R.E.M.
Monster

The most debated album, along with "Around The Sun," in R.E.M.'s career is undoubtedly this "Monster," a studio work dated 1994; it was nevertheless a great public success (over 10 million copies sold), but the shift by Stipe and company did not convince (and still does not convince) many.

Struck by the then prevailing grunge movement, the Athens combo decided to shift towards more electric and rather raw sounds; the change was seen by some as a healthy turn and refreshing of the group's sound, while others considered it an excessive nod (and consequent wallet thickening...) to the then "fashion" set by Nirvana and similar acts.

The strong start is certainly assured, as the first two tracks ("What's The Frequency, Kenneth?", which with its scratching guitars is a classic of the group, and the redundant but pleasant "Crush With Eyeliner") are of absolute caliber. The first style misstep comes with "King Of Comedy", a nod to the '80s that is decidedly gaudy; strange for someone stylish like Stipe. The following "I Don't Sleep, I Dream" focuses on a great falsetto part by Michael, but it doesn't hit; perhaps too forcibly "slick," it ends up being tiresome. "Star 69" stirs things up with its catchy rock ‘n roll and things improve, at least concerning the underlying monotony that is building track after track. "Strange Currencies" is the only piece that recalls the R.E.M. of previous works, a good slow song that doesn't spoil, but it's certainly not on par with their previous "numbers." "Tongue" is yet another overly suggestive song by Stipe, and it quickly becomes boring; "Let Me In", with its electric-apocalyptic atmosphere, is however the masterpiece of the album, no wonder it's among the absolute favorites of the American group's fans.

The other pieces, although moderately pleasant, continue along the lines of the pseudo-grunge atmospheres described above, but they just don't make an impact (perhaps only the frantic "Bang And Blame" stands out a bit from anonymity).

An album that the same members of the group currently consider little (often the only testament of this album in concert setlists is "What's The Frequency, Kenneth?"), but at least it served as a bridge towards the great albums that followed.