R.E.M.
Monster

Why call an album "Monster"? Let me explain right away: let's go way back and start in 1988 when R.E.M. signed with Warner Bros and created the album "Green." R.E.M. embarked on their first world tour, facing a whopping 131 concerts! Exhausted, they got to work to release "Out Of Time" in March 1991, an album that sold 18 million copies! A year and a half later, "Automatic For The People" was released, another 18 million-copy album! If we also consider that, in the midst of recording "Monster," KURT COBAIN AND RIVER PHOENIX (MICHAEL STIPE's closest friends) passed away, perhaps each of us would have seen and created monsters! Many unfair criticisms for this album, in my opinion exaggerated, as, despite sounding different from other albums, the songs are still in R.E.M.'s style. With this premise, let's move on to the songs! Setting aside "KING OF COMEDY" which might or might not be to your liking, I don't see anything different from what the Athens quartet has already done. "WHAT'S THE FREQUENCY KENNETH?" the lead song of the album, can be associated with "POP SONG '89" from the album "Green" or with "RADIO FREE EUROPE" from "Murmur." "CRUSH WITH EYELINER" (featuring THURSTON MOORE) is in the style of "ORANGE CRUSH" from "Green." "I DON'T SLEEP, I DREAM," a very beautiful and underrated song, could easily have been part of "Fables Of The Reconstruction." "STAR 69" is the "GET UP" of "Green." "STRANGE CURRENCIES" (dedicated to MICHAEL HUTCHENCE) many say it was the little sister of "EVERYBODY HURTS" but in reality, it could be a "TALK ABOUT THE PASSION" from "Murmur." "BANG AND BLAME" they say was a "LOSING MY RELIGION" in a different version but I would have seen it well in the album "Document" alongside "THE ONE I LOVE" and "IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT." "TONGUE" seems to be the answer to "YOU ARE THE EVERYTHING" from "Green." "I TOOK YOUR NAME" can be associated with "FINEST WORKSONG" from "Document" or with "TURN YOU INSIDE OUT" from "Green." "LET ME IN" (dedicated to KURT COBAIN), one of R.E.M.'s most beautiful songs, could very well have been part of "Automatic For The People." "CIRCUS ENVY" could have been part of the EP "Chronic Town" along with "CARNIVAL OF SORTS (BOX CARS)." Finally, the sensual and obsessive "YOU," on which they could have focused much more: it's part of all those great psychedelic songs written by R.E.M., such as "I REMEMBER CALIFORNIA," "FEELING GRAVITY PULL," "ODDFELLOWS LOCAL 151." Lastly, the song "REVOLUTION" is very beautiful as well, an outtake from the album, comparable to "THESE DAYS" from the album "Lifes Rich Pageant": always played live during the "MONSTER TOUR," it's part of the soundtrack of the movie "Batman And Robin." The album is entirely dedicated to RIVER PHOENIX. In conclusion, we can say that this "MONSTER" is a rock, glam rock album and not grunge as mistakenly defined by many music critics. My final judgment is a 4.5-star rating, and I hope you can appreciate this review! Thank you all!