Sign In to rate and review
Critic Reviews
100
R.E.M. may have made albums as good as Murmur in the years following its release, but they never again made anything that sounded quite like it.
13y
100
At the time, most of the folksy songs on Murmur didn’t fit within pop radio’s limitations—these were songs to be listened to, not just danced to.
11y
80
The band's debut album contains a series of similar sounding, yet musically differing songs, most of which are appealing from a technical standpoint and an entertaining standpoint.
11y
80
Murmur is a darker record than Chronic Town, but this band’s darkness is shot through with flashes of bright light.
11y
One of the all time great debuts by any band ever.
R.E.M. laid waste to the indie scene of the '80s unleashing a hail of...pleasant jangly guitars and melodic vocal harmonies.
Boff.
Relisten Oct 3, 2025: 78 ---> 84 While it's true that I still don't see this as absolutely mind blowing, I'm coming back to realize that I underrated this quite a bit. Yeah it still isn't as good as Automatic, but I'm not surprised as this was released like 10 years earlier, and also was something super original and innovative. I never realized just how insanely influential this album was on indie rock as a whole. Not to mention, there were a handful of tracks from ... read more
I Don’t Like REM. Part 1.
Edit: 47 < 84
I don’t like REM. I know there is songs I like but i’m taking a massive risk with this next deep dive i’m doing. Murmur is one of the six easiest words to say in the English language but the album Murmur is an easy listen that might satisfy fans of this sound but leaves me feeling a bit underwhelmed by the lack of immediately good ideas and songs on this project. There are things I like about REM, one of those things being ... read more
Murmur is a great album and all, but I just don't see why it's as praised as it is. It's a fun listen, but it's far from jangle pop perfection and it's definitely not R.E.M.'s magnum opus. I mean, it has a VERY strong first half, but by the end it's sort of limping to the finish line. I think this project's twangy guitars and Michael Stipe's Southern drawl sound great throughout the majority of this album's duration, and there's a good ... read more
One of the best things to come out of Athens, GA
As a current Athens resident, I thought it high time to review THE college band, R.E.M. Despite the label, these guys move so far beyond simple college rock songs. They offer up a collection of songs that mix singer-songwriter lyrics with rock that feels like a mixture of pop, indie rock, and alternative rock in general. It's impressive, because this type of sound truly feels ahead of its time. With a 1983 release date, a lot of these songs ... read more
Tags
Become a Subscriber
Subscriber badge, no ads + more benefits.
Subscriber badge, no ads + more benefits.
Advertisement
Track List
| 1 | Radio Free Europe 4:04 | 91 |
| 2 | Pilgrimage 4:29 | 87 |
| 3 | Laughing 3:58 | 89 |
| 4 | Talk About the Passion 3:23 | 86 |
| 5 | Moral Kiosk 3:31 | 86 |
| 6 | Perfect Circle 3:32 | 86 |
| 7 | Catapult 3:55 | 83 |
| 8 | Sitting Still 3:18 | 86 |
| 9 | 9-9 3:04 | 83 |
| 10 | Shaking Through 4:29 | 85 |
| 11 | We Walk 3:00 | 81 |
| 12 | West of the Fields 3:17 | 80 |
Total Length: 44 minutes
Sign in to comment
