R.E.M. – Chronic Town (1982/2014) [HDTracks FLAC 24bit/192kHz]

Chronic Town is American rock band R.E.M.’s debut EP originally released in 1982. After having some success with their single “Radio Free Europe”, R.E.M. manager Jefferson Holt believed the group was ready to produce a longer release. They settled on releasing an EP, it was this 5 track record that paved the way for the band’s signature sound combining Peter Buck’s arpeggiating guitar lines with Michael Stipe’s enigmatic, murmuring vocals.

Chronic Town established R.E.M.’s signature sound immediately, expanding the jangling riffs of their debut single, “Radio Free Europe,” into a full-fledged modus operandi. Recorded at Mitch Easter’s Drive-In Studios, the EP has an endearingly ragged sound — it’s a garage band playing jangling pop songs, and while the music is melodic and memorable, it has an underground mentality that keeps it from sounding conventional. Not only does the lo-fi production keep the music underground, but so do Peter Buck’s ringing arpeggios, Michael Stipe’s incomprehensible mumbled vocals, and the band’s amateurish enthusiasm. They might not be accomplished players, but already their songwriting is distinctive, with “Gardening at Night,” “Wolves, Lower,” and “Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)” ranking as early classics.

Tracklist:
01 – Wolves, Lower
02 – Gardening At Night
03 – Carnival Of Sorts (Boxcars)
04 – 1,000,000
05 – Stumble

Recorded October 1981 and June 1982 at Drive-In Studios in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Produced by Mitch Easter and R.E.M. Mastering engineer: Greg Calbi.

Personnel:
Bill Berry – drums, vocals
Peter Buck – guitar
Mike Mills – bass guitar, vocals
Michael Stipe – vocals

Production:
Producers: Mitch Easter and R.E.M.
Mastering engineer: Greg Calbi

Download:

1982ChronicTown2014HDTracks24192.rar