Murmur

Murmur
Studio album by R.E.M.
Released	April 13, 1983
Recorded	January 6 – February 23, 1983, Reflection Studios, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	44:11
Language	English, French ("Talk About the Passion")
Label	I.R.S.
Producer	Don Dixon and Mitch Easter
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Allmusic 2008 (Deluxe edition) Drowned in Sound 2008(Deluxe edition) Rolling Stone 1984 Rolling Stone 2008(Deluxe edition) Pitchfork Media (10/10) 2008(Deluxe edition) Robert Christgau (A-) link Slant Magazine 2008
R.E.M. chronology
Murmur (1983) Reckoning (1984)
Singles from Murmur
"Radio Free Europe" Released: June 8, 1983 (1983-06-08) "Talk About the Passion" Released: November 1983 (1983-11)

Murmur is the debut album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released in 1983 on I.R.S. Records. Murmur drew critical acclaim upon its release for its sound, defined by singer Michael Stipe's cryptic lyrics, guitarist Peter Buck's jangly guitar style, and bassist's Mike Mills' melodic basslines.

Recording

R.E.M. started recording its debut album in December 1982. I.R.S. paired R.E.M. with producer Stephen Hague, who had a higher profile than the band's previous producer Mitch Easter.^[1] Hague's emphasis on technical perfection did not suit the band; the producer made the group perform multiple takes of the song "Catapult", which demoralized drummer Bill Berry. Also, Hague took the completed track to Synchro Sound studios in Boston and added keyboard parts to the track without the band's permission and to their dismay.^[2] Unsatisfied, the band members asked the label to let them record with Easter.^[3] I.R.S. agreed to a "tryout" session, allowing the band to travel to North Carolina and record the song "Pilgrimage" with Easter and producing partner Don Dixon. After hearing the track, I.R.S. permitted the group to record the album with Dixon and Easter.^[4]

R.E.M. entered Reflection Studios in Charlotte, North Carolina in January 1983 to begin recording sessions with Easter and Dixon. Much of the band's material for the album had been tested on preceding tours. Because of its bad experience with Hague, the band recorded the album via a process of negation, refusing to incorporate rock music clichés such as guitar solos or then-popular synthesizers, in order to give its music a timeless feel.^[4] Berry in particular was resistant to "odd" musical suggestions. Berry insisted that his drums be recorded in a drummer's booth, a practice that was antiquated at the time.^[5] Dixon and Easter took a hands-off approach to much of the recording process. The pair would only fix up a vocal track or ask singer Michael Stipe to re-record a vocal if it was very substandard.^[6]

Music

Murmur's sound characterized the quieter, introverted side of the first wave of alternative rock in the United States. The sound was new at the time, though not stepping beyond the constructs of traditional rock music. The guitars have a bright ring like chimes that brought on comparisons to The Byrds, and the bass guitar has the bright punchy sound of the Rickenbacker favored by Mike Mills. Mills carries much of the melodic element of the music on the bass, contributing to the moody sound of early R.E.M. albums. Also contributing to this sound is the distant singing of Michael Stipe whose obscure lyrics, sung indistinctly, lend to the mystery and depth of the music.

In a rare instance of R.E.M. co-writing, Stipe asked friend Neil Bogan to contribute lyrics to "West of the Fields."

Packaging

The trestle featured on the back cover of the original vinyl LP release, originally part of the Georgia Railroad line into downtown Athens, has become something of a local landmark. Plans to demolish the trestle, now commonly referred to as the "Murmur Trestle," met with public outcry. On October 2, 2000, the Athens-Clarke County Mayor and Commission voted to save the trestle.^[7]

Copies of the initial tape edition—catalogue number CS 70604—list "There She Goes Again" as the final track, but it is not present. This mistake was fixed with subsequent pressings.

Reception

Murmur was released in April 1983. The record reached number 36 on the Billboard album chart.^[8] A re-recorded version of "Radio Free Europe" was the album's lead single and reached number 78 on the Billboard singles chart that year. Despite the acclaim awarded the album, by the end of 1983 Murmur had only sold about 200,000 copies, which I.R.S.'s Jay Boberg felt was below expectations.^[9] Murmur was eventually certified gold (500,000 units shipped) by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1991.^[10]

The album drew substantial critical acclaim. Rolling Stone gave the album four out of five stars. Reviewer Steve Pond felt the album fulfilled the promise the band showed on Chronic Town. He wrote, "Murmur is the record on which [R.E.M.] trade that potential for results: an intelligent, enigmatic, deeply involving album, it reveals a depth and cohesiveness to R.E.M. that the EP could only suggest." He concluded, "R.E.M. is clearly the important Athens band."^[11] It was Rolling Stone's Best Album of 1983, beating Michael Jackson's Thriller, The Police's Synchronicity and U2's War. Buck noted in 2002 that I.R.S. was "mind-boggled" by the album's positive reviews, especially in the British press, since R.E.M. had not yet toured that country.^[12]

In 1989, it was rated number eight on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 greatest albums of the 1980s.^{[citation needed]} In 2003, the album was ranked number 197 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.^[13] Also in 2003, the TV network VH1 named Murmur the 92nd greatest album of all time. Pitchfork Media named Murmur the fifth best album of the 1980s.^{[citation needed]}

Track listing

All songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe, except where noted

Side one

1. "Radio Free Europe" – 4:06
2. "Pilgrimage" – 4:30
3. "Laughing" – 3:57
4. "Talk About the Passion" – 3:23
5. "Moral Kiosk" – 3:31
6. "Perfect Circle" – 3:29

Side two

7. "Catapult" – 3:55
8. "Sitting Still" – 3:17
9. "9-9" – 3:03
10. "Shaking Through" – 4:30
11. "We Walk" – 3:02
12. "West of the Fields" (Berry, Buck, Mills, Stipe, and Neil Bogan) – 3:17

1992 The IRS Vintage Years edition bonus tracks

13. "There She Goes Again" (Lou Reed) – 2:48
14. "9-9" (Live in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, July 13, 1984) – 3:04
15. "Gardening at Night" (Live in Boston) – 3:47
16. "Catapult" (Live in Seattle, Washington, United States, June 27, 1984) – 4:03

Live at Larry's Hide-Away

1. "Laughing" – 3:51
2. "Pilgrimage" – 4:08
3. "There She Goes Again" (Reed) – 2:43
4. "Seven Chinese Brothers" – 4:15
5. "Talk About the Passion" – 3:02
6. "Sitting Still" – 4:11
7. "Harborcoat" – 3:45
8. "Catapult" – 3:51
9. "Gardening at Night" – 3:33
10. "9-9" – 3:16
11. "Just a Touch" – 2:27
12. "West of the Fields" (Berry, Buck, Mills, Stipe, and Bogan) – 3:06
13. "Radio Free Europe" – 4:57
14. "We Walk" – 2:55
15. "1,000,000" – 3:05
16. "Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)" – 3:58

A vintage radio promo for the album is hidden in the pregap of the bonus disc.

Personnel

R.E.M.

• Bill Berry – percussion, drums, bass guitar, piano, backing vocals
• Peter Buck – guitar
• Mike Mills – bass guitar, drums, piano, backing vocals
• Michael Stipe – vocals

Production and additional musicians

• Greg Calabi – mastering at Sterling Sound, New York City, New York, United States
• Don Dixon – co-producer, bass guitar on "Perfect Circle"^{[citation needed]}
• Mitch Easter – co-producer
• Carl Grasso – art design
• Ann Kinney – art design
• Sandra Lee Phipps – photography and art design

Chart performance

Album

Singles

Sales certifications

Release history

Murmur was bundled together with Chronic Town and Reckoning in the United Kingdom as The Originals in 1993.

On November 25, 2008, I.R.S. Records, A&M, and Universal Music released a 25th anniversary edition two-disc reissue of Murmur. Disc one features the standard 12-track album, digitally remastered, and disc two contains a previously unreleased live concert the band played at Larry's Hideaway, Toronto, Canada, on July 9, 1983. In addition to Murmur songs, the set includes tunes from the Chronic Town EP, a Velvet Underground cover, and early versions of songs from Reckoning and Lifes Rich Pageant.^[14] The release also includes a fold-out poster insert, featuring exclusive essays by producers Don Dixon and Mitch Easter, as well as former I.R.S. executives Jay Boberg, Sig Sigworth, and art designer Carl Grasso.^[15]

Murmur

†I.R.S. Vintage Years edition, with bonus tracks
‡Remastered edition on 180-gram vinyl and gold Compact Disc
•Remastered Deluxe Edition, with Live at Larry's Hide-Away bonus disc

The Originals

References

• Buckley, David (October 2002) (in English) (Hardback), R.E.M.: Fiction: An Alternative Biography (First ed.), Virgin, ISBN 1-85227-927-3 
• Black, Johnny (2004) (in English) (Paperback), Reveal: The Story of R.E.M. (First ed.), Backbeat, ISBN 0-87930-776-5 

External links

• R.E.M.HQ on Murmur
• Murmur at Allmusic

• Murmur at Allmusic (I.R.S. Vintage Years edition)
• Murmur at Allmusic (Deluxe Edition)

• Murmur at MusicBrainz

• Murmur at MusicBrainz (I.R.S. Vintage Years edition)
• Murmur at MusicBrainz (Deluxe Edition)