R.E.M. - Monster: 25th Anniversary Expanded (180g Vinyl 2LP) * * * - Music Direct

€ 25.50 · 4.9 (699) · In Magazzino

The world's largest online retailer of high-end audio, audiophile music, and accessories. We specialize in vinyl records and turntables.
25th%20Anniversary%20Expanded%20180g%20Vinyl%202LP%20Reissue%20featuring%20Original%20Album%20Remastered%20from%20the%20Original%20Analog%20Master%20by%20Greg%20Calbi%20at%20Sterling%20Sound%20Plus%20Special%202019%20Remix%20by%20Original%20Producer%20Scott%20Litt%0D%0ACraft%20Recordings%20present%20a%20pair%20of%2025th%20anniversary%20vinyl%20reissues%20of%20R.E.M.'s%20acclaimed%20ninth%20album%2C%20Monster.%20Remastered%20from%20the%20original%20analog%20master%20by%20Greg%20Calbi%20at%20Sterling%20Sound%2C%20the%20title%20will%20be%20available%20on%20standalone%20180g%20vinyl%20LP%20with%20Chris%20Bilheimer's%20original%20Monster%20art%20and%20in%20an%20expanded%20double%20180g%20vinyl%20LP%20edition%20with%20the%20new%20remaster%2C%20a%20special%202019%20remix%20from%20Monster%20producer%20Scott%20Litt%20and%20reimagined%20cover%20art%20by%20Bilheimer%20plus%20new%20liner%20notes%20featuring%20interviews%20with%20members%20of%20the%20band.%0D%0AWhen%20Monster%20was%20released%20in%20September%201994%2C%20the%20members%20of%20R.E.M.%20were%20at%20a%20crossroads%20in%20their%20career.%20Singer%20Michael%20Stipe%2C%20guitarist%20Peter%20Buck%2C%20bassist%20Mike%20Mills%20and%20drummer%20Bill%20Berry%20were%20decompressing%20from%20the%20massive%20commercial%20and%20critical%20success%20of%201991's%20Out%20of%20Time%20and%201992's%20Automatic%20for%20the%20People.%20In%20just%20a%20few%20years%2C%20the%20Athens%2C%20GA%2C%20four-piece%20had%20become%20one%20of%20the%20biggest%2C%20most%20recognizable%20bands%20in%20the%20world%2C%20thanks%20to%20hits%20like%20%22Losing%20My%20Religion%2C%22%20%22Man%20on%20the%20Moon%22%20and%20%22Everybody%20Hurts.%22%20It%20had%20also%20been%20six%20years%20since%20the%20group%20had%20toured.%20By%20the%20time%20that%20work%20began%20on%20Monster%2C%20they%20were%20itching%20to%20end%20their%20self-imposed%20hiatus%20and%20get%20back%20on%20the%20road.%20The%20band%20was%20also%20looking%20for%20a%20sonic%20shake-up.%20While%20R.E.M.'s%20last%20two%20albums%20were%20full%20of%20ballads%2C%20acoustic%20rock%20songs%20and%20intricate%20arrangements%2C%20the%20group%20was%20ready%20to%20record%20something%20grittier%2C%20brasher%20and%20highly%20playable%20on%20stage.%26nbsp%3BThe%20group%20was%20also%20reeling%20from%20the%20strange%20nature%20of%20celebrity%20and%20identity%2C%20and%20many%20of%20the%20songs%20in%20this%20album%20reflect%20that.%20As%20dark%20as%20some%20of%20the%20subject%20matter%20is%2C%20though%2C%20R.E.M.%20still%20infuses%20the%20songs%20with%20a%20dash%20of%20absurdity%2C%20irony%20and%20a%20humorous%20wink.%26nbsp%3B%0D%0A%0D%0AHighlights%20include%20the%20distortion-soaked%20first%20single%2C%20%22What's%20The%20Frequency%2C%20Kenneth%3F%22%20which%20plays%20off%20the%20farce%20of%20media%20and%20marketing%20that%20pervaded%20Gen%20X%20pop-culture%2C%20while%20the%20catchy%20%22Star%2069%22%20is%20a%20detective%20story%2C%20based%20on%20the%20%26lsquo%3B90s%20phone%20service%20of%20the%20same%20name%20(a%20precursor%20to%20caller%20ID).%20The%20second%20single%2C%20%22Bang%20and%20Blame%2C%22%20features%20Sonic%20Youth's%20Thurston%20Moore%2C%20as%20well%20as%20actress%20Rain%20Phoenix%20%26ndash%3B%20whose%20brother%2C%20River%2C%20had%20recently%20passed%20away%20and%20was%20Monster's%20dedicatee.%20%22Let%20Me%20In%22%20is%20an%20ode%20to%20Nirvana%20frontman%20Kurt%20Cobain%2C%20who%20had%20died%20by%20suicide%20just%20months%20before.%20Mills%2C%20who%20swapped%20his%20bass%20for%20Cobain's%20guitar%20on%20the%20track%2C%20shares%2C%20%22It's%20Michael's%20cathartic%20release%20in%20response%20to%20the%20loss%20of%20a%20good%20friend%20and%20someone%20we%20all%20felt%20creatively%20aligned%20with.%22%26nbsp%3BThe%20band's%20new%20artistic%20direction%20proved%20to%20be%20a%20hit.%20Monster%20debuted%20at%20No.%201%20on%20the%20Billboard%20200%20and%20would%20be%20certified%20four-times%20Platinum%20in%20the%20U.S.%20Rolling%20Stone%20offered%20this%20praise%3A%20%22R.E.M.'s%20exceptional%20pop%20craftsmanship%2C%20their%20luminous%20melodic%20inventions%2C%20their%20sense%20of%20mission%20%26ndash%3B%20in%20short%2C%20everything%20fundamental%20%26ndash%3B%20are%20still%20there%20and%20shining%20more%20brightly%20than%20ever%20%20Monster%20is%20one%20urgent-sounding%20album%2C%20and%20that's%20as%20it%20should%20be.%22%26nbsp%3B%0D%0AIn%20addition%20to%20having%20the%20chance%20to%20reflect%20on%20Monster%2C%20R.E.M.%20also%20had%20the%20opportunity%20to%20revisit%20the%20album%20creatively%20with%20their%20longtime%20producer%2C%20Scott%20Litt.%20Litt%2C%20who%20struggled%20with%20the%20original%20mix%2C%20recalls%2C%20%22I%20had%20told%20the%20band%20through%20the%20years%20that%20if%20there%20was%20ever%20a%20chance%20to%20take%20another%20shot%20at%20mixing%20the%20album%2C%20I%20wanted%20to%20do%20it.%22%20Now%2C%2025%20years%20later%2C%20he's%20had%20the%20chance%2C%20and%20the%20results%20are%20striking.%20On%20some%20songs%2C%20according%20to%20Perpetua%2C%20Litt's%20work%20features%2C%20%22Entirely%20different%20vocal%20takes%20and%20instrumental%20parts%20that%20were%20either%20buried%20or%20excised%20from%20the%20original%20album%20mix.%22%20Mills%20adds%2C%20%22I%20think%20as%20he%20listened%20to%20it%20over%20the%20years%2C%20he%20began%20to%20hear%20a%20different%20way%20to%20realize%20those%20songs.%22%20Ultimately%2C%20with%20this%20reissue%2C%20fans%20will%20not%20only%20have%20the%20opportunity%20to%20re-discover%20Monster%20but%20also%2C%20perhaps%2C%20see%20the%20album%20in%20a%20completely%20new%20light.%0D%0AFeatures%3A%0D%0A%26bull%3B%2025th%20anniversary%20180g%20vinyl%202LP%20reissue%20from%20Craft%20Recordings%0D%0A%26bull%3B%20Expanded%20Edition%0D%0A%26bull%3B%20LP1%20-%20Remastered%20from%20the%20original%20analog%20master%20by%20Greg%20Calbi%20at%20Sterling%20Sound%0D%0A%26bull%3B%20LP2%20-%20Special%202019%20remix%20by%20original%20producer%20Scott%20Litt%0D%0A%26bull%3B%20New%20liner%20notes%20featuring%20interviews%20with%20members%20of%20the%20band%0D%0A%26bull%3B%20Reimagined%20artwork%20by%20original%20cover%20artist%20Chris%20Bilheimer