R.E.M.: A Great Southern Voice Revisited

THE MUSIC OF R.E.M. speaks in many voices, swirling voices searching for a new language through the words of mythology, literature, and Holy Scripture. Like pieces of conversation overheard, the words of R.E.M.'s songs seem to tumble from their music as if by chance, elusive fragments that appear as if they must be pieced together. And although this adds to the mystery of R.E.M.'s music, many critics have consistently accused R.E.M. of inarticulateness, derisively dubbing Murmur, their first album, Mumble.