I've always enjoyed the mumbly REM records more than the ones with better enunciation. I don't know whether I object to the lyrics or simply like the sound of mumbling. I do not like modern "mumble rap". That's different. Anyhow, here are some bands that I think could be improved by making the vocals more mumbly or generally less intelligible:

- Oasis (Shut up so we can enjoy the generic garage band tunes for what they are).
- Metallica (More cookie monster please).
- Blur (More interesting music than Oasis, but still...).
- Rush (There is unrest in the lyrics, There is trouble with the words).


Are there other candidates?

I prefer mumbly REM too. As soon as Michael Stipe started enunciating, all the mystery went out of their music.

I like how Stipe used to choose words based on the sound they made, not necessarily for their meaning. If you compare the version of Radio Free Europe they performed on Letterman in 1983 with the one on Murmur, Stipe is using different words that have a similar rhythm and rhyme as the originals.

In my kindergarten days on the internet I checked out an REM fansite that had fans' approximations of their early lyrics. I was pleased to find that even after I knew what the words were, the songs still didn't make a lot of sense.

My vote for bands that should mumble more: Phish. Keep those cutesy-pie, aren't-we-clever bullshit lyrics to yourselves, lads.

lotharsandwich wrote: Tue Jun 08, 2021 4:30 pm
- Metallica (More cookie monster please).

I don't know if it was on Some Kind of Monster or some live footage I saw, but Jason Newsted had an awesome, growly metal voice. I wanted to hear him sing more.