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41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
They created a "monster"!, October 1, 2002
Although the quality of Steppenwolf's output is a bit uneven, the group created a monster (yuk, yuk) in 1969. If we wanted to take a look at just one rock masterpiece, the title cut would surely make a deeply rewarding study. On many levels, it qualifies as one of the greatest rock tunes ever written. I'm not mincing words when I say that this song, after 33 years, can still put a lump in my throat. I'm not going to feed you any lines about this being a typical antiestablishment hippy tune from the 60s. No, this song is far deeper than that! The title cut is as glaringly apropos today as it was in 1969 - probably even more so. The music admirably supports the lyrics. The song builds tremendous tension and momentum so that when the first "America, where are you now..." chorus hits, it's...well, breathtaking! Folks, this song qualifies as one of the greats of all time - not a dated artifact, but a timeless classic. The album continues with two more great songs (yes, they too make statements).This band could lay down a groove like no other. Part of it was the drummer, part of it was everyone else interacting both with and around the drummer. They're smooth and sophisticated, sensual and alluring. The guitar work is ever so tasteful, often far more so than that of "name" players. "Move Over," like the title piece, was a hit in '69 and I'm perplexed that this powerful gem is largely forgotten today. You never hear it on radio anymore, but that doesn't surprise me: they're too busy playing the same song over and over again. Anyway, "Move Over" doesn't merely knock my socks off, it trounces me! For nearly three minutes, the song maintains the most throbbing, ecstatic energy you're likely to hear - an electrified frenzy of an astonishing nature. This tune is so stimulating it's dangerous. (And with today's preoccupation with being overly safe, I might suggest wearing a helmet.)
This album includes one instrumental. I'm often impatient with instrumentals, especially those that offer little in the way of impressive improvisation - which is most often the case in the world of rock. But this is a pleasant ditty that doesn't overstay its welcome. A piano line rocks back and forth whilst a bluesy guitar croons about. It's fine within the context of the album. (Actually, we need this break after the orgasmic "Move Over.")
"From Here To There Eventually" is another thought-provoking masterpiece - much overlooked. It's about how many folks feel, still today, about the need for spirituality while being repulsed by church hypocrisy. I love this song. And it's got one of those signature Steppenwolf "spaced-out" grooves toward the end. A fantastic finish to a fantastic record. Despite a very strong first album, I always thought - and still do - that this is their best work. All the great things that made this band unmistakable are here in abundance. Still today, it is pure ecstasy from start to finish. A powerful album, the impact of which never seems to wear off.
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely Spellbinding Sixties Steppenwolf Rock, August 18, 2000
It is difficult some thirty years later to explain to younger listeners just how well this album articulated the sense of desperation and rage at the social system so prevalent among the sixties generation. Steppenwolf lead singer John Kay managed to provocatively employ the "Monster" analogy to perfection in explaining the terrifying existential dilemma the sixties generation found itself in, trapped by the injustice and stupidity of the military draft on one side, and the unknowing, uncaring, and patently dysfunctional material machinations of mainstream American culture on the other. All that said, this particular worldview informs one of the most outrageously brilliant song cycles in modern rock. Monster is a work of musical genius by John Kay, and is an under appreciated masterwork in that sense. The singularity of the lyrics, arrangements, and musicianship of this smash best-selling album is apparent from the opening bars of the trilogy of Monster/Suicide/America. It is highly political, but at the same time really rocks. By the way, although the lyrics may seem a bit stylized and anachronistic now, any one who lived through those years recognizes the predominating perceptions behind it, as well as the conviction many of us had regarding the patent evil that surrounded us. Moreover, the indictment of materialism and its woes is strangely still quite accurate and relevant, a cautionary tale one can easily apply to the problems still confronting America, a country that often seems for sale to the highest bidder. That itself is amazing, given all the changes that have occurred. But for simply stunning rock music, it is hard to beat songs like "Draft Resister" (my personal favorite), "Move Over", and the Monster trilogy. Sit back, turn up the volume, and trip back with Steppenwolf to that super-charged political environment of the late sixties, and take your mind for a ride. Enjoy!
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic---Needs Remastering, October 18, 1999
By A Customer
Truly a classic in both music and lyrics, this is a powerful piece of work. My complaint is that the audio quality leaves A LOT to be desired. The record label seems to have just thrown the CD out there, complete with wrong song titles and several patches of bad CD transfer audio problems. If ever a record deserved the "Remastered" treatment, it's 'Monster'. C'Mon MCA, or somebody, re-release this title the way it should be....
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