Vinyl love: R.E.M. “Monster”

(Vinyl Love is a series of posts that quite simply lists, describes, and displays the pieces in my growing vinyl collection. You can bet that each record was given a spin during the drafting of each corresponding post.)

Artist: R.E.M.
Album Title: Monster
Year released: 1994
Year reissued: 2019
Details: 25th anniversary, 180 gram vinyl

The skinny: Working backwards chronologically through my collection of R.E.M.’s records from last week’s post, we arrive with a jarring rip and roar at their 9th studio album. It’s yet another 25th anniversary reissue and it won’t be the last as we make our way in reverse. As I recall, I purchased this record online through Amazon, back when I still trusted them to ship me vinyl in one piece and back when it was still possible to purchase records for under $25. To be honest, I almost didn’t buy this one when the reissue was first announced and can’t remember now what changed my mind. But I am glad I did. It is remastered and pressed to 180 gram vinyl and sounds way better than I remember it sounding when I first played the CD copy I purchased back in university. “Monster” was an obvious shift for the Athens, Georgia quartet to a more harder rock sound and got them dusting off the cobwebs and heading out on the road for their first tour in five years. I personally didn’t see them on that particular tour but listening to these songs yet again, I can only imagine how on fire they must’ve been.
Standout track: “What’s the frequency, Kenneth?”