Music Milestones, 1983: R.E.M. – Murmur

Combining elements of folk rock reminiscent of The Byrds with a post-punk aesthetic that calls to mind bands such as Gang of Four, R.E.M. played a crucial role in laying down the foundations of alternative rock in the 1980s and became a huge influence on popular music throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Indeed, Peter Buck’s chiming guitars, Michael Stipe’s cryptic lyrics and the use of hauntingly beautiful backing vocals proved to be key ingredients that rendered the unlikely merger of folk rock and post-punk seamless and alluring. Following the releases of the single “Radio Free Europe” and the Chronic Town EP to wide critical acclaim, R.E.M. definitely hit their stride with the debut LP Murmur. “Radio Free Europe” sets the stage for the general atmosphere of the record, and constitutes an adept power-pop song with a fine accompaniment of jangling guitar. In “Pilgrimage”, the angular guitar in the verse and intricate backing vocals in the chorus emphasize the contrast between music styles within a single song. “Laughing” is perhaps the most straightforward folk rock song in the record and arguably refers to the mythological figure Lacoön, while “Talk About the Passion” deals with poverty and misery in a very biblical sense. Watch the videoclip of “Radio Free Europe” for a taste of Murmur:

Music Milestones, 1982: The dB’s – Repercussion

Hailing from North Carolina and based in New York City, the dB’s are a great pop band that unfortunately never broke through to the mainstream. The dB’s drew inspiration from prime power-pop acts of the 1970s such as Big Star and the Flamin’ Groovies, and released two landmark records in the early 1980s that paved the way to the rise of jangle pop, a musical style later popularized by R.E.M. While the debut record Stands for Decibels already hints at the dB’s’ knack for playing catchy tunes, their sophomore effort Repercussion constitutes a true treasure trove containing several pop gems. The record kicks off with “Happenstance”, a song that addresses the troubles of emancipation in the face of the possibility of a love affair. ‘’Living a Lie” deals with the dissatisfaction one experiences when building on an illusion, and displays a very suitable brass section and backing vocals that work like a charm. “Ask for Jill” tells a tale about the pains of a quest for said Jill, while “Neverland” includes a very addictive guitar riff that provides the song with a distinctive signature. In “Amplifier”, the story of a suicide is told in a most entertaining manner, where a bluesy piano line concludes the song in high spirits. Have a look at the videoclip for “Amplifier”, which was regretfully turned down by MTV and may have hindered the dB’s from reaching a wider audience: