R.E.M. RETROSPECTIVE

One can point to Nirvana as the point where alternative no longer earned that title, but in reality the alt-rock movement began long before Kurt picked up a guitar. It began in the underground with one little guitar-pop band that built their way up through word-of-mouth and touring, one band that inspired legions of followers throughout the rest of the ’80s and much of the ’90s.

The band is R.E.M., the Daily Vault’s pick for August Artist of the Month.

Forming in Georgia and releasing the single “Radio Free Europe,” singer Michael Stipe and the band slowly grew their fan base, mainly among colleges and venues in the South. The full-length Murmur came in 1983, with several strong reviews from critics but slight mainstream recognition. But the underground music scene had taken notice, with R.E.M.’s sound dominating the landscape. Subsequent albums Reckoning, Fables of the Reconstruction and Lifes Rich Pageant all built on this sound, a sort of jangle pop that had as much in common with The Byrds as with Blondie, but a sound unique to the band. These albums yield rich rewards with each successive listen.

In 1987, the band broke through with Document and “The One I Love;” the album is magnificent and the final one they would record for the tiny I.R.S. label. The ensuing Green, Out of Time and Automatic For the People turned the band into an international phenomenon. Out Of Time contained “Losing My Religion,” the band’s best-known song, while the moody, beautiful Automatic went quadruple platinum and is considered to be a landmark among alternative albums.

The harder-edged Monster followed, but two months into the ensuing tour Bill Berry suffered a brain aneurysm, while Mike Mills had to have abdominal surgery and Stipe underwent surgery for a hernia. In 1997, Berry left the group after the underwhelming New Adventures in Hi-Fi, and the remaining members carried on as a trio, releasing several solid if unremarkable albums through the late 90s and early into the new century. As of this writing, their most recent disc is Around the Sun.

Founded in January 1997, the Daily Vault has featured thousands of reviews from artists covering almost the entire musical spectrum, written by a volunteer review staff from around the world. Previous Artist Of The Month retrospectives have spotlighted the work of artists from Tori Amos to Frank Zappa, including Garth Brooks, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin and many others. Themed retrospectives have focused on punk, grunge, arena rock and dynamic debuts.