Murmur

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

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

Me gusto, pero siento que hay mejores, de ellos, tambien teniendo en cuenta que es su primer album

Not their best, but good

Early OG indie music. Not my favorite REM album but flowed through it.

Good listen!

I just could not connect - kept losing interest although I do like later albums. But nothing stayed with me or ignited any passion.

I like REM’s voice, i just don’t know how long I could

I’ve been listening to REM more lately and slime them but didn’t know this album. Some decent songs but I like other albums better. They were way ahead of their time.

This was pretty bland to me - it didn't feel like there was a lot of energy behind what I heard/nothing jumped out to me in particular. I was surprised to see the acclaim it garnered. I feel this is another case of I just didn't "get" it.

I wanted to love it more, but I couldn't.

Classic REM sound. Early in their development.

Fabulous sounds

Enjoyed much more than i was expecting. Can see how they influenced lots of soft rock band I like such as The Lemonheads. Not a huge fan of REM but this was an enjoyable listen

Like it 3/5

nice

Would have loved them if I was in college in the 80’s, great music to lie in bed and listen to while having a mental crisis.

Not bad; just kinda classic rock almost.

I super indifferent about this whole album. It really just felt like background music the whole time. Didn’t hate it but never need to listen to it again.

I didn’t dislike it but I just couldn’t get into it

Honestly surprised I liked this one. REM has never been high on my list. Losing My Religion, Everybody Hurts, and Man on the Moon are immediate station changes for me, but this was pleasant enough. 2.5 ⭐️ rounding up for the unexpected enjoyment.

3.5 stars. Not bad - can definitely see this as "alternative" when you look at the landscape of 1983's music.

90's AF

A little too garage-y.

This sounds very early 80s and very early 90s all at the same time? Somehow Stipe's voice sounds younger in their 90s stuff (with which I'm more familiar). Enjoyable, probably won't listen to it again. REM was founded in Athens, Georgia, home of the University of Georgia, a school that once had Justin Fields in their QB room, but he transferred to Ohio State after some of the UGA baseball players called him an n-word. Kirby Smart eat shit O-H Brœthers.

This was … fine?

Really good album - I enjoy the early REM catalog. Radio Free Europe is such a great song. It’s a good snapshot of the potential and a framework for everything to come. Great bass sound, jangling guitar work, muffled, indecipherable lyrics… Good but not quite there yet. This is a 3.5 star for sure.

I am not a great fan but a few of their tracks on this album got my attention.

really really nice to listen to. but kinda boring. idk

Blasé… and I say this while zooted. So that makes my 4 a 3.

A little boring but ok.

Enjoyed this one more than Automatic For The People. Must admit I listened somewhat peripherally; I was playing Minecraft

R.E.M back at it again with a kind of mid rock album

I listened to this several times, simply because I liked how it sounded. There in lies the downside of this album, it sounds terrific but non of the songs are particularly rememberable.

6.5/10 This was nice but not great - clearly a very good band, but finding their sound still. Lots of REM-ness but with more of a raw edge than later stuff. Best: 9-9

Honestly sounds like the same song over and over. Don't get me wrong. It's a good and easy listening song, but still. The same song over and over. Radio Free Europe is a bop though.

I've not heard these early R.E.M. records at all, I think. No idea what to expect, outside of "80's college radio music". I noticed that since it's friday and lots of new music is released, I couldn't wait to be done with this album and move on, so I just did. It's not bad as far as music goes, not as whiney and nasal as the music of latter day Mike Stipe. Just didn't raise any feels, at all.

There will never be the time where I'll say "ok I'll go and listen to a whole R.E.M. Album now" yeah it's ok.

I somewhat enjoy it, but it all just mixes together, it doesn't feel super distinct to listen to.

I can see why this was an influential album. It's one of those albums where I wouldn't be mad about it playing, but I also wouldn't seek it out by any means.

REM debut.

Didn’t like this one as much, kind of all blended together and nothing really stood out. Good background music

Ihan jeba

Like early U2 but more dull

albumi muiden joukossa.. indiekö... ei ole..

Leuke sound maar wel vrij eentonig. En duidelijk wat gedageerd.

So far my favorite REM I've listened to

For an album which desn't get a tonne of views, I really enjoyed it

I liked this one. Sounds like a road trip in the summer with mocktails. It was nothing really special, but it was quite enjoyable to listen to

I love Out of stone and Automatic for the People, and think Monster is OK, but that was my range of REM. I had tried Green and didn’t think much of it, so wasn’t expecting a lot of this - and wasn’t surprised initially. It starts off slow and mediocre, but as it goes on it really improves and the second half of the album is really good. A definite surprise, and a pleasant one.

Random thoughts: * Listened to this passively on a Saturday morning. * Radio Free Europe is a great opening track. * The rest of it sounded a bit drone-y and similar. Nothing caught my attention. * I'm probably a more of the REM hits-only guy.

Saw an album by R.E.M. for the early 80s and got super excited. But nothing overly memorable 40 years later. I imagine this was pretty ground breaking and different at the time, but didn't really hold my attention.

One, I hope this list stops trying to make me like REM. Two, this is my third REM album....and I kind of like it. Mission accomplished I guess. My selections have been reverse chronological and this one is the best by far. It sounds fresher and more urgent that anything that followed it. Such is the case with many a debut. I also like the production a little more. It packs more punch, particularly the drums. The whole things seems more on point and to the point.

Enjoyable listen, ahead of the curve with great riffs, didn’t pay much attention as was working through it. 6.5/10.

Good old rock. Interesting lyrics.

Mmmblm wzm mmmk.

It doesn’t have any of the catchiness of R.E.M.’s hits but it’s still pretty good.

Decent.

REM doing REM I suppose. I’ve never been a fan, and this hasn’t changed that. It was ok to have on, but I’ll never look for it again.

2nd day in a row I feel a whole lot of nothing for an album. This one I should like more for sure though. Well the 2nd to last track was very good no I guess it's more than nothing. Surprised though

Kurant nok, dette. Litt kjedelig innimellom eller?

Første R.E.M plata før de fant lyden sin, flere elementer her som videreutvikles på senere utgivelser, men for å være førsteutgivelse så havner denne midt på.

There’s no mistaking Michael Stipe’s vocals. Don’t know about my religion , but I was definitely losing something here. Just warming up for their real breakout album I guess.

I love REM, but this one just didn't hit for me.

Every time I hear Michael Stipe sing, it immediately makes me think of Gord Downie. There absolutely needs to be some Tragically Hip on this list! That would be a hard choice between Day for Night, Road Apples, and/or Fully Completely. Anyways, I enjoyed this R.E.M. album and have no major complaints. I'm feeling a solid 3-stars from me. Favourite tracks: Radio Free Europe, Talk About the Passion, Moral Kiosk, 9-9

bizarre mais j'aime bien

Its definitely REM

Repetitive. Cohesive, but a lot sounded very similar. Catchy choruses. Pleasant to listen to but not the most memorable.

7/10. R.E.M. is a great band. This is a pleasant listen, but I didn't find it very memorable.

This reminds me of the soundtrack of a coming of age movie, like Juno. I feel like I'm supposed to be listening to this with the music blasting, on my bed staring at the ceiling, smoking. Or maybe no smoking but dancing on the bed. Getting dexy's midnight runners vibe.

This has been my least favorite of the 4 REM albums I’ve been prescribed so far. I can tell that they didn’t sound like anything else at the time, and points for that, but nothing catches me in particular. The only track I find myself coming back to is “We Walk”, which is a bizarre outlier that manages to capture something not represented on the rest of the album.

My first REM. Album was decent- definitely established a signature sound that was unique for the time. The songs did start to sound a little one note to me though. Overall- good albun

It’s like really good elevator music. 7.9/10

To my knowledge the 2nd R.E.M album I’ve done so far. This is a little better then Out of Time, tho not my much. A chill rock album never hurts anyone, esp one with a cool bass player

Of all the R.E.M. albums you could listen to, this is certainly one of them. I like how all the wiki descriptions are like "turns out this song is super vague and nobody knew what it was about... if it was even about anything at all". A real English major album. I found it very comforting background noise, kind of like a Steely Dan for moms without kids (me). But none of the songs stood out to me as ones I'd want to hear again and again, even though I guess there's a chance that could change if I listened more. The album cover is interesting. Highlights: 'Laughing', 'We Walk'

The first track had me hooked, but then it completely lost me. It's a shame as there are some wonderful ingredients here. I can certainly hear the influence on a number of later bands.

Listened in the background

Strange that a debut album is this mellow, given R.E.M.'s later arc. I enjoy their more driving songs a lot more, although this album holds up after 40 years.

REM isn't bad, but I've also never quite understood the hype. 3.5/5

Serviceable. I think whatever it is R.E.M. are trying just doesn't speak to me like it does others

Couple of classics on this, the rest is solid….

Very easy to listen to, but no single track stands out to me.

Kind of boring, but nothing particularly bad. Just okay.

definitely not their best album but you see the backbone of a good indie rock band

3.5 stars. I wish you could give .5 stars

Ehh. Didn't really grip me.

Eh, not my favorite.

Excellent album, not a personal fave but still excellent

Decent alternative rock album. A few good songs, most of them felt the same, but never bad.

It's a cheerful album and good bass, but it's pretty monotonous. 6.5 out of 10.

60/100

This is a good album

I have heard a lot of R.E.M., and even the best tracks have a hint of boring. Just not for me.

Good album

Rock, 1983 -> 3

Mostly makes me think of how I could be listening to a Replacements album instead. Probably giving them the benefit of the doubt since I know they're REM, but stuff that came later did it better. As usual, probably like a bomb exploded when this came out, it does feel about 10 years ahead of its time.

No thoughts whatsoever

Not the best slap

Pretty good, if not a little dull in some places

03/03/25 As with all REM albums, they are non offensive.

3rd REM album but I am still not really buying what they are throwing down. I actually like a couple of their apparantly post peak albums - Monster and Up - but just not engaging with this earlier folky Rock sound..

Defines the reason I always considered REM to be a boy “meh”. No stand out tracks, no absolute duffers. Very twee and uninteresting. Middle of the road as it gets.

not my fave collection of REM music, still good. First song reminds me of a John Hughes coming of age movie

Debut album of a band which influenced the rock world with the following albums. Some of their later typical song structures are audible.

Nothing much to say, it's a solid play in the background rock album

Good, but as with all REM, forgettable

a másik két album sokkaljobb volt ennél sztem

For their first proper album, I thought this was decent. Some real nice songs and a very enjoyable listen

I mean its REM and you can hear that. But no single track jumps out like hits from their later work. Not something I will listen to again.

Once of those tracks that I enjoy but in a background kind of way.

Was ok, but wouldn't listen to again

hm, ganz ok. Nothing special

Ich mag REM, netter Indie Rock. Für 4 Sterne reicht es aber nicht

Great melodies and performance, but overall, not my thing

6/10

It's fine, have discovered I don't particularly like his voice

Rare case of a band who I enjoy their later stuff better. Never realized how much Michael Stipe sounded like Morrissey with an American accent.

It was OK. Most of the songs sounded pretty similar. Radio Free Europe's good. Same way I seem to feel about most REM. I like a few songs, but mostly Michael Stipe's just a bit too earnest. Or something.

it was not too bad.

Decent. 3/5

3.5/5 A lot of the songs sounded the same, not much really jumped out to me.

Radio Free Europe 3.8 Pilgrimage 3.6 Laughing 3.5 Talk About the Passion 3.4 Moral Kiosk 3.3 Perfect Circle 3.1 Catapult 3.3 Sitting Still 3.2 9-9 3.4 Shaking Through 3.3 We Walk 3.2 West of the Fields 3.3 Score: 3.366666667

Drifted by me a bit.

I’d this the third or fourth REM we’ve had? Definitely my favourite

This is a good album. Nothing spectacular, but good.

its really good, catchy and relaxing yippeeeeeee

thanks for spawning half of the music i love i guess

it was okay. some nice rock-y tunes. not much else.

Gibt bessere Alben von REM

Bit repetitive

Third R.E.M album, third time to write, “Damn! Maybe I should start listening to R.E.M.” (maybe I’ll actually do it this time?)

REM was already popular when I “discovered” them my freshman year of high school. I hated them. This was when the automatic for the people album launched. Shiny happy people was awful. Stand was the most derivative thing I’d ever heard (as a young teenager). This album, however, was not bad. It embodies “college” rock.

Heard it before. Not my favourite R.E.M. album but it's R.E.M. so I cannot say a bad thing about them, it's still a good album. 3/5

Not bad REM album.

Like the vibes but a lot of the songs sound the same.

Назва дебютного альбому R.E.M. перекладається як «бормотання». І вона, насправді, дуже гарно описує те чим є цей альбом, та що є його головною «фішкою». Дійсно унікальна, «містичність, вокалу Michael Stipe у поєднанні із, фолко-пост-панковими гітарними партіями - справді вирізняє альбом серед робіт інших гуртів, що грали подібну музику у ті часи. В кінці кінців це ледь не найкраща робота, у такому жанрі як #junglepop, що фактично «канонізує» його звучання. Але попри усі лаври, що має цей альбом, та попри те, що він має величезний вплив на розвиток такого жанру як #alternativerock Сказати, що він мені «прямо дуже сильно» подобається, я не можу. Адже після того як я почув інші #junglepop гурти, такі як The Smiths та The Stone Roses - дебютник R.E.M. виглядає для мене «бліднуватим», та навіть трооохи нудненьким) І справжні R.E.M «розкриються» для мене «майже через десять років». Та Automatic For The People (1992) стане одним із найулюбленіших альбомів у альтернативному року… але це вже зовсім інша історія

Not my forte. For the time it was released, I can see why it would’ve been a big deal. Not my crowd. Meh 🫤

Nicht remarkable

More cheesy REM

This album introduces the REM sound. But they refine that sound in later albums. It’s a good effort, but here they sound like a very interesting and talented bar band that hasn’t yet figured out what its point is.

Acho que ouvirei mais vezes. Começa bem com Radio Free Europe, mas depois não me pega mais. Mas dá para ouvir os anos 80 nas músicas. Acho que seria uma banda para observar.

I know that many people worship this album. Back in the day, this was always held up as the best REM album before they went “too commercial”. But I’m thinking that adding some melody and a an occasional burst of energy was not a bad thing for them to learn. This album is a mood. And a tone. Just one. For 44 minutes. Great start, because they had found their own sound, and that in itself is very important, but not their best in my opinion.

I like R.E.M. from what I know of them, but this didn't really do much for me. Sure, it was good, but nothing special I don't think.

Stabil debut men inte i närheten av vad som skulle komma.

Good soft rock to listen to. It is not a type of music I see myself actively coming back to listen but it is a good album. Some highlights for me included: Perfect Circles, Shaking Through, and West on the Fields.

I enjoyed this, more than Alice in chains, once again not my normal thing but definitely closer to it

meh

I left it on in the background so i didn't get to listen to it fully, but what I did hear I liked. Overall melodies and guitar riffs sounded good.

Nothing special.

I don’t mind some of the REM that I’ve heard, but I don’t think I’ve yet to be blown away by them. Their music is usually catchy and nothing inoffensive to my ears, but also doesn’t really wow me. Today’s album keeps this formula. It is absolutely ok. I enjoyed having it on while working, but nothing really made my ears prick up. It’s fairly generic pop rock, and probably my least favourite album of REM. That’s not to say it’s bad though, as it is fine. #rem #murmur #albumreview #musicisitgoodthough #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie #poprock #janglepop #altrock

Hj

Made me oddly nostalgic fory old college roommates.

Good listen. Can hear the early start to the music that made them so famous.

A good debut filled with the seeds of their future success.

This band is just meh for me. I guess at the time it stood out given what was dominating the charts then, but it just doesn’t do much for me now.

Alternative Rock / post-punk. Not in my guilty pleasure

Just okay. Not really my type of music, but it would have been when I was younger. I can see why it was on this list.

As always, I don't have much to add. Decent album, good background noise.

Meh