R.E.M.’s “Wolves, Lower” isn’t terrifying or funny, but it’s still a solid choice for a Halloween party playlist. Kicking off with the odd command, “Suspicion yourself, suspicion yourself, don’t get caught,” the lyrics refuse to be understood. Still, there’s something hypnotic about the way Michael Stipe sings of a corner garden, a house in order, and wolves at the door while Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry craft a jangling guitar-driven arrangement.
I remember being drawn to “Wolves, Lower” the first time I heard it on WXRT back in 1982, and soon discovered all the tracks on R.E.M.’s Chronic Town EP were shrouded in mystery. That elusive spirit carried over to their full-length debut Murmur, particularly on “Pilgrimage” and “Perfect Circle.” It was like The Byrds chiming away in the kudzu-infested fields of Athens, Georgia.
R.E.M. evolved from a college radio sensation to world-wide acclaim, and influenced countless new bands. But they never lost that air of mystery. So as we celebrate Halloween, here’s a tip of the witch hat to R.E.M. for all the years they kept us in the dark.
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