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

Weekend Candy: 13 Of April 2013

So the weekend is getting closer and it it's time to sum up some of the songs I've heard last week. What we've got here today are songs from the new albums, which were released lately by Kurt Vile, James Blake and OMD (Yes, they're still alive...) We also mention to albums which celebrated anniversary last week: Murmur by REM which celebrated 30 years and Bring It On by Gomez, which celebrated its 15th anniversary. Down below you can find the new release by The National and new songs from Anna Von Hausswolff, The Pastels, Treetop Flyers, Denison Witmer, Jade Parker, Beady Eye, Valleys, Foxes, Lightening Dust and Pajama People. Now it's your turn to listen, what are you waitin' for

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Gomez - Whippin Piccadilly Taken From Bring It On, 1998

Fifteenth Anniversary

The National - Don't Swallow Your Cap Taken From Forthcoming Trouble Will Find Me, 2013

Beady Eye - Flick Of The Finger Taken From Forthcoming BE, 2013

Anna Von Hausswolff - Mountains Crave Taken From Ceremony, 2012

 Valleys - Hounds Taken From Forthcoming Are You Going To Stand There And Talk Weird All Night, 2013 

 Kurt Vile - Never Run Away Taken From Wakin In A Pretty Daze, 2013

 Foxes - Beauty Queen, 2013 

OMD - Metroland Taken From English Electric, 2013

Treetop Flyers - Things Will Change Taken From Forthcoming The Mountain Move, 2013

Jade Parker - Together, 2013

Lightening Dust - Diamond Taken From Forthcoming Fantasy, 2013

James Blake - To The Last Taken From Overgrown, 2013

Denison Witmer - Asa, 2013

The Pastels - Check My Heart Taken From Forthcoming Slow Summits, 2013

Pajama People - Wintertime Taken From Forthcoming Cool Intentions, 2013

REM - Radio Free Europe Taken From Murmur, 1983
Thirty Years Anniversary 

Strange Angels: 15 Years To Kristin Hersh's Album

Strange Angels is a strange album made by one of the strangest artist in the Indie Scene. Kristin Hersh, an Indie singer-songwriter, formerly known as the leading singer of Throwing Muses with her stepsister Tanya Donelly, was mentally ill for years. Some says that she's the only artist who wasn't invited to sing at John Peel's BBC sessions because he thought she was too strange and schizophrenic. After releasing her debut album, Hips And Makers, on 1994, which included the highly acclaimed duet with REM's leader Michael Stipe called Your Ghost, she went on to release quieter album, based on acoustic sound. The result was Strange Angels, which is celebrating 15 years these days. It gave me a great opportunity to go back and listen to one of her best releases. enjoy....

Stained (Track #6)

Baseball Field (Track #10)

Hope (Track #8)

Home (Track #1)

 

Gazebo Tree (Track #12)

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