Monster (Steppenwolf album)
Monster is the fourth studio album by Canadian-American rock band Steppenwolf. The album was released in November 1969, by ABC Dunhill Records. It was their first LP with new lead guitarist Larry Byrom instead of Michael Monarch. The album was Steppenwolf's most political album, making references to important issues at the time, such as the Vietnam War.
| Monster | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 1969 | |||
| Recorded | 1969 | |||
| Studio | American Recording Co. Studio, Studio City, CA | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 32:53 | |||
| Label | ABC Dunhill | |||
| Producer | Gabriel Mekler | |||
| Steppenwolf chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Monster | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| The Village Voice | B+[2] |
| Rolling Stone | (unfavorable) [3] |
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".[4]
Reception
Reviews for Monster have generally been negative. Rolling Stone commented that the playing of the individual performers is "top-notch", but that "[t]heir 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."[1]
On the other hand, Village Voice 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.[2]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Monster/Suicide/America" | John Kay, Jerry Edmonton / Kay, Nick St. Nicholas, Larry Byrom, Edmonton / Kay, Edmonton | 9:15 |
| 2. | "Draft Resister" | Kay, Goldy McJohn, Byrom | 3:20 |
| 3. | "Power Play" | Kay | 5:26 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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)" | Leno Francen, Nolan Porter | 3:19 |
| 7. | "From Here to There Eventually" | Kay, McJohn, Edmonton | 5:27 |
Personnel
Steppenwolf
- John Kay – vocals, harmonica, guitar
- Larry Byrom – lead guitar
- Nick St. Nicholas – bass
- Goldy McJohn – Hammond organ, piano
- Jerry Edmonton – drums and lead vocals on "What Would You Do (If I Did That To You)"
Technical
- Gabriel Mekler – producer
- Bill Cooper – engineer
- Richard Podolor – engineer
Charts
Album - Billboard (United States)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Billboard 200 | 17[5] |
Singles - Billboard (United States)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | "Move Over" | Billboard Hot 100 | 31[4] |
| 1969 | "Monster" | Billboard Hot 100 | 39[4] |
References
- Monster at AllMusic
- Christgau, Robert (January 15, 1970). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved March 17, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com..
- Rezos, Ray (7 February 1970). "Records". Rolling Stone. San Francisco: Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. (51): 38. Retrieved 21 May 2017. Archived at .
- Steppenwolf USA chart history, Billboard.com. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
- "Billboard 200 - Steppenwolf". Retrieved September 3, 2017.