Customer Reviews

Monster

5 star:		(64)
4 star:		(57)
3 star:		(24)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

I was walking through the used-record shop and was disgusted to find several copies of Monster. Why did so many people give this tantalizing rock record away? Perhaps because it doesn't offer the mainstream chamber-folk that hooked them on Automatic, or the jangle-pop that 80's purists want still more of. Monster is NOT the shallow, failed attempt at grunge that many of these crazy reviewers would have you believe. It's still got more musical scope than Automatic and its songs range from wild rockouts to fuzzy ballads. The beautiful, shimerring "Strange Currencies" is what the plodding "Everybody Hurts" should've been. "Circus Envy", "Star 69", and "What's the Freq.." are also standout cuts. A few of the more experimental tracks seem half-formed, but none are annoying. Awash in feedback and pulsing with creativity, Monster is as unique as any REM album. Delete your "What's the Frequency, Kenneth" mp3 and buy the whole album, 'cause it's far more than the slip-up, sellout record these fools would have you believe.

I don't normally write reviews for discs as over-reviewed as this one (109 reviews and counting), but I thought I might be able to offer a different perspective on this album, seeing as how my two favorite REM albums are 'Monster' and 'Murmur', and I find 'Green' unlistenable! This may put me in a special group of REM fans...so let me explain why I love this album so!

If 'Automatic' was the first sign that REM was breaking out of the pretentious, chirpy, god-awful bubble gum of 'Green' and 'Out Of Time' by becoming more serious and austere (albeit extremely low-energy), then 'Monster' finished REM's re-emergence as a newer, better-than-ever and extremely hard-rocking ensemble. Gone are any additional instruments (strings, brass, mandolins, etc.), this is just the four REM dudes rocking their socks off. They also seem to be enjoying the new energy level, and that sense of enthusiasm permeates the album.

For you gloom n' doom fans (me too!) there are still the tormented 'Let Me In' and the wistful and countrified 'Strange Currencies', also the ethereal raga-rock of 'You'. But this album is mostly about the rockers. From 'What's The Frequency, Kenneth?" on, this CD never lets up the loud, buzzing and partified atmosphere. I also like how Stipe sings in a variety of voices, falsetto on 'Tongue', and a Gordon Lightfoot-esque growl for 'Crush With Eyeliner'. Other faves are 'I Took Your Name' and the chugging 'Circus Envy'. The only tune I'm not 100 percent behind is 'King Of Comedy', although it has great lyrics, it's a wee bit grating.

All in all, if you like REM, AND you like to rock, pick this one up. Used, it's often cheaper than any other album by them (probably due to most fans wanting to hear 'Losing My Religion' redone another 1000 times...).

On R.E.M.'s previous two albums, Out Of Time & Automatic For The People, the band created quiet classics by employing a wide array of beautiful instruments including mandolins, harpsichords, strings and the like. They did a complete 180 on Monster, which is anything but quiet. The album is steeped in the glam-rock of the 70's and the grunge music of its day. Peter Buck threw away the acoustic stuff, plugged in and turned the volume up to 11. The band shows off their musical aptitude as this album sounds like nothing they've done before or since. "What's The Frequency, Kenneth?" opens the album awash in buzzing guitars and undesciprable Michael Stipe vocals. "Crush With Eyeliner" is a glam-rock classic and sounds like it could be out of the David Bowie songbook. "I Don't Sleep, I Dream" is a pulsating track while "Star 69" is straight ahead, tongue-in-cheek rocker. "Tongue" is probably the band's sexiest song done in a bump and grind style. "Let Me In" is their tribute to the late Kurt Cobain. "Bang And Blame" is the best song on the album, with its synthesized sound and popping guitars. Monster was the band's first album to debut at number one and with it, they continued to push the envelope and shake up their identity.

granted, monster isn't r.e.m.'s finest, most shining moment. but throughout the twelve songs here, there's some sparkling moments-"strange currencies", most noteably. someone previously mentioned u2's "achtung, baby", and i see this album as an emotional counterpart to it (if majorly sonically different). bitter, bitingly sarcastic and open (when stipe's lyrics are actually discernable), this has actually been, in recent years, the r.e.m. record i run to most.

Due to the unavoidable fact that rock music is as much of a commercial entity as it is an artistic one, flash in the pan acts and genre parasites are constantly being pushed aside in favor of the latest craze. Occasionally a truly resilient rock band or artist, i.e. the Rolling Stones or Neil Young, can overcome these shifts in the public's preferences and adapt accordingly, but more often than not, immensely talented acts like Santana or the Beach Boys are caught in the fray and quickly reduced to nothing more than petty, nostalgia acts. However, though it is a rare occurrence for a band to survive pop culture's many mood swings without simply limiting themselves to cult status, it is still far from impossible.

In the early 90s, alt. rock finally gave way to its twisted underground cousin grunge and REM was the sole alternative group to creatively reap the benefits. An obvious touchstone for the latest strain of Seattle rockers, REM quickly realized the profound influence groups like The Melvins, Mudhoney, Sonic Youth, and Nirvana were exerting on modern alt. rock and wasted no time in adapting accordingly. What resulted was "Monster", the band's ultimate attempt to completely demolish their godfather status and begin anew.

To properly achieve this, the sessions for "Monster" began with a thorough cleansing of any and all of the group's residual style before embarking upon a major overhaul of their trademark sound. Working straight from the ground up, REM cranked the guitars, put some extra mikes around the drums, and cut a blistering set of galloping, feedback laden rockers, all spearheaded by Michael Stipe's fiercely emotive voice. Peter Buck's guitar buried the band in impenetrable fuzz, allowing only his collaborators primal energy to shine through while the funky rhythm section pushed continually onward. The entire studio reverberated with the band's not so good vibrations and when the sessions were over, every ounce of the band's energy had been transferred to tape.

Overall, "Monster's" message was relentless and bold, but REM also had the tact not to overdo it. Unlike so many of the 90s superstar hopefuls, REM only adopted the grunge sound as a basis for building their own unique vision instead of hijacking it as a one way ride to MTV. While certain elements of "Monster" are without a doubt borrowed; the trashy Cobain style solos and the Sonic Youthesque skronk come to mind; the band constantly strives to accommodate their own gentler leanings within "Monster's" forbidding, harsh atmosphere. Crooning lullabies like "Strange Frequencies" and "Tongue" are cleverly placed throughout the album to avoid repetition and due primarily to their rarity, these softer numbers emotional impact is increased exponentially.

Furthermore, REM have no qualms about exposing their marketable side, providing the album with suitably high budget production values and never straying too far from a catchy riff or melody, even when employing the talents of the not so commercial Thurston Moore. "Monster" therefore succeeds tremendously as both a sampling of the finer points of grunge and as another classic alt. rock album without alienating fans of either genre. A band that's always been perfectly content with their past triumphs yet never eager to revel in them, REM will forever remain a respectable, active member of the alternative music community and "Monster" shows exactly why.

Anyone who has followed R.E.M. for any length of time knows that they thrive by doing the unexpected. Whether it was playing few of their own songs in concert in their early days, bringing out the mandolin for "Losing My Religion," or following up the gorgeously introspective "Automatic For The People" (the best album of the 1990's) with this blast of a full throttle album, the band has always done its own thing and refused to be confined by any rules others would write for them.

So it is rather remarkable that some many so called fans seem to be so surprised by and so down on "Monster." The loud raucous guitar the opens the kick of track "What's the Frequency, Kenneth" is a sign of things to come. It is followed by the wah-wahish feel of the glam era gem "Crush With Eyeliner," and the rest of the album lives up to the promise of those two tracks. Sure, it is a far cry from the monumental and extraordinary "Automatic For the People," but the dramatic shift in gears is vintage R.E.M.

So-called because it was a "Monster" to complete, this album is a matter of love and hate. People love it. People hate it. People love to hate it. I'm one of those that hates to love it.

There is no question that after "Automatic for the People", this album is a double-whammy disappointment. First, it does a complete 180 from the soft, moody, and melodious "Automatic" to a loud, deliberately distorted sound. It's hard to imagine a more abrupt transformation from one album to the next. Second, it's not nearly as deep nor as consistent as "Automatic." But how could it be? "Automatic" was brilliant ... a masterpiece. Measured according to that standard, that "Monster" would be a disappointment is hardly a surprise ... almost any album would be. But once you are willing to set aside your disappointment for what it could have been, "Monster" can be seen for what it is ... a fine rock-n-roll album, and a chance to lighten up a bit.

As is the case with "Automatic," the direction of the album is clear at the outset. "What's the Frequency, Kenneth" is all blistering guitars and heavy bass. And it's ... well, it's fun. How could anything poking fun at Dan Rather not be?

The next song, "Crush with Eyeliner" is also replete with electric guitars and heavy bass, but it adds a couple of interesting musical elements ... a bluesy shuffle synchronized with a heavy guitar fuzzbox. The shuffle works particularly well, because the song itself is about admiration for a woman "like three miles of bad road" walking down the street. I have no problem at all imagining her stroking by. "Crush with Eyeliner" is unique ... it's really hard to compare it to anything else ... the best I can do is say that it's like a down-and-dirty version of Roy Orbison's classic "Pretty Woman." Serious? No. Fun? Yes.

It's no secret that REM's work includes a lot of great ballads. Add "Strange Currencies" to the list. It has almost a country-western personality ... something you might expect to hear in a honky-tonk on a hot sweaty night. It's quite similar to "Be Mine," another ballad and one of the better songs on what I think is a weaker album ... "New Adventures in Hi-Fi."

"Let Me In" is brilliant. Reportedly written shortly after hearing of the suicide of Kurt Cobain, "Let Me In" has no bass-line and virtually no percussion ... just Stipe's lonely voice trying desperately to "break through" a screaming electric guitar ... a guitar that no doubt represents Cobain. Over and over, he implores it to let him in ... but just like Cobain, it never does. The grief and sense of loss come through loud and clear. If only for this song, I think all of those who turned in "Monster" into the used CD bins are nuts.

"Circus Envy" is a great head-knocker. Simple, direct, and loud ... with a pounding beat and a psychedelic guitar to boot. You could dent a dashboard playing rock-star drummer with this one.

Unfortunately, the rest of the album is uneven. It's been said that "Star 69" is a tribute to the Rolling Stones. It sounds like it. Unfortunately, it mimics the Rolling Stones at their worst ... the hard times between "Sticky Fingers" and "Some Girls." Something from their "Beggar's Banquet" era would have been a lot more satisfying. "I Took Your Name" and "Bang and Blame" are OK, but "Tongue", "King of Comedy", and "You" are sub-par ... on the order of filler material. But it's a rare album that escapes this flaw.

If "Automatic" is like a fine wine, "Monster" is like Sangria. It's not about bouquet and "oaky flavor" ... it's about drinking up and having fun. Cheers.

I know that most people don't like this album, and I can understand why, but if you are new to the band don't be deterred from checking this out. It is completely awesome, heavy and distorted in a controlled way, with interesting arrangements in vocal and guitars. I think this one of the best things REM has come out with, even though I do like all of their albums and dig most of their songs. What I really like about this album is that Stipe's singing is so unique, and mixed in with everything in a cool way. None of their big hits are present here, for the hits you should get Automatic, Out of Time, and Document. But here, all of the songs are just well arranged with guitar distortion and texture that has never been heard on an REM cd before or after. real rocking out, I think!

I think this cd is exciting, fun and uplifting, and I think they had a lot of guts to make something that deviates so much from previous material. Maybe its just a freak thing that I like this so much, because it doesn't rank high in most other fan lists. However, I urge you to check it out with an open mind. REM is a terrific band that doesn't deserve the flak they get from people who say that the majority of the band's output is mediocre. almost everything the band makes is interesting and terrific. I urge you to check out all of their albums, including this one (especially this one). As always, listen before you buy.

After the more elaborate, studio-oriented productions of Out of Time (1990) and Automatic For the People (1992), REM knew it was time to tour after an extended hiatus. To that end, they recorded a Monster (1994). Upon releases, many long-time fans accused REM of jumping on the lucrative grunge bandwagon. While Monster is louder and more guitar oriented than REM's previous releases, it isn't REM's attempt at grunge. Instead, REM combines the the blarring distortion of The Velvet Underground [circa White Light, White Heat (1967)] with the pop sensibilities of glam rockers like New York Dolls. If anything, Monster is a creative departure from REM's previous albums; something they usually aren't given enough credit for.

While Monster isn't as ambitious as REM's best work [Murmur (1983), Document (1987), Automatic for the People (1992)], it is a compelling, enjoyable album. With such a jarring musical environment, it's not surprising that the vocals seen deliberately obscured. Beneath the distorted guitars and propulsive rhythm section, Stipe's singing is often distorted to the point of incomprehensibility. On many tracks, only a few lines are discernable, which is fine because the overall presentation is what is important here. Appropriately, when words do emerge, most seem related to themes of obsession, sex, and possibly death (while making Monster REM's close friends Kurt Cobain and River Phoenix died). Despite the potentially bleak themes, REM's keen pop sensibilites (and humor) are never buried.

Monster seems a largely forgotten release from REM. Most ardent fans consider it an artistic compromise (and therefore dismiss is all together) while most others don't pay much attention because it isn't among REM's best albums (to an extent, this is a fair assessment). While Monster isn't as sublime as Murmur, or as articulate as Document, or emotionally transcendent like Automatic for the People, it is an intense, compelling, and focused release. It's also the last consistent album the band has made to date.

After releasing two highly soft/acoustic efforts with "Out of Time" and "Automatic for the People", R.E.M. released "Monster" in 1994. Upon its release, it was hailed as an energized return to form, which proved that R.E.M. succeeded at anything they tried, always outdoing their competition. And yes, "Monster" is a hard-rock album...not something that R.E.M. had really done before. Sure "Life's Rich Pageant" and "Document" had a few loud moments, but the moments of loudness on those earlier albums are nothing compared to the many heard within "Monster."
You must also remember, this came out in 1994. Dead-center in what the media called "grunge" (although it was really nothing more than pure rock music that had a renewed purpose and meaning). There were several brilliant bands out there releasing hard-rock albums during this time: Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, Nirvana (Kurt passed on just a little while before "Monster" was released). All the way up through '93, R.E.M. had distanced themselves from these hard-rock bands by releasing quiet, introspective albums...so when R.E.M. decided to rock, no one could accuse them of "just trying to get with it", simply because R.E.M. had been around MUCH longer than these other bands, and most of them hailed R.E.M. as a direct influence on their music anyways. So "Monster" was released right in the middle of a hard-rock craze...but it stands out (LIKE A SORE THUMB). Starting with the cover: a Bright-Orange backdrop with the black outline shadings of a bear on it. Then you have song titles that have never been heard before, and then just the name "Monster." But what really matters here is the music, and luckily the material stands up to the album's title. Peter Buck's electric guitar tone is nothing short of astonishing, a completely unique blend of crunch, fuzz distortion, and delay. NOT A SINGLE guitar player's tone even comes close to his, in terms of individualism, sound, style, and creativity. And luckily, his guitar is the major backbone of this album. Second to Peter is Michael Stipe. His voice is in peak form here, as well as his lyrics. This time around, his main topic is the pathetic individuals who let themselves become consumed by power, money, lust, and sex. His melodies are as strong as they've always been, there is just a louder backdrop accenting him. Bill Berry's drumming is as precise as it always was, and Mike Mills' (although you can't really hear his bass) backing vocals supply an even bigger sense of power to the songs.
"What's the Frequency, Kenneth?", "Crush With Eyeliner", "Bang and Blame", "I Took Your Name", and especially "Star 69" and "Circus Envy" are the loudest, hardest-rocking, most energetic songs R.E.M. has ever done. Even the slower tunes ("I Don't Sleep, I Dream", "Strange Currencies", "Tongue", and "Let Me In") have a sense of urgency and energy that adds a new and interesting side to R.E.M.. "Monster" debuted at number 1 upon it's release in 1994, and was extremely popular (a lot of people bought it because of the hype that surrounded the release of the album, not for the quality of the music), but there appear to be a lot of R.E.M. "fans" out there who just can't seem to understand it. They can't accept the change from their prior albums' lighter side, to "Monster"'s hard-rock side. This is an example of close-mindedness. I guess because it takes a few listens to really absorb, people gave up on it too quickly (the same problem exists with "New Adventures in Hi-Fi" and "Up", both excellent, but some people just don't understand experimentation and growth). It's a sad thing too, because they don't know what they're missing. So for the people who do understand it, ENJOY.