R.E.M. - Murmur
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- 9 hours ago
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Written By: Moti Kupfer
Release date - 12.04.1983
Murmur suggests a soft rustling sound.
The members of "R.E.M." who chose that title for their debut album were actually drawn to one of the simplest words to pronounce in English. It also sounds a bit like an indistinct mumble, much like the way Michael Stipe sang in the band’s early days. That was the atmosphere surrounding the release of "Murmur" on April 12, 1983.
A few months before the debut album, "R.E.M." released an EP titled "Chronic Town", which served as a kind of test run and helped convince the executives at "I.R.S." that the band was worth investing in for a full-length album. The EP was produced by Mitch Easter.
In 1980, Easter founded Drive-In Studio, a professional recording studio located in what had originally been his parents’ garage. A year later, he formed the band "Let’s Active" with his then-girlfriend Faye Hunter. Around the same time, he was working with "R.E.M." on their debut single "Radio Free Europe", which sold thousands of copies in Athens, Georgia, and gave the band early local recognition.
Right as Mitch Easter was setting up his home studio, a chance meeting took place between Peter Buck, who was working at the record store "Wuxtry Records", and an eager customer named Michael Stipe. The two quickly fell into conversation and discovered a shared love for Patti Smith, "Television", and "The Velvet Underground". According to Stipe, he realized at that moment that he had been buying all the records Buck had been setting aside for himself.
Buck and Stipe decided to form a band, and through a mutual friend, Kathleen O’Brien, they were introduced to two University of Georgia students who had been playing together since high school, Bill Berry and Mike Mills.
In its early days, "R.E.M." struggled to attract interest from record labels. Their debut single "Radio Free Europe" was released on a small local label called "Hib-Tone", founded by a law student named Johnny Hibbert. Only after the single was selected as one of the best singles of the year by The New York Times did attention begin to build. A demo that reached "I.R.S." eventually led the band to reject an offer from the major label "R.C.A" in favor of signing with "I.R.S.", a label known for its focus on college rock and new wave acts.
"I.R.S." was founded by Jay Boberg, Carl Grasso, and Miles Copeland, the brother of Stewart Copeland of "The Police".
After signing with "I.R.S." and releasing the EP "Chronic Town", produced by Mitch Easter, the label initially tried to pair the band with producer Stephen Hague. However, Hague’s insistence on technical perfection left the band dissatisfied. The members of "R.E.M." asked the label for a trial session with Easter instead. The label agreed, on the condition that producer Don Dixon would join the sessions alongside him.
Following a successful recording of "Pilgrimage", the label approved full album sessions with Easter and Dixon. Recording for "Murmur" began in early January 1983 and was completed within about six weeks, before the end of February. The lead single released from the album was a more refined version of "Radio Free Europe", originally released two years earlier.
"Murmur" is characterized by a jangly pop sound blended with elements of folk and country, creating something both highly accessible and distinctly different from what was being released at the time.
Easter and Dixon experimented with unconventional recording techniques that helped create the album’s sense of mystery. For example, Mike Mills’ bass on "Radio Free Europe" was run through a noise gate, producing a strange buzzing tone. Another example is the dull thudding sound heard throughout "We Walk", which was achieved by recording Bill Berry playing pool at a slowed-down speed.
Add to that Stipe’s often indistinct vocal delivery, along with the shimmering guitar textures created by Peter Buck, and lyrics that are sometimes deliberately ambiguous. Tracks like "Perfect Circle" carry an emotional weight that can be interpreted in multiple ways. For Buck, who wrote the song, it reflected memories of children playing football one evening in Trenton, New Jersey, while Stipe viewed it more as a song about longing within a relationship.
On "Sitting Still", Buck’s guitar riff strongly echoes the sound of "The Byrds". The track, which had already been recorded back in 1981, was included on the album in its original form, unlike "Radio Free Europe", which was re-recorded.
Part of the inspiration for the lyrics came from Stipe’s sister, who is deaf and works with deaf children.
Another standout track on the album is "Talk About the Passion", which deals with themes of homelessness, poverty, and hunger. It reflects on how these issues are constantly discussed, yet rarely acted upon, suggesting that while awareness exists, real change is far more difficult when faced with the weight of the world’s problems.
The album cover features an image of kudzu, an invasive plant that grows so rapidly it overtakes entire landscapes, suffocating other vegetation by completely blocking out sunlight.
For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music
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