Monster (Steppenwolf album)

Monster
Studio album by Steppenwolf
Released November 1969
Recorded 1969 at American Recording Co. Studio, Studio City, California
Genre Hard rock, psychedelic rock, blues rock
Length 32:53
Label ABC Dunhill
Producer Gabriel Mekler
Steppenwolf chronology
Early Steppenwolf
(1969)		 Monster
(1969)		 Steppenwolf Live
(1970)
Singles from Monster
  1. "Move Over"/"Power Play"
    Released: 1969
  2. "Monster"/"Berry Rides Again"
    Released: 1969

Monster is an album by Steppenwolf. Released in 1969, it was their first LP with new lead guitarist, Larry Byrom instead of Michael Monarch. The album was Steppenwolf's most political one, making references to important issues at the time, such as the Vietnam War.

The album was the first Steppenwolf album not to feature a US top ten hit, though two singles from the album cracked the top 40: "Move Over" and "Monster".[1]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
Rolling Stone(unfavorable) [3]
Robert ChristgauB+[4]

Reviews for Monster have generally been negative. Rolling Stone commented that the playing of the individual performers is "top-notch", but that "Their arrangements have become sloppy and crude, as the early-Zappa lyrics continuously clash with the music."[3]

Allmusic panned the album in their retrospective review, remarking that "these lumbering hard rock tunes were not an effective means to address [important political topics], politically or musically."[2]

On the other hand, rock critic Robert Christgau gave the album praise. Christgau gave the album a B+ rating and called it "an excellent comeback", though he thought the preachy lyrics marred somewhat the final result.[4]

Track listing

  1. "Monster" (John Kay, Jerry Edmonton)/"Suicide" (Kay, Nick St. Nicholas, Byrom, Edmonton)/"America" (Kay, Edmonton) – 9:15
  2. "Draft Resister" (Kay, Goldy McJohn, Byrom) – 3:20
  3. "Power Play" (Kay) – 5:26
  4. "Move Over" (Kay, Mekler) – 2:53
  5. "Fag" (Byrom, Edmonton, St. Nicholas) – 3:13
  6. "What Would You Do (If I Did That to You)" (Francen, Porter) – 3:19
  7. "From Here to There Eventually" (Kay, McJohn, Edmonton) – 5:27

Personnel

Charts

Album - Billboard (United States)

Year Chart Position
1970 Pop Albums 17

Singles - Billboard (United States)

Year Single Chart Position
1969 "Move Over" Pop Singles 31[1]
1969 "Monster" Pop Singles 39[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Steppenwolf USA chart history, Billboard.com. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
  2. 1 2 Monster at AllMusic
  3. 1 2 Rezos, Ray (February 7, 1970). Album review, Rolling Stone. Archived at .
  4. 1 2 Christgau, Robert: "Steppenwolf" .
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