R.E.M.s Monster was released on September 26, 1994. Monster is indeed R.E.M.s long-promised rock album; it just doesnt rock in the way one might expect. Instead of R.E.M.s trademark anthemic bashers, Monster offers a set of murky sludge, powered by the heavily distorted and delayed guitar of Peter Buck. Michael Stipes vocals have been pushed to the back of the mix, along with Bill Berrys drums, which accentuates the muscular pulse of Bucks chords. From the androgynous sleaze of Crush With Eyeliner to the subtle, Eastern-tinged menace of You, most of the album sounds dense, dirty, and grimy, which makes the punchy guitars of Whats the Frequency, Kenneth? and the warped soul of Tongue all the more distinctive. Monster doesnt have the conceptual unity or consistently brilliant songwriting of Automatic for the People, but it does offer a wide range of sonic textures that have never been heard on an R.E.M. album before. Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Posted on: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 17:41:51 +0000
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