Monster
R.E.M.
A confident, sublimely delivered collection of miniature masterpieces laid out in three chords and four minutes, Monster puts R.E.M. onto the musical map of the mainstream.
The band's ninth full-length recording; this is their most convincing stab at the conventional 'rock' album format. it's essentially a two-man show: As Michael Stipe's laconic vocals slug it out with Peter Buck’s garage-band guitar, the rest of the band effectively count the minutes till quitting time. With Let Me In a self-declared message to the recently-deceased Kurt Cobain, R.E.M. lock themselves once and for all into the world of everyday traditional rock 'n' roll.
Previous production habits conspire to lend much of the set a messy, confused mix, and deciphering the lyrics is still mostly mind-bendingly difficult; but, by opening with a brace of hook-filled killer tracks, and releasing both as pop-charting singles, the band manage to capture the attention of a new audience.
Although it continues to demonstrate R.E.M.'s informed, intellectual deconstruction of the blatant peculiarities of modern life in the Western world - peeking slyly into the underworld confusion of a paranoid assailant in What's The Frequency Kenneth?, before sneaking back to Bowie's basement to flirt with androgyny and omnisexual experimentation in Crush With Eyeliner - taken as a whole, it must be seen as a double-edged triumph. It guaranteed them international success and rewards beyond the dreams of avarice while condemning them to a career on the treadmill of bland but smart, US-friendly, market-tested rock, alongside Fleetwood Mac, Talking Heads and Tom Petty.
Reviewed by Al Spicer
SO good. opposite of Automatic: the first half is my favorite.
oh yes!
I fucking love this album.
Bought this CD at Pawn America for 50cents :D
The only album where REM and my musical tastes really coincide. No surprise, therefore, that it's my favourite REM album.
One of the best dollar bin albums EVAR. ---> Isn't it? Bought it for 5 bucks and WOW. <3
It's not very good.
Monster is so underrated it hurts. [4] Truth. I've never understood the hate. What's not to love? It's a cohesive and inspired reinvention with solid tracks from start to finish. Loved it since 1995 and always will.
v Truth v
Anyone who could even think about calling Automatic for the People uninspired and overrated is someone not worth taking seriously. Case dismissed.
One of my favourite albums, one of my favourite album covers. Monster is so underrated it hurts. [3]
One of the best dollar bin albums EVAR. Monster is so underrated it hurts.
This album cover is scary as hell...
What's The Frequency, Kenneth? is great!
I am Smitten
fantastic album, up there with their best.
My favourite R.E.M. album by far. Has been, will always be.
lOve.
I absolutely love how this album's got a proper style, more than Murmur or Automatic for the People. it's almost conceptual.
And cool album cover! that Bear looks frightened hehe.
I'ts a cool album and there last great album, they fuzzed things up, and with that tremelo guitar effect got onto something really unique. More bands should try it.
RIPELIVEJAM spoke the truth.
some people should be ashamed of themselves for hating this.
huh, this is better than I remember it being
After the, IMO, very uninspired and overrated "Automatic for the People", this was indeed a much needed breath of fresh air. I loved how they reinvented their sound. And it still sounds good 15 years later!
in my top 3 of them now. With Automatic and Murmur still in the top spots.
I'm very very very surprised at how good R.E.M can be, this album being a prime example.
What's the Frequency, Kenneth? is very nice...
My favorite R.E.M. album. "Crush with eyeliner", "Bang and Blame", "I Took Your Name" are amazing. "You" and "I Don't Sleep, I Dream" are, in my opinion, two best songs of this band ever.
Crush with Eyeliner, Let Me In, & Circus Envy are my fave tracks on this album!
еее мой любимый
My favorite REM. So far removed from their trademark "jangly" guitar sound from earlier, that when it came out I remember giving them so much credit for their experimentations on this album. And yeah "Circus Envy" is my favorite also.
Great album, even if it does sound like it was based entirely on one guitar effects pedal setting...
great album! I listen to this during most road trips. But it's true, it's the kind of album you dismiss and pick up later. I bought it in 1995 and began listening to it in 2002.
Crush with eyeliner, bang n blame, let me in, and above all else, Circus Envy are my favorite songs of this great album.
Startlingly underrated. This is just a brilliant album through and through. "Tongue" and "Bang and Blame" are strokes of genius.
My favourite REM album.
Really, some of it is good (I'm not one to deny "Bang and Blame," "Crush With Eyeliner," c'mon...) but stuff like "King of Comedy'' is just embarassing.
As mentioned below, this is brilliant if you don't listen too much. Maybe I wouldn't rank it really highly because it's not their deepest, but in many ways that's a good thing too.
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This album is probably strongest overall, but there are better songs on some of the other (earlier) albums.
kingofgrief, i second your comment.
I pull Monster out every few years and as I listen to it, I ask myself why I don't listen to it more often. Then I put it back for a few more years. But I easily give it 4 o/o 5; certainly better than anything post-Berry. Oh, and the 808 State remix of King of Comedy on the Electrolite single aces the album cut.
Not their best. But just like mentioned here, underrated is the right word to describe it.
Incredible album! Better than AFTP, it seems many people couldn't handle something a bit different.
definately underated
Ouoh, if forgot a t and this: Wah Wah!
One of the oranges albums of all time! Monster is a smalltown city in Holland. And Holland is Orange.
I like the sad songs on this one. The others have a cool guitar tone though.
probably my fava REM album. first six songs are hardly rivalled, as a whole half album. also, crush with eyeliner is eternal :D clearly no bias in this