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R.E.M.

Blake Gumprecht, Alternative America, Winter 1983

FROM INGLORIOUS beginnings playing a birthday party, R.E.M.'s independent first single, 'Radio Free Europe', was Robert Palmer's choice as 10th best single of 1981 in the New York Times, and also wound up near the top of the Village Voice critics year-end poll.

Total word count of piece: 1557

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