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:
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