Product Review

R.E.M.’s ninth album, Monster, was released at a time when the band were coming off the peak of their mainstream success, following Out of Time (1991) and Automatic For The People (1992). Coming from a long break in touring (the band famously didn’t tour with the two previous records), Monster represented an intentional shift in R.E.M.’s sound, a “return to rock” with guitar laden, simple arrangements. It was released to strong reviews and significant global success - reaching #1 on Billboard, and least 7 other countries. In 1995 the band promoted that album with their first concert tour since 1989. The album includes the singles; “What’s The Frequency, Kenneth?,” “Crush with Eyeliner,” “Bang and Blame,” and “Strange Currencies.”