Review Summary: The legendary band's tour de force; Murmur is one of alternative rock's earliest and finest records.
"Take a turn, take a turn, take our fortune, take our fortune." Don't mind if I do.
Rock is arguably the most circumferential music genre that exists. When one is asked about what type of music he or she prefers, rock or pop seem to be the ubiquitous answers among the common people. The Beatles, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin; some of the most acclaimed "rock" bands actually have very different musical styles; ranging from psychedelic rock, to grunge, to progressive rock, there are endless sub-genres and the epiphany becomes polarizing. That is why, when I call Murmur one of rock's better records, it's a hell of a compliment.
R.E.M. is a band that rose from the college rock scene in the early 80's to being one of the bands that actually defined the genre of alternative rock, while throwing some of their own styles into the melting pot, such as folk-rock, jangle pop and college rock. The band quickly gained acclaim with the release of their first few albums which showcased their talent for excellent songwriting and musicianship, and Murmur is them at their best. As soon as the steady rocking beat of "Radio Free Europe" cuts out the electronic percussion blips that start off Murmur, you're already engrossed in the catchy, breezy tune. The opener follows a typical structure of verse-chorus-verse, but the instrumentation and songwriting are what really make it excel as one of the album's best tunes, with jangly-rock influences, a driving rhythm and an accessible melody. What more could you want from a rock song?
After a bell signals the end of the song, we're greeted to the track "Pilgrimage", one of the album's greatest yet simplest tunes, with an immensely catchy chorus and excellent instrumentation all the way through. The guitars, bass and drums sound great throughout the record thanks to the splendid production, which gives the album a sort of modern-sounding quality. Each track has a reminiscent yet recent trait, bestowing the album with a sound that is the perfect combination of anachronistic and contemporary rock. Every now and then, a piano is thrown into the mix, such as in the verses of the aforementioned "Pilgrimage" or the enchanting track "Perfect Circle". The latter is a mesmerizing track, comprising of sparse percussion and a bubbling piano which transcends the song into the album's most beautiful ballad. Elsewhere, "Moral Kiosk" and "Talk About The Passion" are enthralling tracks with more basic pop structures, the former being an upbeat rocker while the latter is a more elegiac beauty.
As "Perfect Circle" brings the exquisite first-half to an end, the brilliant "Catapult" starts off the second half with an impressive bassline, while Michael Stipe sings about the joys of childhood. While the lyrical themes of the album are seemingly random, from romantic to reminiscent to having no actual meaning at all, Murmur shows us that it doesn't always matter what you're saying as much as how you say it. Michael Stipe's soulful snarl is one of the highlights of the album, giving each of the songs a sort of carefree, laidback yet thoroughly engrossing feel. He croons, screams and ascends through his words, barely murmuring at all.
The second half of the album exhibits a more upbeat quality than the first, with "Sitting Still" having a cheerful yet mildly rueful sound. "9-9" opens with a bassline that sounds similar to something Nirvana could have conjured, and blazes through with a frantic tempo. The next track, "Shaking Through" is arguably the best track from the second section of the album, with a rueful sound that albeit possesses a breezy catchiness. The first of the last two tracks, "We Walk" is a much more cheerful sounding song, quite effective with its simple charm, yet it sounds more like a filler than an actual song. "West Of The Fields" closes off the second half of the album as a quick-tempo rocker, and although it is a decent track, it is one of the less memorable songs on the record and is not an ace choice for the album closer. However, that doesn't mar the appeal of the record, and the listener is bound to have thoroughly enjoyed the sonic greatness of Murmur. With its mellow nature, exuberant vocals, excellent instrumentation and superb consistency, Murmur is R.E.M.'s magnum opus, and is a superb record that rock fans will revisit for many more years to come.
