This is the Thread Where You Bash <b>REM's Monster</b>

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Can we have a little more love for "You" please?

That is one of the most powerful songs REM have done.

― dog latin, Tuesday, 11 November 2003 02:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't know if it's THAT powerful but I'll happily toss a bit of love at it.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 02:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I can hear Michael Stipe mumbling something behind all that guitar noise, but it is to low in the mix for me to decide whether the songs are good or not.

Songs = lyrics? Gier continutes to make claims that are just plain inscrutable.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Tuesday, 11 November 2003 02:25 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

I heard "Crush with Eyeliner" when I was at the gym yesterday and I thought: this sounds kind of like a Roxy Music song (structurally), and: oh, this must be one of those new new wave-ish bands. Actually, I hard it three times in a row. There was some sort of problem with the Health Club Music Network, or whatever it is called, and a couple other songs repeated as well. I'm pretty sure I heard this album when it came out, but I didn't remember the song. (In fairness to myself though, I probably only listened to the album once or twice and I've never really paid much attention to R.E.M.)

― RS_LaRue (RSLaRue), Monday, 16 May 2005 12:58 (twenty-one years ago)

They certainly talked up Roxy Music when "Monster" came out: "Street Life" specifically.

This is still one of my favorite REM albums, and has aged better than "Up" or "Reveal."

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 16 May 2005 13:04 (twenty-one years ago)

3-4 great songs isn't too bad (I think there're a lot more)

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Monday, 16 May 2005 13:09 (twenty-one years ago)

I think it's a great album. The wash of distortion of "let me in" is just wonderful, and fits the lyrics so well, the swagger of Crush with Eyeliner... what's to hate?

plus, they redid Everybody hurts in Strange Currencies, only better!

― AaronK (AaronK), Monday, 16 May 2005 13:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Taking Sides: ACHTUNG BABY by U2 VS. MONSTER by R.E.M

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 16 May 2005 13:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Am I the only one on here who finds this thread title to be dirrrrrty?

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Monday, 16 May 2005 13:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Sadly, it marked the final time the boys would turn up their amps.

― ZionTrain (ZionTrain), Monday, 16 May 2005 14:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I think "Up"'s better btw (I think it's aged a lot better too, if only cos it hasn't had much chance to age at all, tho "Monster" has aged in a really great YAY 95 type way (was "Monster" even 95?))

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Monday, 16 May 2005 14:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Also while I'm talkin bout UP, I'd completely forgotten how great a song "Hope" was (and is). Michael's a good groundlevel humanitarian.

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Monday, 16 May 2005 14:30 (twenty-one years ago)

The marriage of diffuse "postrock" sounds w/diffuse "this modern life, it blows" lyrical concerns was fucking genius

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Monday, 16 May 2005 14:43 (twenty-one years ago)

"Parakeet", I'd forgotten that one too (in a bad way)

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Monday, 16 May 2005 14:53 (twenty-one years ago)

why did they sing the verse of "losing my religion" when they were singing "bang and blame ?
b and b has a great hook/chorus.

― kenneth jnr, Monday, 16 May 2005 15:00 (twenty-one years ago)

nine months pass...

It's not one of their best albums, but it's by no means a dud. Apart from Kenneth and Crush, they don't really convince as a kick ass sleazy rock n roll band. Scott Litt probably wasn't the best producer to bring that out of them. Star 69 was great live cos Stipe went nuts over it, but it's a little stiff on record. A shame, cos the riff is cool. Stuff like I Took Your Name almost works - there's that wee riff Buck brings in before the chorus which would have benefitted from being brought up more - but it's too lumpen as a whole.
There's more to it than straight ahead rock. You takes REM's angular art-rock ballad thang (cf Feeling Gravity's Pull, I Remember California) into the 90s, Let Me In is great, Tongue lovely, and King of Comedy has that gloriously cheesy Leonard Cohen style casio-electro groove goin' on.
It was the last time REM had any alt rock cool. The trashy Japanese karaoke vid for Crush is teh awesome.

― stew!, Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:14 (twenty years ago)

Monster includes one of my favorite R.E.M. songs of the 90's (maybe ever), "You," which is buried as the last song. It has all of the classic R.E.M. "mystery" mostly lacking from the rest of the record (though I love the rest of the record anyway). It includes another classic Peter Buck "doom-psych" guitar riff (a la "Feeling Gravity's Pull," "Oddfellows Local 151," etc.). Buck hasn't tossed one of those on a record post-Berry, as far as my ears can tell.

― James, Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:51 (twenty years ago)

whoops, stew!, I didn't realize until after I posted that you had made a similar comment about "You." And "I Remember California" is another record with one of those Buck riffs I was thinking of.

― James, Tuesday, 14 March 2006 16:00 (twenty years ago)

"King of Comedy" is far more entertaining than King of Comedy.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 16:07 (twenty years ago)

"Circus Act" might be their heaviest rock song. Maybe "Just a Touch" is. Whatever. This album seems to be the one where the over-evaluation by the masses of Out of Time and Automatic for the People matches the earlier fans' disdain for corporate REM. People's appreciation for it will probably grow, like appreciation for Green has.

― rapid eyes, Tuesday, 14 March 2006 16:07 (twenty years ago)

"King of Comedy" is far more entertaining than King of Comedy.

i'll only excuse this comment under two circumstances: (1) you've never heard the song; or (2) you've never seen the movie. if neither of these apply, you're only other excuse is a complete lack of taste.

― i am a grammar boy. as such, i am fierce! (grammaboy), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 16:29 (twenty years ago)

(3) I'm funnier than you.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 16:32 (twenty years ago)

i had no idea.

― i am a grammar boy. as such, i am fierce! (grammaboy), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 16:37 (twenty years ago)

Monster has heavy college connotations for me. Big surprise there.

I think the surprising thing is how many of the songs on Monster I love, given the "different" nature of the album.

"Kenneth" has to be a classic. It's so straight-ahead, so rock-n-roll, but it's not plain. And that groove! Mike Mills rocks the melodic bass. And it's a song where Berry's work proves that drummers can be artists.

And another thing: ever notice how every single one of R.E.M.'s albums is both widely hated and widely loved? Seriously, for every Fables lover or Up apologist or OOT devotee, there is another person saying it's crap. Same for Monster. Is it like that for other artists whom I don't follow as closely?

― Justin, Tuesday, 14 March 2006 16:55 (twenty years ago)

And it's a song where Berry's work proves that drummers can be artists.

Dude, he proved that on Murmur! (and so did Ringo, in 1963)

R.E.M. are overrated and underrated. Their last few albums would force the haters to claim the former.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 16:59 (twenty years ago)

Dude, he proved that on Murmur! (and so did Ringo, in 1963)

Well, I said it's *a* song. Not *the* song.

R.E.M. are overrated and underrated.

Is there another band comparable to R.E.M.'s under/overratedness?

Or is that a too-broad and dumb question? I can never tell on here.

― Justin, Tuesday, 14 March 2006 17:04 (twenty years ago)

when i saw them on the 'hits' tour -- which, barring some kind of miraculous recovery on their part will probably end up being the last time i see them -- they opened with "Finest Worksong" and followed with "Kenneth", and when those first few chords started I nearly went through the roof. Still kind of a kick-ass song, esp the double-time live rendering they've been doing lately.

― PeopleFunnyBoy (PeopleFunnyBoy), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 17:12 (twenty years ago)

dont know if this has been mentioned before but monster had that cool orange cd tray thing.. the first one of those id ever seen.. ill always associate it with fondness with that first summer i went from tapes to cds.. making prank phone calls and listening to monster.. even tho i didnt really like it that much at all it still give me good memories of 1995..

― GW, Tuesday, 14 March 2006 18:02 (twenty years ago)

Strange Currencies is my favorite track on Monster. I think of it as REM's Stax ballad. Berry's drumming always seemed to extend from Al Jackson Sr., so I guess it wasn't too much of a stretch. Plus, I love the residual guitar feedback at the beginning, as if it's saturating through the previous track.

― someteenpartying (someteenpartying), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 19:49 (twenty years ago)

three months pass...

apparently one of the least-wanted cds on earth:

http://product.ebay.com/Monster_UPC_093624574026_W0QQfvcsZ1226QQsoprZ3162438QQssPageNameZFavMerch_SO:BACK

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Thursday, 15 June 2006 20:37 (nineteen years ago)

Still my third favorite R.E.M. album behind Murmur and New Adventures. But yeah, there was a used cd store I used to shop at that had thirty-seven (yes I counted) of these at one time.

― jonviachicago (jonviachicago), Thursday, 15 June 2006 21:15 (nineteen years ago)

I've seen tons of them, too. So many, in fact, that I have to think that they're not all used copies, but remaindered copies that have floated around from place to place. From what I understand, there were just a ton of these pressed and it didn't end up selling that well.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 15 June 2006 21:42 (nineteen years ago)

From what I understand, there were just a ton of these pressed and it didn't end up selling that well.

Even though it's officially tied with Out of Time and Automatic for the People as R.E.M.'s best-selling U.S. title.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 15 June 2006 22:52 (nineteen years ago)

Not to mention the fact that it's a far better album than either of those two.

― Si.C@rter (SiC@rter), Thursday, 15 June 2006 23:06 (nineteen years ago)

WTF people, both "Bang And Blame" and "Texarkana" are awesome.

― Jesus Dan (Dan Perry), Thursday, 15 June 2006 23:54 (nineteen years ago)

And, yes, this is a fine album.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Friday, 16 June 2006 00:03 (nineteen years ago)

Huh, I guess I was wrong, then. I always thought they were disappointed with the sales of this album and that's why there were so many of these CDs everywhere in discounted bins.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 16 June 2006 00:07 (nineteen years ago)

the sales were high because r.e.m. was about as big as U2 at the time, so everyone snatched this one up quickly. but after the initial hype, people who didn't like the new sound quickly sold it back, some hardcore fans jumped ship, and it's an album that no one seems to buy these days, hence the overstocking in used bins (whereas i'm guessing that 'out of time' and 'automatic for the people' get a lot of purchases these days).

― gear (gear), Friday, 16 June 2006 00:17 (nineteen years ago)

but i really like this album!

― gear (gear), Friday, 16 June 2006 00:17 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, gear's right. Let's not forget that, while the album was garnished with near-universal praise in the States, it was hated in England. Even here I remember friends grumbling about "R.E.M. listening to Stone Temple Pilots."

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Friday, 16 June 2006 00:42 (nineteen years ago)

I think every R.E.M. album has been a fairly mega effort!

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 16 June 2006 01:18 (nineteen years ago)

Mark Prindle: "Consistency is the hobgoblin that always ruins my cream of chicken soup, but even more so than this, it's the trait that marks a talented musical outift. And who's been more consistent than R.E.M.? Why, The Fall, of course!"

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 16 June 2006 02:32 (nineteen years ago)

Except then he goes and overrates recent inferior Fall elpees and underrates recent R.E.M. elpees - oh well.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 16 June 2006 02:40 (nineteen years ago)

Big influence on the following year's "The Bends", though?

― Harthill Services (Neil Willett), Friday, 16 June 2006 05:42 (nineteen years ago)

I see this CD in a lot of used bins. of course, I think REM is way over-rated anyway!!

― marbles (marbles), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:27 (nineteen years ago)

it's true that it's gotten better with time. a lot of the tracks are really droney and MBV-ish. I really like "You", "Bang & Blame" and "Tongue".

― dog latin (dog latin), Friday, 16 June 2006 14:33 (nineteen years ago)

there's been a weird reverse-revisionism on this where i've seen a lot of people on various intarnetz alluding to the fact that this record "bombed" in the states -- which is crazy untrue. it was #1 first week out and stuck in the Top 10 for several weeks thereafter and spun off five singles. i will defend this album ardently -- it's held up way better than people think. "circus envy" is one of their most underrated songs.

they've gone to shit lately, tho.

― PeopleFunnyBoy (PeopleFunnyBoy), Friday, 16 June 2006 16:53 (nineteen years ago)

i listened to it incessantly for awhile, i never felt it was a bad move at all.

― gear (gear), Friday, 16 June 2006 17:00 (nineteen years ago)

comments re: sales of this mediocrity - yes it sold well based on the strength of what came before it, and subsequent record sales started to decline quite dramatically partly because it turned off so many people (partly because other records weren't very good either)

― timmy tannin (pompous), Friday, 16 June 2006 17:07 (nineteen years ago)

Except in Europe where people apparently recognized how great Around the Sun is!

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 16 June 2006 17:09 (nineteen years ago)

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This is the Thread Where You Bash REM's Monster