R.E.M

Monster

Beauty and the beast.

Review Score:

(10/10)
To the casual observer, Monster would appear to be a complete about-turn from the baroque nostalgia of Automatic for the People. The out-of-focus and rough edged pop-art sleeve. The electric guitars. In fact, at least as far back as Green, they were rocking out with 'Turn you inside out' that would have fitted in perfectly on Monster. And what Bono called the greatest country record never made (Automatic)- itself a thematic offshoot from Out of Time's 'Country Feedback' - had a fair few twists and distortions- the song Star Me Kitten bearing the tame title of what they had originally intended. So REM were doing what they had always done- creating a weird evolution and a worthy, arty addition to their impressive catalogue with Warners. Monster, rooted in the haziness of both the louche 70s and the indie 90s, seemed like a merging of both Nirvana's raw, disaffected anger and U2's new arch postmodernism. Frankly speaking, this was the first REM album you could get drunk to and it seethes with adolescent sexuality in a fuzz of guitars and twisted songs about love, sex ... and death. Let Me In is written about Kurt Cobain and the album dedicated to the late River Phoenix. And even what might sound like Everybody Hurts Part 2 (Strange Currencies) seems more disturbing when its opening line about two lovers talking on the telephone follows the song 'Star 69'. 'You will be mine' sounds more like a stalker's threat than an expression of love.
The opening track 'What's the frequency, Kenneth?', to me, almost seems to say 'Do you know what's going on? Do you REALLY know where we're coming from?' to the muddled masses who only knew REM as a charming quartet who spun out 'Losing my religion' and 'Everybody Hurts.' It's a classic and one of their best songs on any album. Ambiguity, an REM trademark, is given free reign on this album, in a sea of distortion on such tracks as King of Comedy, with the robotically voiced lead singer and Tongue, with Stipe doing falsetto. Dreams have always featured prominently on REM's albums and this IS REM's dream album- sometimes a wet dream such as I Don't Sleep, I Dream and sometimes a nightmare such as You. Its' accompianment piece, New Adventures in Hi-Fi, would later take the template of Monster, remove some of the sharp edges, stetch it and add a dash of Automatic for the People.
This album will not appeal to everyone. It probably won't be your most listened to REM album. For all its' loud rocking nature, this album is as darkly introspective and intriguing as anything REM have done. REM made an album to play with your head as well as your mind.

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