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Murmur
Rock · 1983 · 11 tracks

Murmur

R.E.M.

R.E.M.'s debut, Murmur, is an "epochal" alternative rock album defined by Peter Buck's jangly guitar, Michael Stipe's cryptic, mumbled vocals, and a uniquely atmospheric production. It blends American

April 11, 1983 · Illegal Records (2)

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Murmur is the sound of a band finding its voice, crafting an album that feels both ancient and utterly new. It's a hazy, introspective journey through jangly guitar textures, melodic basslines, and Michael Stipe's famously mumbled, poetic lyrics. This isn't music to shout along to, but rather to absorb, to let its subtle mysteries unfold in the quiet corners of your mind. It carries the weight of winter recording sessions, imbued with a contemplative, almost melancholic atmosphere that invites repeated, deep listening. Own it for its foundational role in alternative rock and its enduring, enigmatic charm.

Tracklist · 11 Tracks
01
Radio Free Europe
4:06
02
Pilgrimage
4:30
03
Laughing
3:59
05
Moral Kiosk
3:32
06
Perfect Circle
3:31
07
Catapult
3:57
08
Sitting Still
3:18
09
9‐9
3:05
10
Shaking Through
4:30
11
We Walk
3:02
12
West of the Fields
3:19
Moments Worth Listening For
The distinctive, chiming guitar riff that opens "Radio Free Europe," immediately establishing the album's signature jangle.
The way Michael Stipe's vocals on "Talk About The Passion" weave cryptically through the melodic bassline and shimmering guitar, creating a sense of urgent mystery.
The driving, yet understated, rhythm section interplay on "Pilgrimage," showcasing the band's post-punk influences beneath the folk-rock surface.
The atmospheric build and release in "Sitting Still," where the instrumentation swells and recedes around Stipe's almost whispered delivery.
Reviews
AllMusic
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BBC Music
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Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does Murmur sound next to the rest of R.E.M.'s catalogue?

Ethereal+1.8σ

The vocals lean notably further into ethereal than the rest of the catalogue.

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