

Very middle of the road indie rock album. A fine example of an album that I’m going to listen to for 1 day, and immediately forget about the next. This was good, but nothing particularly stood out. As far as first albums go, it’s really good though. I know that a ton of people absolutely love this band, so for that reason I have a fun opportunity to see how they evolved over time. I am largely unfamiliar with R.E.M., but this was a pretty good start. Again, it wasn’t amazing, but it was still pretty good as a whole. Nice little peaceful album to get me through the long day, served its purpose. Never really grabbed me, but hooked me enough to let me still feel actively engaged in the music. Love the singers voice, even if this album was a bit too light for my liking as a whole in most places. At least it was easy to listen to. Another very middle of the road 3.5/5 on this one. I really liked the energy and funky guitar playing in “Moral Kiosk”. Easily my favorite song on the album. That one was really fun and ear wormy.

R.E.M. is a solid band for me, but I can't really say they are better than background radio music. They don't give me the certain emotions they clearly invoke in other people.

Enjoyed the album. A smooth sound, and its very interesting to hear the similarities to more modern indie rock albums. None of the songs really stood out, but overall a good listen

J'ai pas vibé du tout et je l'ai écouté 2 fois. Je reconnais certains trucs intéressants proto-grunge dont Catapult qui vont définitivement influencer des bands comme Pearl Jam. Ça peut aussi très bien se mettre en ambiance en repeinturant son railing, ce que j'ai fait, mais sans plus.

Generally fine but nothing that blew me away

Very early in their career. Can hear the seeds of what they will become, but nothing really stood out to me. Not a bad album, far from their best. Decemt middle of the road fare.

Some good, some forgettable.

Classy as ever, but not their best.

I actually do get the appeal, even if I didn't like it that much. You can tell how influential this album was by how much sounded like it even decades later.

I feel like based on my taste in music I should like R.E.M. but I just don't really. Not sure what I am missing... This is one of the better R.E.M. records I have listened to though.

some 2/5 moments, some 4/5 moments, lets split the difference

REM is so bland to me. Like yes they are important to alt rock history and everything but most of their stuff is just boring and inoffensive that it's hard to have a strong opinion on them one way or the other. 5/10

Like R.E.M., but this wasn't my fav

Prefer their later stuff but still solid

I think I'm more of a fan of their later work. It's good, but they dialed in their sound in subsequent albums. I can definitely see why their sound got picked up by college radio back in its day though. 3.5

Beginning was rough because I am use to the hits but as the album went on I enjoyed it more and more as I recognized the REM I love. Solid

Enjoyable tracks in the front half but felt like they were running out of creativity by the back of the album. Unfortunate too because I think their distinct sound is actually really pleasant, and shines in a number of places on this record.

Mid REM album

First, a confession: I presented my Paul Simon review yesterday as though I had given the album a careful listening. Truth be told, I had it on in the background and kinda just assumed what I was hearing was "okay" because it was Paul Simon. But when Jason said "Cars are Cars" sucks (paraphrasing), I had to revisit. And I can confirm: It sucks. Anywho . . . On to a subject matter that I'm an expert in: REM being boring. I wasn't exposed to them until Green, so I'm much more familiar with their latter material. I had never consciously listened to Murmur in its entirety, so I was hoping "their early stuff" might be better. No. As per uush, there are a couple of engaging songs on an album that's generally, zzzzz . . . .

Okay, was pleasantly surprised by their first album on this list, having not known old REM. Let’s see… I don’t particularly dislike them, but I just find them a bit wet and twangy and a bit over earnest 🤷🏻‍♂️ it just never grabs or surprises me. Yeh, really pretty sick of this by the end. Twangy guitar, whiney vocals. Urgh.

A good one

Strange to hear R.E.M doing jangle pop. I could never get into Out of Time or Green but this was really solid. Lots of fun. Fav Track: Moral Kiosk 7.8/10

I wish I liked them. But I could barely make my way through them. Good thing they are from Athens and not Atlanta

Hey man, I couldn't record an album half as good as this. I'm not sure why there is a subtle aversion to REM. Maybe I heard ITEOTWAWKIAIFF (It's The End of The World As We Know It And I Feel Fine) one too many times?

meh

This would have blown my mind in 1983. Its a shame that it's 2025.

A bit samey. I like their later albums better. Pure jangle rock.

not bad not great

I got another REM album recently. My reaction is about the same. It’s good but I’m not very interested.

I don't really have much to say about this album, honestly. It's not bad, it's not my thing. Even going through the tracklist a second time, I'm at a lost to things to say. It's alright, just very forgettable. The whole album doesn't ask anything from you and then leaves without leaving a mark. Here's an ascii face instead: ._.

cool

A pretty decent I would say solid album.Filled with very engaging guitar riffs and sounds the vocals are also the icing on the cake.Overall,a pretty solid first listen and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Rating- 7/10

Not a huge fan, but it got an extra star for letting me make the connection between Talk About the Passion and The Decemberists' Calamity Song

Way back Then, i didn't pickup this music

2.75

Probably will give it another go. Something to work with musically and I like that it is more raw then their better known material

Alright

Off the cuff remark: this album seems to typify my feelings about REM - there are some really great tracks but a lot that is perfectly good just not particularly special. Standout track: Talk About the Passion and Radio Free Europe are fantastic tracks Revisit?: not the first REM album I would choose to listen to, but perfectly happy to listen to it repeatedly.

its pretty good but vocals are masked out a lot/ sung too soft in places and a lot of the songs are kinda forgettable

it was alright, i just wasn’t feeling this one really

Nice album, you can hear the elements that would make REM great, but not as good as later albums. 3*

I really wanted to love it, but it was just okay for me.

sure why not Killer bass tone. They've got some good ideas here and interesting parts even if I'm not completely sold. Knew none of these songs prior to this listen (there's gotta be at least one other R.E.M. album on this list, I imagine.)

It was okay. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either.

surprisingly good!

The mix is a little muddled making it hard to understand the lyrics

I don't know about this one. I like some of what R.E.M. has done over the years but I feel that this is just sort of something I couldn't really care for. There are some aspects I liked about it but in all honestly, it is weird hearing them in their early days because they started to sound different when they started to really take off in the early 90s. This is early indie that did define the genre but I just don't really find it that groundbreaking. It's good, but not unbelievably amazing. Favorite Tracks: Radio Free Europe, Pilgrimage, Catapult Rating: 3/5

6/10

Interesting in places - it’s REM after all - but in my estimation not at the top of their list.

To be honest this is the first album I listened to all the way through and didn't pay much attention to. That's on me. I did enjoy it, nothing really stood out. It seemed like a good road trip album.

Like the vibe, popular band, live version is lots more fun

Gracias a esta recomendación por fin he tenido la excusa que buscaba para escuchar a REM, una banda de la que me flipan sus temas más conocidos, pero por A o por B nunca me he puesto a escuchar.

I really am starting to see why Greatest Hits albums are a thing. There's nothing wrong with this album. But. It's pretty much the same as the last R.E.M album we got. Still got the arpeggio guitar with occasional rock drive. The guy sounds exactly the same. And, the melodies don't venture into anything catchy. It's like a stock draft beer in a bar. Yes, you could drink it all night, but it's never going to change. I couldn't tell you the difference between the third and sixth song. I know these guys got famous for a reason, but surely not for being progressive... Perhaps 'Losing my Religion' was a flash in the pan. It sure ain't on this album. Dear Administrator/composer of this list, they're not something I need to listen to before I die, they're something I am going to hear a hundred times before I die! 3 Stars. Because that's what they are. A run of the mill band. Down the middle. 2.5 actually! Damn rounding up at the 5!

This album is like going for a nice walk on a Sunday afternoon. It rained throughout the previous evening, but the Sun is peeking out through the clouds and the forecast says it is only going to improve, so you figure you should make the most of it. You hop in your car and drive out to the Waitakere ranges to walk a trail that you don't think you've done before. Even though it is a little damp underfoot, the walk is quite pleasant. At one point you get to a bit of a clearing, where the sunlight hitting the path gives rise to a bit of steam, creating a hazy effect. It is a bit ethereal to look at, but you don't feel compelled to stop and take it in for any longer. After a few more twists and turns, you get back to the carpark. You're a bit surprised, as you were expecting to see some more interesting things on your walk. Aside from that clearing and a relatively nice stream, you can only really recall punga trees and ferns. Not that you don't like those. You have to stop for petrol on the way home which is a bit of a pain, cos it isn't a 10c day at Z or BP. If only you could have lasted til Wednesday before filling up, you'd have saved a couple of extra dollars. Oh well, you're pretty sure Z puts their prices up on Wednesdays to cover the bigger discount anyway. You grab a Nippy's iced coffee to drink on the way home. It is only when you get into your car that you remember they have switched to cardboard straws. Does it spoil the taste? You think it does, but then maybe that is just your mind playing tricks on you. Nippy's is still pretty damn good, and you do enjoy this one. After an early dinner, you head to bed feeling relatively worn out. The next day you head to work and Denise asks what you got up to over the weekend. "Not much", you say to her. While the walk was good, it wasn't really good enough to tell your workmate about.

Wait, do I get it right that the album with the only track by this band that I know is not even on the list? It was consistently solid, although I admit there's nothing on the I Remember California level

Not horrible but very much the same. I wouldn't choose to listen again, but I also wouldn't go out of my way to turn it off either.

i kept waiting for someone in the corner....for someone in the spotlight....losing their religion, if you will

this is SOOOOO 80s!!! it was fun and cute and i enjoyed it during my morning routine, i felt like molly ringwald getting ready for school to see her crush

całkiem git, ale w tle trochę monotonne

Feels like a collection of tracks that just don’t quite hit the mark. Without any of R.E.M.'s biggest hits, the album tends to blend together into a forgettable experience. The sound is characteristic of their early style, but it lacks the standout tracks that make you want to hit replay.

Is good 3.5

REM do not yet feature under my controversial artists section but regardless of whether they will ever feature, they are my very own conundrum. There is not much on this album which I like or would return to but then again there is a single track Perfect Circle which is REM at their very best and producing a sound which is unique. REM is composed of great musicians capable of producing outstanding songs but also terrible songs. To my mind there is only one album they have produced where every track is exceptional and this is Up. So, as I might have mentioned on my last REM selection, apart from Up my favourite all time REM album must be the greatest hits compilation. When they are good they are very good but when they are bad they are horrid! 3/5 6/9/25

Radio Free Europe is cool; nice bass line. Pilgrimage has a Charlie Brown ass piano lick that I like. Also like Sitting Still. Hard to believe this came out in 1983 - sounds like 90s alternative. I liked it.

I've always felt as if I was supposed to like REM (and of course I know the words to their singles), but could never fully dive in. This album made me realize why - Michael a stipes vocals and lyrics are too whiney Art Student for me to really dig. It either feels like he's just complaining or trying to hard to be profound/poetic. Music is great and I want to like it, but he just irritates me a bit. All that said, still a quality piece of music and an awesome debut.

bolji od prošlog rema (dokument), al niš posebno opet. par fora stvari

Some good stuff but in general just sorta average, didn’t fully like the sound it had that much. 3 stars

A bit too calm

Favs: Shaking Through, We Walk Liked! Didn’t love.

this is the 6th album im listening to. I think this album is great and the calm rock atmosphere is gives of is very nice to listen to, I dont think this album feels that different from most other soft rock albums i've listened to and is part of genre I enjoy. However there are definitly a few songs im gonna add to my playlist after listening to this song and even though i bashed it at the start it is something i would listen to on the daily and i enjoy it a lot. 81/100

R.E.M. is a remarkable band. There are also many songs by the band that I really like. I wasn't particularly impressed by this album. It was ok, but nothing more. It's not a long-lost gem. 3/5

2.8

i’m disappointed in this. i loved their hits so much so i figured i’d feel the same about this but i was wrong! still solid

for every REM song I like there's about five that I can do without. album starts out strong, Radio Free and Laughing being favorties. but it begins to turn into a slog halfway through, but I tire of Stipe's sustained vocals.

The beginning of a long career, put in solid foundation, Radio Free Europe is still a hit

What I listened to was okay!

O.K.

I mean, it's good rock, but the lyrics are utterly incomprehensible at times. I know Stipe is a poetic soul but at one point it's like he's simply saying whatever pops into his head at the time.

Compares to automatic for the people, this album is a bit less sonically diverse and the lyrics are a bit more cryptic. So I prefer the former. Still a great step forward from post punk.

I like it but it lacks standouts

I enjoyed it but never will be a big REM fan. 3.5, round down.

Not bad but not yet in full gear

Todavía no los reconozco

I was excited by the first song on the album, but then, meh. Pleasant enough to listen but nothing really memorable for me…

I really liked this album, though I'm more partial to their later catalog

Pleasing, would listen again but nothing amazing

Досить прохолодно ставлюсь до R.E.M. Визнаю, що гурт дуже впливовий та поважний, але музично вони трохи повз мене. Занадто в них якийсь нейтрально-виважений темперамент в музиці, який мені не імпонує. Зараз переслухавши це враження не можу сказати, що кудись ділось, але вже не так заважало. Приємний мікс джангл-попу та фольк-року з пост-панк інф'юзом. Місцями реально прикольний сонграйтінг. Можливо треба уважніше переслухати всю дискографію та переоцінити гурт для себе.

Not heard this before but quite enjoyed, it’s not the level of the likes of Automatic for the People, this album feels quite subtle and understated in many ways and ended up listening twice to help appreciate it more. Solid but it feels like they are operating within themselves and I know there is more to come.

I really enjoy R.E.M. and appreciate that they have a certain mellow vibe to everything. But for me the mellow vibe was just too the same the entire time. I was hoping for some difference and to really connect but instead I just felt it was very surface level and never gave me anything that really pulled me in.

The debut of R.E.M.! (It's not their best album) For early R.E.M albums., I like Fables of the Reconstruction and Life's Rich Pageant. Radio Free Europe is the hit and probably the best song on the album. Fans might find a few deep cuts. I like Moral Kiosk and Sitting Still. Sometimes it's reassuring when a great band's first album kind of sucks. We all start somewhere.

R.E.M. is my favorite band of all time. Truly, they embody everything that I stand for, but I am NOT one of those insufferable R.E.M. fans who thinks they peaked with their first 5 albums, and everything from Green onward is shit. Nope. R.E.M. ascended persistently and confidently through 1998’s Up (and even 2001’s Reveal on good days) in my opinion, and were simply a great band out of the gate. That being said, I rarely listen to Murmur. It feels so underwhelming for all of the hype heaped upon it. I think R.E.M.’s debut 1982 EP Chronic Town is brilliant, so it’s not a case of the warm-up blues. I just don’t think Murmur is anywhere close to being their best album. It’s murky drudge at times, and when it shines, it’s not as brilliantly as later songs and records. Still, this is MY band, so I can’t call this total shit. That title goes to their entirely worthless 2004 album Around The Sun. I’m going with 3 1/2 stars here. So much better to come after this, but at the end of the day, Murmur is a valiant but mediocre full debut album.

I’ve never listened to this album and wasn’t familiar with any of the songs, so I listened three times in hopes of finding a deeper connection to it because I really like R.E.M. I love their unique sound but I didn’t love this album. It feels very much like them getting their feet wet with their debut, instead of coming out guns blazing. There wasn’t much that really grabbed me. I also didn’t understand what he was singing about most of the time.

the unfortunate thing is that we had a better r.e.m. album earlier and now this sounds mid by comparison

It’s alright

Nostalgic, and not bad. It really doesn't sound as good as their other albums though.

I like the guy's voice

half listened

6 Only half listened but some nice cool mellow and catchy rock n roll songs. Toby doesn’t like his voice though

The sound of a band that are going to make it but haven't yet. It's a bit raw, a bit short on songs but you can see looking back how they got from there to here. That said, whilst I've never been a great REM fan, this is a fairly nondescript album all over.

New sound for the time, but all a bit dull

I've liked some REM that I've heard, but this album wasn't it. It was fine but nothing that I'd choose to listen to when I have other options.

it’s okay

Of all the big bands that have had a seismic impact on the history of popular music, R.E.M. is probably the one I get the least. I've never gotten too much out of anything I've heard by them (except maybe "It's the End of the World" which, ya know, is fun), and although I don't HATE what I've heard, it just doesn't connect with me, like, at all. I find that upsetting because I absolutely love the indie/alternative music they massively inspired in the years following this album's release and SO many people worship this band. Even more upsetting? This album did nothing to change my views on them. I mean, it wasn't bad at all. I had some moments where I was pretty engaged and intrigued, but ultimately I remember almost nothing specific from any song. It's just sort of flat to me, even if the overall sound is kind of cool. Points for sounding way ahead of their time in 1982/83, and also not sounding dated at all during an era where almost everything sounded insanely of its time.

I’m a casual R.E.M. fan, so these songs were all new to me. No hits here.

R.E.M is a weird band to review. Clearly influential and this is a great debut album, but I don't find it's something I love hearing. This rating is more of a reflection on what I get from it vs what it may objectively be. High three low four. Of the list so far this is one of the harder ones to grade.

No los conocía y lo disfruté bastante🕺🕺

Better than expected

3.49 étoiles écoutable. Chocolat sont meilleurs, y sont meilleurs meilleurs, y sont, y sont meilleurs qu'R.E.M.

Vale a lembrança de que esse disco surpreendeu no lançamento e foi importante para crescerem. Mas não considero a melhor fase da banda.

I liked it more than I thought I would given I only knew the first song. It sounds sparse compared to their slicker/more produced later stuff, but in a good way. 3.5

Fun but kind of repetitive. REM is one of those bands I understand the appeal of but don’t necessarily find appealing. All the same, I saw shocked to see how early this album was released, feels like it was 10 years ahead of its time.

Trevligt helt klart! Men tröttnade lite mot slutet

Helt okej

I just can't get into R.E.M. I liked this more than usual, but still it's not for me.

A pleasant, though not super exciting, album. It's very clear how Radiohead was influenced by this, as it's very similar to their early, pre-OK Computer sound, but it suits R.E.M. a lot more. A pretty album, though it can get a little same-y sometimes. Still, with a sound this good, same-y isn't necessarily bad, just not interesting enough to push it past a 3/5.

Bien pero nada memorable

No es mi álbum favorito de ellos pero no está mal Pilgrimage tiene ritmin guapo

not terribly engaging

Radio free Europe can’t go wrong but must of the album is a little underwhelming.

Not bad, I guess, but very low energy and kind of depressing. The lyrics are supposedly a stand out here and that's an aspect that definitely loses out for me when listening to these albums - I'm not necessarily able to pay close attention to them on a first listen so albums that have the lyrics as their main selling point don't stand out so much.

It’s nice. Maybe not something I would listen that often

Très bien. Est-ce que je réécouterais ? Je ne pense pas... 3,5/5

radio free europe- 4 pilgrimage- 4 laughing- 4 talk about the passion- 4 moral kiosk- 4 perfect circle- 4 catapult- 4 sitting still- 3 9-9- 4 shaking through- 4 we walk- 4 or 5 west of the fields- 4

Can someone coach Michael Stipe so he doeesn't murmurs the lyrics? my god at times it was [incomprehensible mumbles] https://www.youtube.com/shorts/D9-491BbkMY

I guess they're called REM because this album put me to sleep!

3.5. liked it more than yesterday!

Really liked this messy album. To me, it seemed like there was a bit of a disconnect between the instrumentals and the vocals. Without the vocals, I loved this album. With the vocals, this was an REM album.

this may be the least objectionable REM i've heard to date. 2.5

that was most certainly an REM album

Early promise but kind of dull

Album is OK, but it's the epitome of generic dad rock. I feel like REM have better albums. Talk about the Passion is a nice song. Also like Moral Kiosk.

Utroligt hvor meget REM lyder som dem selv. Kendte ikke nogen af numrene, alligevel var det følesen af at have hørt et Greatest hits album. Så enten er REM total skabelon, elles er deres lyd bare lidt kedelig i mine øre.

6/10 Favorites: Laughing, Perfect Circle

I don't think I'm much of an REM fan, I should be, they check a lot of boxes and yet listening to them I find myself trailing off and doing anything but listening to them! They have a few songs that are okay but I lose interest quickly.

Solid but doesn’t grab my attention at all.

This is complicated because I didn't like it at first, but then listened to the live versions and liked them much more.

okayyyyy

Non mi dice molto

I was pleased with this album. I always assume REM to be sad depressing and monotone, but this one was great to work along to because it kept me awake and paying attention.

Sympa mais oubliable

I like this group, but the only song I recognized was the first one. Still enjoyed it.

Didn’t have any of their biggest hits and the album was fairly nondescript.

i liked radio free europe

Not too bad. Not too interesting. Pretty much exactly what I expect from rem

Pretty solid. Classic REM sound

A little too repetitive for me but still a solid 3

REM is in interesting band. Some really corny songs. Some really self important nonsense a then some really great rock songs. I like them this was a little too indie - it reminds me of high school girls in the 80s that wore doc martins.

Would do well in an 80s brit rock playlist (despite the band being American), but it also wouldn’t stand out at all. Easy to listen to and boring go hand in hand

It was really strange reading the Apple Music description of this album after listening to it. Direct quote; “R.E.M. was an oddball group—even among fans of oddball music.” Apple Music and I must have listened to completely different albums because nothing about this album seemed oddballish to me at all. In fact, to me, this sounds almost completely opposite. I guess that’s not an actual review of the album but rather a commentary on the discourse surrounding this album, but overall this was just an alright listen.

God I hate REM, mostly because of shiny happy people, what a shit song. But this album, looking at it objectively and not as an rem album, is kind of Ok. It doesn't sound like the 80s, the bass lines are good, there are some interesting drums and guitars going on. And then Michael stipe ruins it with his voice. REM is not for me, but this was kind of Ok, a begrudging 3 stars

I like rem but Stipe’s singing and lyrics are not to my taste. Green is the better album anyway.

Ok overall. Relatively chill rock that rides the line between boring and interesting too well. 3/5