I was walking through the used-record shop and was disgusted to find several copies of Monster. Why did so many people give this tantalizing rock record away? Perhaps because it doesn't offer the mainstream chamber-folk that hooked them on Automatic, or the jangle-pop that 80's purists want still more of. Monster is NOT the shallow, failed attempt at grunge that many of these crazy reviewers would have you believe. It's still got more musical scope than Automatic and its songs range from wild rockouts to fuzzy ballads. The beautiful, shimerring "Strange Currencies" is what the plodding "Everybody Hurts" should've been. "Circus Envy", "Star 69", and "What's the Freq.." are also standout cuts. A few of the more experimental tracks seem half-formed, but none are annoying. Awash in feedback and pulsing with creativity, Monster is as unique as any REM album. Delete your "What's the Frequency, Kenneth" mp3 and buy the whole album, 'cause it's far more than the slip-up, sellout record these fools would have you believe.

On R.E.M.'s previous two albums, Out Of Time & Automatic For The People, the band created quiet classics by employing a wide array of beautiful instruments including mandolins, harpsichords, strings and the like. They did a complete 180 on Monster, which is anything but quiet. The album is steeped in the glam-rock of the 70's and the grunge music of its day. Peter Buck threw away the acoustic stuff, plugged in and turned the volume up to 11. The band shows off their musical aptitude as this album sounds like nothing they've done before or since. "What's The Frequency, Kenneth?" opens the album awash in buzzing guitars and undesciprable Michael Stipe vocals. "Crush With Eyeliner" is a glam-rock classic and sounds like it could be out of the David Bowie songbook. "I Don't Sleep, I Dream" is a pulsating track while "Star 69" is straight ahead, tongue-in-cheek rocker. "Tongue" is probably the band's sexiest song done in a bump and grind style. "Let Me In" is their tribute to the late Kurt Cobain. "Bang And Blame" is the best song on the album, with its synthesized sound and popping guitars. Monster was the band's first album to debut at number one and with it, they continued to push the envelope and shake up their identity.

Wow. Who thought that a single record could be a sell-out, monotonous, a masterpiece, both the band's worst and best record, and blasphemous? But those are your exact words... Since we all seem to have an opinion about the actual music (some of us have too much of an opinion, believing it as fact), why don't we discuss the record completely objectively?

Point #1. The album is unique for REM. They may have flirted with the idea of stoner rock, glam rock, grunge rock, or whatever else you wanna call this record, but they had never released a full album of it.

Point #2. The album is risky. After salvaging their career by having good "pop" songs on "Document," REM find themselves in an identical situation; trying to keep old fans while they try something new.

Point #3. The album heralded (at least) 5 singles and had millions of buyers, many of whom had not listened to the band previously. (So goes the "No Hits" theory so many reviewers have referred to. REM obviously thinks differently.)

Point #4. REM picked up a few new fresh-faced fans, while losing a considerable amount of hard-cores. People have a very hard time stretching themselves, experiencing new things, facing the unknown. Many vintage fans would be happy if REM kept producing and selling the same album over and over (referring to the similar song structure and sounds on the first four albums.) As soon as a new element is introduced to a familiar equation, the subject ceases to be comfortable, and the listener feels "cheated."

Opinion: I find this to be neither REM's best nor their worst album. But I find it to be the band's most important record, because they stray so far off from their patented sound. They explore. They test. And it angers many old fans, while it could be helping them to learn to broaden their horizons, so to speak. It happened in 1987 when REM tried to release something that was different from their first four albums. It has happened to Radiohead, Metallica, Tori Amos, and several other rock-icon bands. People hate change. I find it invigorating and essential to our minds. I believe in the philosophy that we should "never stop moving." Always be looking for a new way to see things. Besides, "Kenneth," "Crush With Eyeliner," and "I Took Your Name" are in my opinion some of their best work. Anyhow, how effective or bad the album is should be stated as a matter of opinion. But I love REM, and I suggest that any new fan (granted they have not heard "Monster") listen to the album with open ears. Overall: 6 out of 10.

I don't normally write reviews for discs as over-reviewed as this one (109 reviews and counting), but I thought I might be able to offer a different perspective on this album, seeing as how my two favorite REM albums are 'Monster' and 'Murmur', and I find 'Green' unlistenable! This may put me in a special group of REM fans...so let me explain why I love this album so!

If 'Automatic' was the first sign that REM was breaking out of the pretentious, chirpy, god-awful bubble gum of 'Green' and 'Out Of Time' by becoming more serious and austere (albeit extremely low-energy), then 'Monster' finished REM's re-emergence as a newer, better-than-ever and extremely hard-rocking ensemble. Gone are any additional instruments (strings, brass, mandolins, etc.), this is just the four REM dudes rocking their socks off. They also seem to be enjoying the new energy level, and that sense of enthusiasm permeates the album.

For you gloom n' doom fans (me too!) there are still the tormented 'Let Me In' and the wistful and countrified 'Strange Currencies', also the ethereal raga-rock of 'You'. But this album is mostly about the rockers. From 'What's The Frequency, Kenneth?" on, this CD never lets up the loud, buzzing and partified atmosphere. I also like how Stipe sings in a variety of voices, falsetto on 'Tongue', and a Gordon Lightfoot-esque growl for 'Crush With Eyeliner'. Other faves are 'I Took Your Name' and the chugging 'Circus Envy'. The only tune I'm not 100 percent behind is 'King Of Comedy', although it has great lyrics, it's a wee bit grating.

All in all, if you like REM, AND you like to rock, pick this one up. Used, it's often cheaper than any other album by them (probably due to most fans wanting to hear 'Losing My Religion' redone another 1000 times...).

granted, monster isn't r.e.m.'s finest, most shining moment. but throughout the twelve songs here, there's some sparkling moments-"strange currencies", most noteably. someone previously mentioned u2's "achtung, baby", and i see this album as an emotional counterpart to it (if majorly sonically different). bitter, bitingly sarcastic and open (when stipe's lyrics are actually discernable), this has actually been, in recent years, the r.e.m. record i run to most.