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R.E.M.'s Murmur (33 1/3) (Paperback)

by J. Niimi (Author)
Key Phrases: hate clipped, lighted laughing, take our fortune, Chronic Town, Radio Free Europe, Michael Stipe (more...)

4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

Review
"'A brilliant idea' The Times; 'Neat' Nick Hornby; 'Pocket-size books about favourite albums is a nice idea, akin to TV's Classic Albums and with an equal amount of care and attention.' The Guardian (Friday Review)"

Product Description
R.E.M.’s debut album, released in 1983, was so far removed from the prevailing trends of American popular music that it still sounds miraculous and out of time today. J. Niimi tells the story of the album’s genesis – with fascinating input from Don Dixon and Mitch Easter. He also investigates Michael Stipe’s hypnotic, mysterious lyrics, and makes the case for Murmur as a work of Southern Gothic art.

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Product Details

Paperback: 136 pages
Publisher: Continuum (May 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0826416721
ISBN-13: 978-0826416728
Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 4.5 x 0.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #56,244 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in these categories: (What's this?)
#61 in Books > Entertainment > Music > Musical Genres > Popular
#86 in Books > Entertainment > Music > Musical Genres > Classical

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This item is part of The Thirty Three and a Third Series.

Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Inside This Book (learn more)

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
hate clipped, lighted laughing, take our fortune, moral kiosk, kitchen signs, talk about the passion

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Chronic Town, Radio Free Europe, Michael Stipe, Perfect Circle, Peter Buck, Southern Gothic, Bill Berry, New World, New York, Gary Numan, James Dickey, Moral Kiosk, Walker Percy, West of the Fields, Carnival of Sorts, Emory University, Oconee Street

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
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Average Customer Review

4.5 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly thought provoking, December 2, 2005

By	happy boy "freddy" (Louisville, ky) - See all my reviews

I really didn't expect much when a friend guided me to this book. All he mentioned was the track by track analysis of instrumentation and arrangement. But the amazing part of this book is the latter section dealing with language and the effectiveness of non-linear, yet familiar lyrics in evoking feelings beyond logic and language. I became consciously aware of an intuitive process through the shared experience of the record and the author's thoughtful considerations. Quite a bargain for the price!

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best R.E.M. book yet, July 16, 2005

By	JD in Portland (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews

This book on Murmur is a great read. I am glad i stumbled on it at the check out counter of my favorite record store.
Mr. Niimi captured the record's weird and intangible magic, not
an easy feat. He did a particularly good job examining Bill Berry's
unusual playing style and incalculable contribution to not
only R.E.M.'s sound but compositions.�Even though Niimi himself is a drummer, he explains things in a manner any non-musician will appreciate.
He also got some great quotes out of producers Don Dixon and Mitch
Easter as he delved into the details of the making of the record. Along the way he tells the terrific story of R.E.M.s rapid rise from Athens bar band to architects of the college rock, indie rock explosion of the '80s.
I followed R.E.M. very closely in this time frame and the author captures the feeling and emotional impact that R.E.M. had on its fans quite well. The book brought back many good memories. I highly recommend it to both the casual and serious R.E.M. fan.

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Salad Days Revisited, June 9, 2005

By	Mark F. Yanes "college rock geek" (Reading PA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm a big fan of the 33 1/3 Series from Continuum Books and J Niimi's MURMUR is a fine addition. One problem I have with books of this ilk is the tendency to emphasize studio craft and the technical aspect of the making of a record over the content and emotional effect of the music. Mr Niimi avoids this nicely- although all the studio tricks are exposed in their entirety! Its also a great look back at the times and trends that produced this fine record.
After reading the book I put the record on and, after wading through the inevitable waves of nostalgia, rediscovered a great band and record that I haven't listened to for far too long.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Book About R.E.M. out there.
The definitive book about R.E.M. happens to be Murmur, by J. Niimi, from the learned and much lauded 33 1/3 series of slim volumes about great albums, printed by Continuum Books... Read more

Published 10 months ago by James R. Francis

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read
I recently stumbled across the 33 1/3 series and have since read about a dozen different ones. Niimi's take on Murmur is by far may favorite. Read more

Published 13 months ago by T. Wesley Robinson

4.0 out of 5 stars Between thought & expression
"Murmur" is to me what "Sgt. Pepper" is to listeners fifteen or twenty years older: a touchstone that, for its unevenness and eclectic mishmash manages to somehow sum up an era. Read more

Published on April 23, 2007 by John L Murphy

5.0 out of 5 stars The Key to the Album
Even twenty plus years on, Murmur is still as hauntingly evocative as it was on its release. The novelty of the sound has diminished with the passage of time, but the details... Read more

Published on March 11, 2007 by Charles Hanson

3.0 out of 5 stars S'alright
The problem with J. Niimi's Murmur of the great 33 1/3rd series of books about specific albums, is that it's ironic. Read more

Published on November 7, 2006 by Misty Matonis

5.0 out of 5 stars Arguably the most profound 33 1/3 Book
"Murmur" was extremely important to me when it was released and over the past 20+ years, so I avoided this volume of the exquisite 33 1/3 series for a while. Read more

Published on August 14, 2006 by Chris Estey

1.0 out of 5 stars Sorry folks, too pretentious for rock and roll
This, to me, is the weakest in the great 33 1/3 series that I have read. While the author is certainly knowledgable and learned, the prose is thick and I found myself skimming... Read more

Published on May 6, 2006 by J. Becker

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb rock criticism
This short volume dedicated to REM's first LP is not suck. In fact its really, really good. The book does an admirable job of tacking back and forth between a very sophisticated... Read more

Published on September 18, 2005 by Alex Golub

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fine Book on Rock and Culture by an Excellent Writer
There are so many things that I like about MURMUR, J. Niimi's recent book on R.E.M.'s legendary 1983 album of the same name, that I scarcely know where to begin. Read more

Published on September 13, 2005 by C. Andrews

5.0 out of 5 stars best rock book in years!
This supernaturally readable little book starts with the idea that Murmur is a valuable record and then explores the hows and whys. Read more

Published on July 17, 2005 by F. Kovey

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