R.E.M. - Murmur (Deluxe Edition)

Placid_Casual

Picked this up on Friday for a) the bonus live CD and b) the fact that i've never owned it on CD - the version I have is a tape I bought years ago! So, needless to say I hadn't listened to it in a while.

What a great album. The sheer coolness of Radio Free Europe's bassline, the energy of 9-9, the beauty of Perfect Circle, and the mysteriousness of Michael's lyric's and delivery and Peter's distinct jingle-jangle guitar throughout.

A hugely important album too, in that, while maybe not a huge commercial success, it brought both R.E.M. and alternative music generally to the edge of the mainstream. Album of the year in Rolling Stone and airplay on MTV.

The live CD is great too, the songs are more raw than the studio versions but the band are absolutely tight. What I wouldn't give to have seen them in the early/mid 80's.

banjopotato

I saw them in a club in Berkeley, California on the Murmur tour in 1983 and they were great. What concert is on the bonus CD?

Mr E

Toronto '83 I think....

smackbunnybaby

Definitely going to pick this up - is it only Murmur that is going to be released for now or are they going for a whole back catalogue like the Cure

loyatemu

I was a huge REM fan back in their early-90s heyday. As I've drifted away from them over the years the only 2 albums that I've found myself going back to are Murmur and Green.

Murmur really is an all time classic - so stripped down, yet so much energy.

Placid_Casual

banjopotato wrote: »

I saw them in a club in Berkeley, California on the Murmur tour in 1983 and they were great. What concert is on the bonus CD?

I know its wrong, but there's a part of me that can't help but hate you.
The concert is recorded in Toronto on 9th July 1983.

smackbunnybaby wrote: »

Definitely going to pick this up - is it only Murmur that is going to be released for now or are they going for a whole back catalogue like the Cure

As far as a I know, its just Murmur, as its a 25th anniversary thing. Mind you, they could have 25th anniversary editions of all the IRS albums for the next 5 years!

omerin

i have the original cd release and its a great album. sadly their material has gone downhill since their irs days

banjopotato

Placid_Casual wrote: »

I know its wrong, but there's a part of me that can't help but hate you.

Well, think about how old that must make me and you might hate me less.:D

The concert is recorded in Toronto on 9th July 1983.

According to this, the concert I saw would've been about 3 weeks before the gig on this CD. I'll definitely have to get it.

smackbunnybaby

This album is fantastic! I completely forgot how strong it was.

Album of the year in my books

the hero game

i think those who have lost interest in post-irs/post-automatic r.e.m. should give the later albums a chance.. apart from "around the sun" that is.. "up" in particular is really amazing once you let in sink in (sad professor must be one of their best ever songs to name just one off "up").. "reveal", "new adventures in hi-fi" & "accelerate" all have great songs in there too, the likes of saturn return, low desert, living well is the best revenge etc.. and "monster" is unfairly maligned i believe.. hard to deny the quality of i took your name, tongue etc..
having said all that "fables.." is definitely my favourite of all.. and "murmur" is awesome of course, especially laughing, pilgrimage, perfect circle, sitting still and 9-9.. i was a bit disappointed by the deluxe live CD, just that i've heard stuff from gigs from '84/85 where the band have the same frantic energy but are tighter and more affecting overall..
"when the light is mine" DVD (irs) is a must-have for (early) REM fans.. great videos (esp. talk about the passion and so. central rain), great live performances and interviews.. amazing stuff..

bullpost

Saw them play the SFX in Dublin around 83/84.
Michael Stipe stood on a stool and sang unaccompanied version of "Moon River".

Great gig.

smackbunnybaby

the hero game wrote: »

i think those who have lost interest in post-irs/post-automatic r.e.m. should give the later albums a chance.. apart from "around the sun" that is.. "up" in particular is really amazing once you let in sink in (sad professor must be one of their best ever songs to name just one off "up").. "reveal", "new adventures in hi-fi" & "accelerate" all have great songs in there too, the likes of saturn return, low desert, living well is the best revenge etc.. and "monster" is unfairly maligned i believe.. hard to deny the quality of i took your name, tongue etc.

R.E.M. would be my favourite band of all time and I am probably biased when i say this but they don't have a bad album bar some of around the sun.

People go on about this band and that band being brilliant - but a poor REM album is better than band "Xs" album any day of the week. Why?
It just is ok! they are a different stratosphere of band altogether.

Someone tried to tell me once that Modest Mouse were way better than R.E.M. - I just laughed at them.

the hero game

"but a poor REM album is better than band "Xs" album any day of the week"

yeah i'm with you there.. they're all so different to each other too.. & heck i know 'around the sun' is pretty lame but i still listen to it a fair bit!..

the hero game

bullpost wrote: »

Saw them play the SFX in Dublin around 83/84.
Michael Stipe stood on a stool and sang unaccompanied version of "Moon River".

Great gig.

SO JEALOUS

i didn't see them 'til slane

loyatemu

the hero game wrote: »

i think those who have lost interest in post-irs/post-automatic r.e.m. should give the later albums a chance.. apart from "around the sun" that is.. "up" in particular is really amazing once you let in sink in (sad professor must be one of their best ever songs to name just one off "up").. "reveal", "new adventures in hi-fi" & "accelerate" all have great songs in there too, the likes of saturn return, low desert, living well is the best revenge etc.. and "monster" is unfairly maligned i believe.. hard to deny the quality of i took your name, tongue etc..

I agree on Up - its their best post-Automatic album, some really beautiful songs and an interesting sound palette. I really don't have much time for any of the others though. Reveal is a dull retread of Up; Monster and (most of) NAIHF suffer from stadium-rock malaise, Around the Sun is breathtakingly bad....

the hero game

loyatemu wrote: »

I agree on Up - its their best post-Automatic album, some really beautiful songs and an interesting sound palette. I really don't have much time for any of the others though. Reveal is a dull retread of Up; Monster and (most of) NAIHF suffer from stadium-rock malaise, Around the Sun is breathtakingly bad....

yep UP is brilliantly produced and the songs are really strong.. it just needs time..

lordgoat

Monster is one of REM albums. Stadium rock? Tongue? Strange Currencies? Circus Envy? Let me In?

Granted i'd give you Kenneth and Star 69. But the rest is far from stadium rock. And as for New adventures, the same applies. Both of these albums are streets ahead of Automatic and Up. While i like a few songs on both i'd def skip far more on them than i would listen to.

Reveal and around the sun we all agree on - drivel!

Placid_Casual

the hero game wrote: »

"fables.." is definitely my favourite of all..

Amen to that. Don't think there's too many people who rate it so highly (including the band I think), but its my no. 1.

lordgoat wrote: »

Reveal and around the sun we all agree on - drivel!

Actually, I adore Reveal, i'd have it in my top 5 REM albums. And that would be borne out by the amount I still listen to it. IMO it took what they were doing on Up and improved it, particularly in the songwriting. Around The Sun, on the other hand, is their worst album by a country mile.

funktastic

‘Monster’ is a great album. Personally I think ‘Accelerate’ is their best album since then. Loads of really balls out rockers and the band playing with more passion.

Favourite REM albums would be:

1) Murmur
2) Reckoning
3) Life’s Rich Pageant
4) Automatic
5) Out Of Time
6) Monster
7) Fables
8) Document
9) Green
10) Accelerate
11) New Adventures…
12) Up
13) Reveal
14) Around The Sun

the hero game

funktastic wrote: »

‘Monster’ is a great album. Personally I think ‘Accelerate’ is their best album since then. Loads of really balls out rockers and the band playing with more passion.

Favourite REM albums would be:

1) Murmur
2) Reckoning
3) Life’s Rich Pageant
4) Automatic
5) Out Of Time
6) Monster
7) Fables
8) Document
9) Green
10) Accelerate
11) New Adventures…
12) Up
13) Reveal
14) Around The Sun

FOR ME..

1) fables of the reconstruction
2) up
3) murmur
4) green
5) reckoning
6) out of time
7) new adventures in hi-fi
8) monster
9) reveal
10) automatic for the people
11) document
12) accelerate
13) lifes rich pageant
14) around the sun

songs top 5
1 so. central rain
2 life & how to live it
3 sad professor
4 laughing
5 saturn return

videos top 5
1 so. central rain
2 talk about the passion
3 half a world away
4 country feedback
5 finest worksong

Red Sleeping Beauty

REM aren't really indie are they ? - they're signed to Warner Bros. as far as I know
Not quite Alternative - they're a huge band, what are they alternative to ?

Are we having a thread on Murmur or fav albums?
I never actually got Murmur, I've always prefered the later IRS albums.

My top 5 are :

• Document
• Green
• New Adventures
• Auotmatic
• Monster

Placid_Casual

alan dunne 27 wrote: »

REM aren't really indie are they ? - they're signed to Warner Bros. as far as I know
Not quite Alternative - they're a huge band, what are they alternative to ?

Well, the thread was started about a particular album, which was and is both indie (in the original sense of the word) and alternative.

And whatever you think about the band's current status, it can't be denied that they have had a massive influence on the development of indie/alternative music in the past 25+ years. For that reason alone, I would think a general discussion on the band could reasonably feature in an indie/alternative music forum.

Red Sleeping Beauty

Very well

I love how even today they still play the old songs. I love when bands do that. I have that Perfect Square gig on DVD where they started off with Begin the Begin and also did Maps and Legends.

Did any of ye get the Best of IRS years DVD ?

the hero game

alan dunne 27 wrote: »

Did any of ye get the Best of IRS years DVD ?

yeah i mentioned it in a previous post, it's amazing isn't it?.. i love the old videos and live performances and the interviews are cool (w. the footage of them in the studio playing 'time after time' etc.)

Red Sleeping Beauty

The early stuff sure is interesting, but I still prefer the pop joy of Document and Green.

I picked up a video or POP SCREEN in a charity shop in Glasgow for £.50p



Succumbs

• 1. Radio Free Europe 4:03
• 2. Southern Central Rain (I'm Sorry) 3:11
• 3. Left Of Reckoning 20:00
• 4. Can't Get There From Here 4:10
• 5. Driver 8 3:18
• 6. Life And How To Live It 4:20
• 7. Feeling Gravity's Pull 4:48
• 8. Fall On Me 2:53

Video singles collection.




Pop Screen

• 1. The One I Love 3:17
• 2. It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) 4:04
• 3. Finest Worksong 3:49
• 4. Talk About The Passion 3:22
• 5. Orange Crush 3:50
• 6. Stand 3:10
• 7. Turn You Inside-Out 4:15
• 8. Pop Song '89 3:03
• 9. Get Up 2:35

Video singles collection.

the hero game

i had that succumbs video too and gladly they're all included on that IRS DVD

bullpost

Tourfilm is a brilliant concert DVD, focussing on their music up to Green, I think.