R.E.M. - Monster

Monster is indeed R.e.m.'s long-promised "rock" album; it just doesn't 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 Stipe's vocals have been pushed to the back of the mix, along with Bill Berry's drums, which accentuates the muscular pulse of Buck's 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 "What's the Frequency, KennethNULL" and the warped soul of "Tongue" all the more distinctive. Read More