Rickenbacker

Well here it is. R.E.M.'s debut full length record was released in 1983, shocking fans and critics with its masterful blending of Feelies jangle-pop and haunting lyricism delivered in Michael Stipe's austere mumble. For many, the buck stops here for R.E.M. With iconic songs like "Talk About the Passion" and "Radio Free Europe", Murmur is widely seen as the crowning achievement of the band and among the greatest and most significant debuts in music.

Mixed so that no instrument would stand out, Murmur may not reveal its excellence upon first listen. While the album certainly has its share of on-target and upbeat college pop songs a la Chronic Town, such as the undeniably catchy and equally indecipherable "Catapult" and the single "Radio Free Europe", which was re-recorded for the album at the request of I.R.S. records, Murmur's genius lies in the tracks in which the band steps back and sets their angst aside.

"Take a turn, Take our fortune"

Such is the opening line of "Pilgrimage", expertly delivered by a distant sounding Mike Mills, bassist and backing vocalist for the band. With this cryptic line, the song descends into a plodding bass-led masterpiece about none other than a two-headed cow. "Speaking in tongues/ it's worth a broken lip", Stipe sings. Perhaps there is a grain of truth to this statement. Murmur's lyrics may be nonsense when read aloud, but in the context of the album they fit perfectly. Unlike any other album up to that point, Murmur managed to be vocally overwhelming based not on the talent of the vocalist, but on the mystical nature of the lyrics. As such, Michael Stipe is a brilliant lyricist. Not in the conventional sense of course, but rather in his sheer ability to make a piece like "Pilgrimage" make some sense.

Murmur's diversity is exemplified in its experimentalism. Sure, Pilgrimage is wild for its mysticism, but even stranger still is the incredibly beautiful "Perfect Circle". It is easy to dismiss "Perfect Circle" as a simple slow ballad, but it is so much more than that. I may go far as to say that it's my favorite R.E.M. song, if only for it's stunning ability to convey so much with so little. Again, it's not hard to dismiss the song, but it's really one of the best out there. As with any good song, when given repeated listens, one notices certain aspects that you never realized before. The song begins with a hypnotic and accessible, yet strangely different sounding keyboard which is played throughout. Second, that chorus is absolutely gorgeous. "Standing two soon, shoulders high in the room"? That might be the most gorgeous line Stipe has sung even if only for it's delivery. Thirdly, the guitar comes in towards the end and the sound is incredible. Peter might be using an E-bow here. Not totally sure, but the effect is ethereal. Also, by the middle, the drum mix switches from left to right in this really cool way. Not sure how else to describe it. Anyway, it's a beautiful song, but much more than just that. That's what I really love about R.E.M.; their ability to create something beautiful that isn't... just another beautiful thing. Amazing.

All of this of course is not to dismiss the quality pop songs present on Murmur. "Shaking Through", "Catapult" and the stellar album closer "West of the Fields" are all highlights, and I still maintain that the single "Talk About the Passion" is the best pop song ever made. The string arrangement is fantastic, and the song is one of the few examples under I.R.S. Records that Michael's lyrics are (nearly) conventionally beautiful and his delivery clean and intelligible.

"Not everyone can carry the weight of the world"

That's a great lyric. And this is a great record. But what did you expect? It's Murmur! And it is every bit as great as it is hyped to be.

Key Tracks (Click to Download): "Pilgrimage", "Talk About the Passion", "Perfect Circle"

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rym
Talk About the Passion - R.E.M.'s Discography Reviewed