[Murmur] -- 40 years ago this week – on April 12, 1983 – R.E.M. released their debut album, Murmur, on I.R.S. Records. Looking back on that last sentence, I am struck by how much those four boys from Athens, GA, must have liked abbreviations that use punctuation.
I did not know about this album until a few years letter when, in the first semester of my freshman year at Penn State, I discovered R.E.M. and their first four studio albums. Yeah, I'm one of the reasons R.E.M. is considered a vanguard of "college radio." The band was a huge part of my college experience as well as my first several post-college years. And it all starts with this record.
Given vocalist Michael Stipe's vague elocutions, "Murmur" is probably the best name for this particular record (and a great descriptor for many R.E.M.'s recordings). Those cryptic vocals, and Peter Buck's jangly guitar, certainly were part of the album's allure. Murmur peaked at #36 on the Billboard album chart, but didn't have much radio success. The first single, "Radio Free Europe," dented the US Billboard Hot 100 by peaking at #78, but fared much better on the US Mainstream Rock where it peaked at #25. The second single, "Talk About the Passion," however, failed to chart at all. Still, Murmur was a critical, if not commercial, success. Rolling Stone gave the album four out of five stars. And it has garnered an impressive list of accolades.
Let me talk about a few of my favorite, non single, tracks. "Catapult" is the opening track of side B (or the seventh track on the CD). I like to think this is a song about a group of kids building -- or wanting to build -- a trebuchet. Gods above know I wanted to build one, or at least play with one, when I was twelve or so. Who doesn't like the idea of laughing in tune? At least, I think that's the gist of "Laughing," the third track (on side A, or just overall). And, finally, there is the song claims it is always more attractive inside the moral kiosk. But where does one find a moral kiosk? Are there really morals in a kiosk? Although none of those questions are answered, you might enjoy reading some of R.E.M.'s own memories of Murmur.
Or you could, you know, listen to the album again (or for the first time), and let me know your favorite tracks.
Flashback: Murmur (April 12, 1983)
And that's all till next week. Dedicated 80s-philes can find more flashbacks in the Prophet or Madman archives or via Bookended's 80s Flashback tag. As always, your comments are welcome on today's, or any other, flashback post. And if you like what I'm doing here, please share the link with your friends. If, however, you don't like the flashback, feel free to share it with your enemies.
I'll see you in seven!
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