― Dave M. (rotten03), Monday, 10 November 2003 02:26 (twenty years ago) link
And btw, Geir Hongro thinks Reveal is the best REM album ever. I'll just note that so he doesn't have to.
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 10 November 2003 02:26 (twenty years ago) link
― Keith Harris (kharris1128), Monday, 10 November 2003 02:28 (twenty years ago) link
― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 10 November 2003 02:29 (twenty years ago) link
― MerkinMuffley (MerkinMuffley), Monday, 10 November 2003 02:34 (twenty years ago) link
And "Crush with Eyeliner" sucks, but I really like the video.
― Phantom Twinkies, Monday, 10 November 2003 02:43 (twenty years ago) link
― Sonny A. (Keiko), Monday, 10 November 2003 02:48 (twenty years ago) link
― cinniblount (James Blount), Monday, 10 November 2003 02:50 (twenty years ago) link
― Aaron A., Monday, 10 November 2003 03:04 (twenty years ago) link
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:06 (twenty years ago) link
I've understood the love given to "Tongue." *yawn*
― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:11 (twenty years ago) link
― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:12 (twenty years ago) link
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:13 (twenty years ago) link
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:13 (twenty years ago) link
― cinniblount (James Blount), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:14 (twenty years ago) link
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:15 (twenty years ago) link
― cinniblount (James Blount), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:16 (twenty years ago) link
It does sound better now than it did in '94. That said, I think history will be less kind to REM than they deserve.
― Keith Harris (kharris1128), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:16 (twenty years ago) link
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:18 (twenty years ago) link
― Lynskey (Lynskey), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:19 (twenty years ago) link
― cinniblount (James Blount), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:21 (twenty years ago) link
― M Matos (M Matos), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:23 (twenty years ago) link
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:24 (twenty years ago) link
― Keith Harris (kharris1128), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:28 (twenty years ago) link
― sundar subramanian (sundar), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:45 (twenty years ago) link
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Monday, 10 November 2003 03:51 (twenty years ago) link
― Michael Patrick Brady (Michael Patrick Brady), Monday, 10 November 2003 04:09 (twenty years ago) link
Basically true, but I think "E-Bow the Letter" is one of the finest things they've ever done. REM was officially over for me when I heard the new song they wrote for the Andy Kauffman movie -- the musical equivalent of a faked orgasm.
― j.lu (j.lu), Monday, 10 November 2003 04:20 (twenty years ago) link
Wha' happened?
― Cat Named Sloopy, Monday, 10 November 2003 05:27 (twenty years ago) link
― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 10 November 2003 05:44 (twenty years ago) link
― Dave M. (rotten03), Monday, 10 November 2003 06:10 (twenty years ago) link
I also like New Adventures in Hi Fi, but moreso for individual songs than the whole shebang. There's half a dozen songs I program out when I listen to it. Definitely not the first six however.
― Gear! (Gear!), Monday, 10 November 2003 06:56 (twenty years ago) link
― Carey (Carey), Monday, 10 November 2003 07:00 (twenty years ago) link
I can understand to a degree why some may consider it a mediocre effort, but it wasn't even considered good enough for mediocre reviews - from what I gather, most reviews written after 1994 called this among the worst albums of alltime, and the biggest mistake REM has ever made. It's almost gotten to the point where bashing this album is the equivalent of praising Sgt Pepper.
I enjoy nearly every song, and it's certainly among my 3 favorite REM records.
― billstevejim, Monday, 10 November 2003 07:52 (twenty years ago) link
― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Monday, 10 November 2003 08:36 (twenty years ago) link
― donut bitch (donut), Monday, 10 November 2003 09:13 (twenty years ago) link
― Jonathan Z., Monday, 10 November 2003 09:33 (twenty years ago) link
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Monday, 10 November 2003 10:43 (twenty years ago) link
Here Here, Keith!(it's an injoke, folks.)
― musicmope (musicmope), Monday, 10 November 2003 11:08 (twenty years ago) link
― musicmope (musicmope), Monday, 10 November 2003 11:26 (twenty years ago) link
― musicmope (musicmope), Monday, 10 November 2003 11:29 (twenty years ago) link
By the way, what's the injoke. I don't get it? Did I make it?
― Keith Harris (kharris1128), Monday, 10 November 2003 12:20 (twenty years ago) link
http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/11.05.98/gifs/rem-9844.jpgthere
from
http://www.sem20.com/15-minute-interlude/rem.jpghere
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 10 November 2003 22:26 (twenty years ago) link
― cinniblount (James Blount), Monday, 10 November 2003 22:30 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 10 November 2003 22:32 (twenty years ago) link
Monster got great hype before it came out. Don't they always? I can't recall ANY REM album ever getting a bad review, generally speaking, until, probably, Reveal (maybe UP too but I seem to remember the consensus generally being positive on that one too).
― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Monday, 10 November 2003 22:57 (twenty years ago) link
― Sam J. (samjeff), Monday, 10 November 2003 23:07 (twenty years ago) link
Crush With Eyeliner is particularly great as you get the sense that REM *knew* it was the one song that encapsulated everything they were trying to achieve on that record yet nonetheless spent the rest of the album chucking out pale Xeroxes of it.
― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 10 November 2003 23:19 (twenty years ago) link
― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 10 November 2003 23:20 (twenty years ago) link
that effect blew my mind when i was 11
― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 20 October 2021 15:29 (two years ago) link
that solo is also still hot shit imo
― Linda and Jodie Rocco (map), Wednesday, 20 October 2021 15:34 (two years ago) link
years later i finally hear all the 70s power pop / jangle / light psychedelia in r.e.m.'s sound. quite an achievement that they took it to the bank in the 80s and 90s. that sort of thing seemed really out of fashion esp in the 90s? at the time i don't think i really understood what i was hearing, too young.
― Linda and Jodie Rocco (map), Wednesday, 20 October 2021 15:37 (two years ago) link
Which bands in particular are you thinking of?
― juristic person (morrisp), Wednesday, 20 October 2021 16:15 (two years ago) link
"Star 69" is a jam!
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 20 October 2021 16:18 (two years ago) link
this was a live thing where Natalie was singing "Leaving on a Jet Plane" and Michael was singing a different cover song as a duet and then he starts singing "I've got the music in me! I've got the music in me!" -- I have confidence that someone reading this knows about this and that it isn't a rare thing at all actually.― sarahell, Wednesday, October 20, 2021 9:26 AM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink
― sarahell, Wednesday, October 20, 2021 9:26 AM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink
Here it is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJPvMub2JXI
Wow I had a LOT of REM boot cassettes back in the day and I assumed this was something I had but this one's new to me -- love loopy Stipe (same goes for the Tom's Diner Bingo Handjob tape)
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Wednesday, 20 October 2021 16:21 (two years ago) link
Anyway I'm glad the forces of good have reclaimed this thread and made it into the Monster appreciation thread this record deserves
Star 69 forever
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Wednesday, 20 October 2021 16:23 (two years ago) link
is bashing one's monster a euphemism
― Gardyloominati (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 20 October 2021 16:24 (two years ago) link
― juristic person (morrisp), Wednesday, October 20, 2021 5:15 PM (ten minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink
big star, the byrds
― Linda and Jodie Rocco (map), Wednesday, 20 October 2021 16:27 (two years ago) link
wonder if there's a timeline where r.e.m. relaunches the byrds like pearl jam relaunched neil young
― Linda and Jodie Rocco (map), Wednesday, 20 October 2021 16:32 (two years ago) link
i'm just shitposting, anyway monster is a cool album
― Linda and Jodie Rocco (map), Wednesday, 20 October 2021 16:33 (two years ago) link
xxxp I had never heard that Leaving on a Jet Plane / multiple-VU-songs mashup bootleg either... nice
― juristic person (morrisp), Wednesday, 20 October 2021 16:36 (two years ago) link
this has aged p well actually
― I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THE DIAPER GOT LOOSE (Neanderthal), Wednesday, 1 February 2023 19:11 (one year ago) link
This was great then and is still great now.
― Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Wednesday, 1 February 2023 19:16 (one year ago) link
Great album that I've never truly been able to get to the centre of. Much about it which is true is also not true.
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Wednesday, 1 February 2023 19:35 (one year ago) link
Aged better than the remix.
― pplains, Wednesday, 1 February 2023 20:40 (one year ago) link
I'm not commodity
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 1 February 2023 20:43 (one year ago) link
The first side is great.
Crush and Frequency, plus Bang, remain solid for me. Sorry if that's a basic opinion.
I only lose the plot at Reveal.
― forbidden fruit salad (Ye Mad Puffin), Wednesday, 1 February 2023 21:20 (one year ago) link
Monster was and is shit. Radiohead killed REM on that tour. Mike Mills wearing those ridiculous suits is just more shame accenting the end of REM.
― brotherlovesdub, Wednesday, 1 February 2023 21:48 (one year ago) link
strange currencies > everybody hurts
― not too strange just bad audio (brimstead), Wednesday, 1 February 2023 21:52 (one year ago) link
not really
― not too strange just bad audio (brimstead), Wednesday, 1 February 2023 21:53 (one year ago) link
We have to bash Rem as a whole
― CerebralCaustic, Wednesday, 1 February 2023 23:23 (one year ago) link
The final three songs are a final act almost as great as the final three songs on Automatic.
(I'm sure many would point to Circus Envy as the weak link there but I really like how infected and deep fried it sounds. The mid-point between Radio Friendly Unit Shifter and the Manics' My Guernica).
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Thursday, 2 February 2023 08:05 (one year ago) link
probably my favorite "rock" track on the album.
― got it in the blood, the kid's a pelican (Doctor Casino), Thursday, 2 February 2023 12:48 (one year ago) link
It’s significantly better and more cohesive than Document
― beamish13, Thursday, 2 February 2023 14:39 (one year ago) link
not really― not too strange just bad audio (brimstead), Wednesday, February 1, 2023 4:53 PM (yesterday)
I think you made a typo intending to say "no, really"
― billstevejim, Thursday, 2 February 2023 15:45 (one year ago) link
“bang and blame” is 75% of a great song, unfortunately the other 25% is the chorus
― is he disgruntled adrian? (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 3 October 2023 23:21 (six months ago) link
The second best thing about this entire album is the jangly rhythm guitar in the verse of Bang and Blame
The best thing about this entire album is the acoustic guitar in the verse of Bang and Blame
― Road House: Songs and Stories (Master of Treacle), Tuesday, 3 October 2023 23:43 (six months ago) link
I keep hoping that 25th anniversary remaster box set of this will start popping up in used bins with the frequency of the original release, but no dice so far. Haha.
― Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Wednesday, 4 October 2023 00:11 (six months ago) link
The guitar thing where it goes "what's the frequency Kenneth, is your Benzedrine uh uh" WOKKAWOKKAWOKKAWOKKA is one of the best sounds ever
otm
― Lily Dale, Wednesday, 4 October 2023 00:15 (six months ago) link
i.e. tremolo (unless you're Leo Fender when you call it "vibrato" on the amp because you previously named vibrato bridges wrongly)
― assert (matttkkkk), Wednesday, 4 October 2023 00:52 (six months ago) link
I can still hum the melodies of all the feedback on this record
The first and last four tracks + Tongue are all good to great
This record is like your health as a fortysomething - not the best, but as good as it gets until you break up
― Chuck_Tatum, Wednesday, 4 October 2023 11:50 (six months ago) link
I hear it more as a DUGADUGADUGADUGA
― ...eh you get the gist of it (dog latin), Wednesday, 4 October 2023 12:13 (six months ago) link
The first NEW rem album that came out after I became a super fan. I liked it at the time because it wasn't awful and I was IN on the band so much. I tried to listen to it the other day and couldn't get through it. "Tongue" is the one I still like because it isn't overworked. In a perfect world I would switch it with "Ignoreland" on Automatic, putting "Ignoreland" on Monster so I could toss the whole damn thing.
Radiohead did indeed slay on their opening slot touring.
― Cow_Art, Wednesday, 4 October 2023 13:16 (six months ago) link
Sonic Youth opened for REM on the Monster tour date that I saw (KC) and similarly upstaged them. REM had a lot of sound problems with the mix that night too, I don't know if that was atypical
― erasingclouds, Wednesday, 4 October 2023 13:35 (six months ago) link
i was at that show!
― andrew m., Wednesday, 4 October 2023 13:52 (six months ago) link
I saw REM on the Monster tour with Radiohead, at Milton Keynes Bowl (?), and "High and Dry" was the most out-of-tune vocal I've ever heard, like literally a whole field of people wincing. Great show though
― Chuck_Tatum, Wednesday, 4 October 2023 14:01 (six months ago) link
As in, "Don't leave me [much too high] highhhhh, don't leave me [much too low] dryyyyyyyy"
― Chuck_Tatum, Wednesday, 4 October 2023 14:02 (six months ago) link
Blur opened on one of the Milton Keynes dates. Bit weird to think about imo.
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Wednesday, 4 October 2023 14:37 (six months ago) link
from what I read on Wikipedia, bill berry was really influenced by Echobelly for the Monster guitar sound. I think maybe they did that tremolo thing too?
― brimstead, Wednesday, 4 October 2023 16:09 (six months ago) link
Surreally, Dan Rather interviewing the band and even performing a bit of "What's The Frequency, Kenneth?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96ucWfkML7g
― paisley got boring (Eazy), Tuesday, 2 April 2024 14:33 (three weeks ago) link
the cover art is the worst thing about this album, in retrospect
― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 13:54 (two weeks ago) link
special 12" remix of Dan Rather singing "Kenneth."
― poppers fueled buttsex crescendo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 3 April 2024 14:10 (two weeks ago) link
Banged by Blame
― pplains, Wednesday, 3 April 2024 14:44 (two weeks ago) link
Warner Bros - release the Rather mixes, you cowards....
― my opinionation (Hamildan), Thursday, 4 April 2024 11:51 (two weeks ago) link