If you have New Adventures in Hi-Fi but desire for something with more distortion, Monster is the R.E.M. album to buy. Monster is definitely one of R.E.M.'s more rocking albums, as shown by the opening track, What's the Frequency, Kenneth? Although it may be distorted, it is not all noise; the melody is very apparent and clear. Let Me In, a song in remembrance of Kurt Cobain's suicide, is an exception. The guitar and keyboards completely flood the track with noise, yet the song remains melodious with the emotional vocals of Michael Stipe.

Monster is a very experimental album for R.E.M., they definitely stray away from their usual slower, calmer formula. Many fans wanted another Automatic for the People (R.E.M.'s previous hit album) but instead got this, an energetic piece of distortion. R.E.M. showed their louder side with tracks like Star 69 and Crush With Eyeliner.

Monster definitely is not the normal R.E.M. album, but deserves just as much respect. Although it does have a few under par songs, it delivers a good 50 minuets of alternative rock. I would definitely suggest Monster to anyone who is a big fan of R.E.M. or wants to hear a different side of R.E.M.