Speak Louder: 30 Years To REM's "Murmur"

When REM, a young four piece Rock band from Athens, Georgia entered Reflection studios in January 1983, I don't think they imagined how well known they'll become in the future. Those four young guys: Michael Stipe, Mike Miles, Peter Buck and Bill Berry recorded that album after replacing their producer Stephen Hague for Mitch Easter, who emphasised the technical perfection as the previous and gave them more freedom. It seems that it was one of the best decisions made by REM, who convinced their label IRS, to schudele a tryout with Mitch Easter. The label heard the recordings and agreed that they'll continue woring together, and the rest is History. The album was released on 13 of April, 1983, 30 years ago, earning quite good reviews but it sold only 200,000 copies, which was considered under the expectations. The leading single was Radio Free Europe, which peaked the #78 place in Billboard Chart but the critic loved it so much that even the Rolling Stone magazine crowned it as the best album of 1983, beating Michael Jackson's Thriller, U2's War and The Police's Synchronity. Looking back at that album made me discover again the pure magic that was translated to their big success later on. So let's celebrate with them by hearing five songs from that great debut album.

Radio Free Europe

Sitting Still

Talk About The Passion

Catapult

Perfect Circle

20 Years To REM's "Automatic for the people"

October 1993. Only a year passed since REM's album Out Of Time which paved their way to all American ears (and also global ones), and it was very hard to predict what would I discover on the next one, which would be their eighth. The answer was completely out of time, while they made one of the best records of the nineties back then. Automatic for the people was released on 5th October and earned Platinum records all around the world due to its great songs. No one knew then that it would be one of the last albums with the drummer Bill Berry and his old friends: Micheal Stipe (Vocals), Peter Buck (Guitars) and Mike Mills (Bass and Keyboards), but it doesn't matter today that much. It was hard to choose but here are my favourite songs of that album. I know that not all of you will agree with me but it's OK. Enjoy

1) Drive

In 5 words: Best driving song ever composed
Favourite Line: What if I ride? what if you walk? What if you rock around the clock?

2) Sweetness Follows

In 5 words: Sadness first, sweetness follows
Favourite Line: I used to wonder why did you brother? Distanced from one, blind to the other

3) Nightswimming

In 5 words: Mature retrospective on youth pool parties
Favourite Line: It's not like years ago, the fear of getting caught, the recklessness in water

4) Man On The Moon

In 5 words: It's not dedicated to Niel Armstrong....
Favourite Line: If you believed they put a man on the moon, a man on the moon

5) Find The River

In 5 words: Life is like a river stream
Favourite Line: Watch the road and memorise, This life that pass before my eyes