R.E.M. Gives 1982’s ‘Chronic Town’ Debut EP Long-Awaited Reissue (ALBUM REVIEW)

R.E.M. has treated its catalog to some fairly lavish reissues in recent years and, in that respect, the CD release marking Chronic Town‘s 40th anniversary can’t match archival packages such as 2019’s Monster 25th anniversary expanded edition. But the release of the iconic Georgia-based band’s twenty-minute EP is nonetheless significant as it’s never been available as a standalone item in this configuration till now (it was, however, appended to different versions of the band’s rarities compilation album Dead Letter Office).

Mitch Easter’s very extensive liner notes on the insert enclosed in the double-sleeve set are the only ‘extra.’ And, aside from the gatefold design–on the back cover of which the listing of tracks doesn’t match the actual playing order (perhaps due to formatting/cosmetic reasons), his prose does little to illuminate the creative process behind the recording. The first few paragraphs and the last do allude to the mystery of the creative process, but in between, the co-producer/engineer’s play-by-play only serves to obfuscate his collaboration with the band. 

That said, the title as now issued is a clear and accurate reflection of the D.I.Y/indie/alt movement of its time. It might be fair to say that, on a cut such as “1,000,000,” R.E.M reveled more in the stripped-down simplicity of its music than any of its contemporaries.  But, in retrospect, that cut, like “Stumble,” begs the question of overly facile comparisons between R.E.M. and the Byrds; with his inimitable jangle, Peter Buck wasn’t aiming to replicate the glorious layered style of that iconic American band,  but only further propel the musicianship of the quartet of which he was a member.

Likewise the instrumental contributions of bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. As a rhythm section, their unobtrusive playing puts the focus on the songs themselves, not their own participation in “Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars).” Accordingly, their playing is at its most notable at its least prominent, that is, on the subdued, mid-tempo likes of “Gardening at Night: ” there the duo’s presence effectively surrounds the hard-to-decipher vocals of Michael Stipe. 

Of course, at this point, the frontman did not intend to enunciate very clearly. In fact, the burial of his singing in the mix worked to the advantage of the lyrics for songs like “Wolves, Lower;” the imagery of the words is alternately (and equally) enthralling and mystifying, at least to the extent the frontman’s cryptic phrasing is decipherable at all. (Buck’s nimble fretboard work can only highlight his delivery to a certain degree).

Sonic perfection didn’t seem to matter so much as feel in the early work of R.E.M., so it’s an irony in keeping with their enigmatic collective persona that Greg Calbi’s mastering of Chronic Town renders its music with such clarity and depth. But that only makes the title another essential entry into this hallowed group’s discography, fit to reside comfortably right next to the box sets of Fables of The Reconstruction and Automatic For The People.

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