Today IRS releases the deluxe edition of REM's debut album. Yesterday Pitchfork gave it the elusive 10.0 rating which puts it in the exclusive club with classics like Daydream Nation. Those first few REM albums really did change music and pave the way for what has been called Alternative, Modern Rock, College Rock and Indy. If REM never made this album who knows if Nirvana or Sonic Youth would have ever been on a major label or cracked the mainstream. Below is a weird TV promo I found for the original release.
