#315Albums is a list of 315 albums that appear on both the Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, as well as the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die book, edited by Robert Dimery. At its best, it is a representation of some of the greatest music ever released; at its worst, it is a journey through the history of music that the majority see as important, influential, and/or relevant. If nothing else, these albums are worth experiencing at least once to get a better understanding of music, which is why we are working to complete all #315Albums.
No. 059
“The founding document of alternative rock, released just as Gen X was heading off to college. Though ‘technically limited, according to co-producer Don Dixon, R.E.M. packed their songs with cathartic mystery. Peter Buck’s guitar chimes and Michael Stipe unspools his low-talker lyrics like they constitute a new language.”
Artist: R.E.M.
Album: Murmur
Released: 1983
Label: I.R.S.
Rolling Stones Ranking: 197
I think the reason it took me so long to talk about this album was because I found it so forgettable. I couldn’t come up with anything to say about it! I listened to it a few times last month, and then forgot about it. Then, I decided to give it another shot this week, listening to it a handful of times. After all of that, I still have virtually nothing to say about this album, positive or negative. I enjoy R.E.M.’s bigger hits and later albums, but Murmur did absolutely nothing for me. There isn’t a track on here that I could pick out in a mix. Though I didn’t dislike my time with the album, I don’t see myself turning it back on ever again in the future, or even remembering that I listened to it a month from now. Murmur exists, and that’s about the best compliment and criticism I have for it.
Cinefessions’ #315Albums Rating: 50%
Image and quote courtesy of Rolling Stone Magazine.
Branden has been a film fan since he was young, roaming the halls of Blockbuster Video, trying to find the grossest, scariest looking VHS covers to rent and watch alone in the basement. It wasn’t until recently, though, that Branden started seeking out the classics of cinema, and began to develop his true passion for the art form. Branden approaches each film with the unique perspective of having studied the art from the inside, having both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in acting. He has been a film critic since 2010, and has previously written for Inside Pulse Movies, We Love Cult, and Diehard Gamefan. His biggest achievement as a film critic, to date, has been founding Cinefessions and turning it from a personal blog to a true film website, housing hundreds of film and television reviews, and dozens of podcasts.
