With recent rerelease hoopla surrounding the latter, I think REM's first LP still stands as the band's best work. Sure, Reckoning has "Don't Go Back To Rockville," "South Central Rain," and "Little America," but Murmur has "Radio Free Europe," "Pilgrimage," "Sitting Still," "Shaking Through," "Catapault," and--well, I could go on, but alas, I too was a little boy when it came out. Not yet one year old, as a matter of fact.
More on this later. (I think I'm still with Murmur, though. "Children of today on parade"? Come on. Wink.)