Chronic Town Totally Explained

Everything about Chronic Town totally explained

Chronic Town is the debut EP by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released in 1982 on I.R.S. Records. Chronic Town is the first illustration of R.E.M.'s signature musical style: jangling guitars, chords played in arpeggio, murmured vocals, and oblique lyrics. Chronic Town was added to the CD edition of the band's rarities compilation album, Dead Letter Office (1987), its only current source of availability on CD. It is, however, available in LP and cassette formats.

Background and recording

After the minor success of the group's debut single "Radio Free Europe" in 1981, R.E.M. manager Jefferson Holt felt the band was ready to record a longer release. While he felt they were not ready to record a full album, Holt figured an EP would be satisfactory. The band was uncertain at first if they'd record with producer Mitch Easter (who had produced "Radio Free Europe"), but Easter managed to convince Holt and the band to let him produced it.
In October 1981, R.E.M. spent a weekend at Easter's Drive-In Studios recording the EP. Easter was a fan of the Krautrock band Kraftwerk, which inspired him to try various sonic experiments while recording. Easter incorporated tape loops and recorded singer Michael Stipe singing outdoors. The band was open to such experimentation and used the sessions as an opportunity to learn how to use a studio.
R.E.M. intended to release the EP on a proposed independent record label named Dasht Hopes run by Holt and his business partner David Healy. The label signed the group to a record deal, working the band out of its contracts with Healy and Hib-Tone, the indie label which released "Radio Free Europe". I.R.S. heads Jay Boberg and Miles Copeland felt the proposed tracklisting was weakened by the song "Ages of You", and felt "Wolves, Lower" was a better choice. However, the pair felt the original take of the song was too fast. The band re-recorded "Wolves, Lower" with Easter in June 1982 in a quick recording session.

Reception

I.R.S. released Chronic Town in August 1982 as its first American release. Reaction to the EP varied; one I.R.S. radio promoter said that many of his contacts at campus radio didn't know what to make of the record, but added, "The Georgia stations and some of the more together college stations across the country jumped on it." The band filmed its first music video for "Wolves, Lower" to promote the record. The EP sold 20,000 copies in its first year. NME reviewer Richard Grabel wrote, "Chronic Town is five songs that spring to life full of immediacy and action and healthy impatience. Songs that won't be denied." Grabel praised the songs' auras of mystery, and concluded, "R.E.M. ring true, and it's great to hear something as unforced and cunning as this." Creem writer Robot A. Hull began his review saying, "This EP is so arcane that I'd to play it six times in a row to get a handle on it – and even now, I'm still not sure." Hull praised the EP for "[evoking] the music of the late-'60s without any pretensions, mingling past and present to shape both into concurrent moments." Hull concluded, "Despite its eccentricity, R.E.M.'s record is undoubtedly the sleeper EP of the year." Chronic Town ranked second in the EP category of the Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics' poll in 1982.

Track listing

All songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe.

"Wolves, Lower" – 4:10

"Gardening at Night" – 3:29

"Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)" – 3:54

"1,000,000" – 3:06

"Stumble" – 5:40 Track listing notes:

On the original vinyl release, R.E.M. labeled the A (or first) side

(tracks 1-3) as the "Chronic Town" side and the B (or second) side

(tracks 4 and 5) as the "Poster Torn" side. Both are lyrics in the band's song "Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars)".

The back cover of the album shows the track order incorrectly, listing side one's tracks after side two's (4-5-1-2-3). On the Dead Letter Office CD, they were placed in proper sequence. However, that release's insert reproduction of the EP's back cover doesn't correct the running order. The official R.E.M. website repeats the error.

Personnel

Bill Berry – drums

Peter Buck – guitar

Mike Mills – bass

Michael Stipe – vocalsFurther Information

Get more info on 'Chronic Town'.

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