Although preceded by the Hib-Tone version of “Radio Free Europe” the previous year, to all intents and purposes, Chronic Town — R.E.M.’s 1982 debut EP — was the start of R.E.M. as we know them.

These five songs showcased the true extent of the Athens-based four-piece’s potential and talent in a way that a single — even one as good as “Radio Free Europe” and its accompanying B-side “Sitting Still” — didn’t have the capacity to do.

Indeed, while those two songs were the sound of a band finding themselves, the five songs that comprised Chronic Town were the sound of a band asserting themselves.

And while this motley crew of three early-twentysomethings (Bill Berry, Peter Buck, and Mike Mills) and a teenage Michael Stipe surely had no idea of the profound, world-conquering impact their songs would go on to have on alternative music and culture, these songs nevertheless sound revolutionary, vital, important.

R.E.M. will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its classic, five-song debut EP, Chronic Town, by releasing it as a standalone CD for the first time in the U.S. on Aug. 19th, 2022 via I.R.S./UMe.

Augmented by extensive new liner notes from original producer Mitch Easter, the project will also be available on picture disc vinyl and cassette.

1. Wolves, Lower
2. Gardening At Night
3. Carnival of Sorts (Boxcars)
4. 1,000,000
5. Stumble

Introducing their arpeggiated guitar playing, cryptic and often indecipherable lyrics, and radiant choruses that would soon emerge as signatures of the classic R.E.M. sound, Chronic Town opens on the differently refreshing, catchy and upbeat melodies of Wolves, Lower and then backs that up with the jangling guitars of the rhythmic Gardening At Night.

Next up is the my own personal favorite track from this EP, the raggedly fierce, harmoniously spectacular Carnival of Sorts (Boxcars), which its itself followed by more of Buck’s energetic guitar chords and Stipe’s raw and defiant vocals on 1,000,000, coming to a close on the autumnal mist of the excellent raw, enigmatic ambience within Stumble.

Chronic Town was recorded in October 1981 at Easter’s Drive-In Studios in Winston-Salem, N.C., a few months after the release of R.E.M.’s aforementioned debut single, “Radio Free Europe.”

The EP introduced R.E.M.’s distinctive early sound to the wider world on staples such as “Gardening at Night,” “Wolves, Lower” and “1,000,000,” setting the stage for the band’s debut full-length, Murmur, in April 1983.

“There is a certain spare, almost live quality to the sound of this record, which makes it especially fascinating now,” Easter writes of Chronic Town in his new essay. “You hear what R.E.M. actually sounded like in its early days, only slightly enhanced with a little studio fun. No other R.E.M. record is like Chronic Town, but you hear traces of it throughout the band’s entire career.”

R.E.M. - Gardening At Night (Official Remastered 2006 Video)

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